Duke University began offering healthcare education in 1930 alongside its opening of the Duke Hospital. In the more than three-quarters of a century since then, the Health Sector Management program (HSM) has evolved into one of the preeminent healthcare management education programs in the nation, alongside Wharton’s Health Care Systems major. Today, the HSM program enrolls over one-fifth of each Daytime MBA class, making it the largest healthcare program affiliated with a leading business school.
Fuqua’s affiliation with Duke University and location in the North Carolina Research Triangle area are major contributors to the strength of the HSM program. The Duke University Medical Center and Health System is a leader in biomedical research, education, and healthcare delivery, while the HSM program’s relationships with area biotech and pharmaceutical companies keep students and faculty connected to the rapidly changing healthcare industry.
Students enter the HSM program from a variety of backgrounds; though the program does not require prior health sector experience, it does look for a strong commitment to the healthcare field among all student participants. As with Wharton’s Health Care Systems major, application to Fuqua’s HSM program is through the MBA admissions process, with HSM applicants asked to indicate their interest in pursuing the HSM Certificate in a special section of the application.
Once enrolled, HSM students spend the first year completing the standard core curriculum before beginning the coursework that leads to the HSM Certificate. To earn the Certificate, HSM students complete three HSM core courses and three healthcare elective courses. All six HSM courses count as elective credit towards the MBA degree requirements. This is a slightly heavier course load than required by Wharton’s healthcare program, which asks students to complete two foundations courses and three healthcare electives.
In addition to providing students with the tools and skills to be successful in established health sector organizations, the HSM program also allows students to combine their health sector studies with the study of entrepreneurship and community involvement. For instance, HSM students may participate in the Engineering World Health program, using their skills to improve healthcare facilities in an impoverished community, or compete in the healthcare track of the Duke Start-Up Challenge.
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