Master's Degrees for EMS Professionals: What's Available?

Master's degrees are extremely beneficial for those seeking to move up in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) world. They are sought after by EMS professionals who want to work in EMS management, finance, or operations. These programs provide training in organizational structure and management, problem solving, financial practice, decision making, and general administrative duties. Students typically select a concentration in which they are most interested.

Several institutions, including George Washington University and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, provide graduate degrees specific to management of EMS organizations and systems. Some of these institutions provide online programs. These programs are typically targeted at experienced EMS clinicians who want a management or teaching position. (It should be noted the author has no connections with these schools.)

Here are some other relevant programs for EMS Professionals:

• Master of Public Health: These programs typically cover the following core public health disciplines: Biostatistics, health services administration/management, behavioral sciences, health education, epidemiology, and occupational/environmental health sciences. Some of these programs provide a concentration in public health preparedness.
• Master of Public Administration: These programs usually focus on public policy and/or governmental issues. The core curriculum typically includes public finance, microeconomics, policy process and analysis, research methods/statistics, public management, program evaluation/performance measurements, and leadership. This degree is the basic credential for many county and city department head positions.
• Master of Business Administration: First year students usually study a wide array of subjects and then take a specialized curriculum in the second year of the program. This degree is beneficial for individuals involved in EMS systems operations, finance, or planning.
• Master of Science in Emergency and Public Safety Services: Besides the core classes, these programs typically provide concentrations such as emergency management, education, and ambulatory/ED management.

A master's degree typically takes two years to complete on a full-time basis. Getting one of these degrees can certainly give you a competitive edge on the competition.

Brian Jenkins writes about a variety of topics related to education and jobs, including EMS career and college information and tips. He has been a member of the BrainTrack.com writing staff since 2008.