Health Systems Management Connects an Interest in Health With a Desire to Lead
Mariah Manley grew up with the feeling she would work in the medical field some day, in some way. Probably as a doctor, she figured.
During checkups as a youth she would survey her health providers while they peered in her ears or tapped at her knees, tallying their responses to the question, What kind of physician should I be? As the years went by, one answer began to rack up a fair number of tics, even though it had nothing to do with the medical specialties of doctors at all.
“They would say, ‘Really, what we need is better management,’” said Manley.
This December, Manley will make good on that feedback when she graduates from UNC Charlotte with a B.S. in Health Systems Management — a degree that marries her desire to work in the health field with her strong desire to lead.
The need for health systems managers continues to rise, in part because more people are using health care services. Tidal wave generations like the Baby Boomers are living longer and at the age where they’re seeing doctors more frequently. Keeping up with the increase requires healthcare organizations and medical providers to hire specialized managers that coordinate and oversee care.
Those interested in the field will have a good chance of finding future employment. Medical and health management jobs are expected to grow 28% through 2032 (The Bureau of Labor Statistics). Closer to home, statistics show 81% of UNC Charlotte’s B.S. in Health Systems Management alumni find employment related to their degrees (Lightcast, 2023). These graduates go on to careers in Atrium Health, Novant Health, OrthoCarolina and other health organizations and agencies.
Not surprisingly, Manley clinched a job before her upcoming December graduation. She started work last month with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a disease intervention specialist, assessing people who have been diagnosed with syphilis or HIV.
“I’m helping them get the care they need, as well as tracking down individuals who might have had contact with someone who just got diagnosed,” she said.
It’s a short-term contracted position in public health that Manley feels she wouldn’t have secured without her pending degree in health systems management. Because the degree is online, she was able to take the full-time position in Fayetteville while finishing up her degree requirements.
It’s a stop in public health before what she expects to be a long career in health systems management.
“Even though my position is in public health, I really want to be in health management,” said Manley. “My ‘20 years down the line’ goal? I want to direct or manage a clinic or hospital.”
She credits courses within her health systems management major, especially those that delved into quality management, U.S. healthcare, ethics and human resources, with giving her the confidence and knowledge to excel in the field.
“I know what to say and what not to say. I know how to let others guide me to be the best I can be, but also how to be a leader as well,” she said.
Interested in a degree in health systems management? Admits fall, spring and summer.