A background in accounting, computers, and general business is desirable, and there are a few specific prerequisites of a pre-business nature. Competitive candidates have a B average. Degree programs are usually two years, although some are three years. After graduation, M.H.A.s generally work first in hospitals as assistant administrators. There is no centralized application service.
Individual schools differ in their application procedures.
In general, students apply during the fourth undergraduate year. Some schools may require an entrance exam. Either way, the student preparing for a career in pharmacy should have a strong science background and a B average. The pharmacist holds an applied, practical degree and dispenses drugs on physicians' orders. Professionals with this degree work with physicians, as consultants, recommending drugs and studying their effects.