The smaller the facility, the more of these duties the top administrator handles personally. Clinical administrators are more specialized in the focus of their duties due to training and experience in a specific clinical area. For example, directors of physical therapy are experienced physical therapists. Becoming a health services administrator requires at least a baccalaureate degree in health services administration and, for some positions, clinical experience. A baccalaureate degree is generally adequate for some entry-level positions in smaller facilities, but a master's degree is the standard credential for most general administrative positions.
Some graduate programs seek students with backgrounds in liberal arts or science backgrounds.
Entry into such programs is competitive and requires above-average grades. Programs generally last 2-3 years and include coursework in such areas as hospital organization and management, marketing, accounting and budgeting, human resources administration, strategic planning, health economics, and health information systems. Graduates with bachelor's degrees in health administration usually find employment as administrative assistants or assistant department heads in small hospitals or nursing homes. Demand for professionally prepared health service administrators is especially high in rural settings, including South Dakota. The mission of USD's HSAD program is to improve the delivery of health services and the health of the populations served through the education of professional managers.