High School

A well-rounded education will provide a good foundation for the administrative and human resource management skills needed in clinic manager work. Take classes in science, math, business management, health, sociology, and psychology. English, writing, and foreign language classes will help you to develop the communication skills that are necessary for success in this career.

Postsecondary Education

A bachelors degree is the minimum requirement for work as a clinic manager, but many employers prefer to hire clinic managers who hold a masters degree. Clinic managers may hold bachelors and masters degrees in business administration, health administration, management, or public health administration. They may also have majored in nursing or nursing management. Most masters degree programs include fieldwork in a clinic. Degree programs may combine management and healthcare with courses in medical terminology, hospital organization, and health information systems. Classes cover topics such as clinical informatics, health services management, accounting and budging, human resources management, strategic planning, health economics, health law and ethics, and medical billing. Other helpful courses include psychology, sociology, English, writing, data analytics, and artificial intelligence.

There are numerous bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in health service administration and health care administration. A listing of these programs can be found at the Association of University Programs in Healthcare Administrations Web site, https://network.aupha.org/members/findaprogram.

Certification

Colleges and universities, online learning platforms, and professional associations offer certificate programs in healthcare management, financial management, human resources management, artificial intelligence and other types of emerging technology, and other fields. These programs typically last six months to a year.

Other Education or Training

Many professional associations require those who are certified to take continuing education (CE) credits to renew their certification. Taking these in-person classes and webinars is also a good way to keep improving your skills and stay up to date on industry trends. Many professional associations—including the American College of Healthcare Executives, American College of Healthcare Executives, Medical Group Management Association, and the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards—provide CE opportunities.

Certification or Licensing

Clinic managers become certified to improve their knowledge and skills and keep up to date on industry developments. They may receive the certified medical manager credential fromthe Professional Association of Health Care Office Management (https://my.pahcom.com/cmm). Other associations that offer certification programs include the American Health Information Management Association (https://www.ahima.org/certification-careers/certifications-overview) and the American College of Health Care Administrators (https://www.achca.org/certification).

Those who work for clinics in nursing homes are required by states to be state-approved by passing a national licensing exam. Requirements vary by state. Find information at the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards Web site, https://www.nabweb.org/seeking-licensure/how-to-get-started.

Employers prefer to hire clinic managers with at least a bachelors degree and five years of work experience in the healthcare industry.

The job has a variety of responsibilities and requires individuals who are able to handle many tasks at once. Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential for managing the clinics staff, physicians, nurses, patients, and their families. Successful clinic managers have a customer-service approach to their work, aiming to identify and resolve patients and staffs problems to improve the work and environment. They are able to remain calm and focused when dealing with stressful situations. Clinic managers must be organized and have strong leadership and decision-making abilities. Knowing how to delegate tasks is helpful for keeping the work flowing smoothly. The job also entails a great deal of reading to keep up with industry and government policies and regulations regarding health care practices. Individuals who do best in this field are also analytical and detail-oriented. They have strong technical skills, which are required to keep up with the developments in technology and data analytics in the health care industry.