Today, the program enrolls 100 students and is led by two full-time professors, Dr. Sisk and Dr. Mary Saunders. Several adjunct professors also assist in teaching the program's courses. A wide range of professionals participate in the program, which leads to a master's degree from the Eugene W. Stetson School of Business and Economics. From physicians to attorneys, nurses to insurance executives, the reasons students enter the program seem to be as diverse as the students themselves. Students are required to take five core business courses and eight health care management courses, highlighted by the Health Care Administration Capstone course which explores current concepts and issues.
Students also can opt to take their choice of electives, an internship or a research project.
It's no longer the physicians or the hospital making the final decisions. Dugger said that her experience in Mercer's health care program has helped her understand not only her own hospital's methods, but also those of other hospitals across the country that come to St. Joseph's to observe their nationally-recognized nursing program. I wanted to help secure my job and have more options. Now as vice president for regulatory compliance at Georgia Baptist Health Care Systems Inc., Adams uses her legal and business skills to make sure all laws are followed in her organization's four hospitals, three nursing homes, and its home and community health care divisions. Suzanne Greenway, MS '95, an independent health care consultant who also teaches in the program, said that she sees opportunity in health care, even though the future may be uncertain.