Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) & Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA)

Why Pursue Dual Training?

Physicians are increasingly assuming significant leadership and administrative roles across the healthcare industry. Earning a Masters degree in Healthcare Administration (MHA) together with the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree will greatly expand your understanding of the business of medicine and further your preparation to assume important leadership positions now and in the future.

Healthcare administration training experience must provide professionals in Idaho and beyond with foundational conceptual, technical, and human relations skills needed to assume increasingly responsible governance roles in the overall mission of the healthcare industry. In close alignment with the tenets of the osteopathic medical profession, this combined program of instruction seeks to integrate the traditional osteopathic training, skillsets, and perspectives of holistic, people-centered medical care into the development of professionals who are uniquely suited for healthcare agency leadership.

Program Goals

The intent of this program is directed at allowing osteopathic medical students to:

• Provide a high-quality educational experience for MHA and other health professions students.
• Promote an environment that supports learning and discovery through various forms of scholarship.
• Develop and mature an understanding of professionalism in healthcare administration.
• Engage expertly with faculty, other health professionals, and the public to create diverse, effective, and functional interdisciplinary and interprofessional environments dedicated to healthcare administration.
• Prepare for a significant role in healthcare administration through applied and integrated learning experiences.
• Develop competency and skills in providing service and consultation to healthcare agencies and organizations at the local, state, national and international level toward the improvement of population health.

Application Process

ICOM encourages student participation in degree programs from external colleges or universities (co-admission or concurrent enrollment) when that participation will not adversely affect the student’s progression through the medical school curriculum. ICOM students interested in participating in this program must seek and receive prior review and approval from the Student Success Committee and the ICOM Dean. Additionally, MHA applicants must meet the admissions requirement for the program at Idaho State University.

ICOM medical students in good academic standing are eligible to apply to the MHA program following completion of their first semester of medical school. Your MCAT score will be used in place of any required GRE/GMAT examinations. ICOM students can expect to take 33 credits (11 courses) in total for the Master of Healthcare Administration program. See curriculum below.

The MHA curricular program is managed and delivered by Idaho State University. The Idaho State MHA program maintains eight admission slots every academic year for ICOM applicants who are reviewed by faculty from both institutions.

The applicant will meet with the Assistant Dean of Learner Outcomes and Assessment and an assigned faculty mentor to establish student success oversight for the required sequence of courses and create an individualized training and curriculum timeline. This curriculum, in combination with that of the osteopathic medical program (a four-year program), is designed to be completed within a total of five years. Course work is subject to change, based on course availability and satisfactory student performance.

Master of Healthcare Administration Curriculum

The MHA program experience will greatly enhance learners’ focus upon conceptual, technical, and human relation skills needed to compete and succeed in today’s highly complex and competitive healthcare industry. The MHA coursework is offered in Meridian, Pocatello, Idaho Falls and online. In-person courses are offered in the evening with online synchronous courses also being available.

Disclaimer

The DO-MHA concurrent educational training program guidelines are continuously updated and are subject to change based upon individual institutional or program recommendations and policy requirements.

Contact Information

For questions about the DO-MPH program, please contact Dr. Tia Finney-Sadler, ICOM Assistant Dean of Learner Outcomes and Assessment.