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What advice would you give to someone returning to school after five years to pursue a Master of Health Administration (MHA) program? #Spring26

I have a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies and five years of experience as an administrative assistant at UCLA Health. #Spring26

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Ken’s Answer

If you are going to peruse this degree, you should work at a place where this degree will benefit. The outcome will be you will likely have that employer cover from 50-100% of the tuition. You will also be able to apply immediately what you are learning.
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Arushi’s Answer

I would recommend pursuing an MHA program that combines strong academic training with meaningful real-world healthcare experience. Building a solid understanding of how health insurance works, how health systems operate, and the broader medtech and life sciences landscape is incredibly valuable. Equally important, however, is the opportunity to apply that knowledge in practice.

Experiential opportunities—such as process improvement, operational transformation, or strategic projects within health systems—help bridge the gap between classroom learning and the realities of the healthcare industry. These experiences not only deepen your understanding of current industry challenges and trends but also help you develop practical skills that employers are looking for.

An MHA can be a fantastic degree, and I would encourage you to look for a program that emphasizes both didactic learning and hands-on experience so you can actively apply what you learn throughout your education.
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James’s Answer

I think successful healthcare administrators go and see the real work of caring for patients in multiple settings. Do your best to take a good amount of time to go in person to understand the work as well as what makes the work challenging for those trying so hard to help patients. There is a lot of wastefulness in many healthcare processes, and an administrator who helps the front lines identify this waste and support people in coming up with ideas to reduce that waste and rejoice/recognize improvement work that unburdens the doctors, nurses, and others so they can spend more of their time actually providing care, and less on busywork, correcting defects... is a highly respected and successful administrator.
Take classes in improvement science as well.
Thank you comment icon Hi Maribel, I say GO FOR IT! I too go back to school in the Fall 2026 to do a Bachelor’s in Health Administration. (That at 55 years old) I also qualified as a CNA 2 1/2 years a go and been working at a hospital since. I also do two associates degrees and EMT (all while in my 50’s) You got this! Bolinka Goldridge
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Kebbi’s Answer

As someone who earned an MHA after working for a few years, I'd encourage you to view your five years at UCLA Health as a strength, not a gap. Many of the concepts you'll learn in an MHA program, such as operations, leadership, finance, and healthcare systems, will make more sense because you've already seen healthcare organizations work in real life. Before starting, think about what you want the degree to help you achieve, whether that's moving into management, operations, strategy, or another area. Once you're in the program, build relationships with classmates, professors, and healthcare leaders, and look for internships, projects, or committees that give you exposure beyond your current role. Your communication background combined with healthcare experience can be a powerful combination.
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