Becoming a doctor takes a lot of studying. Exactly how much depends on where you’re based, which area of health care you want to enter, and the institution where you enroll. But whatever happens, it’ll be a lengthy process.
What’s more, studying doesn’t end once you’ve qualified. As methods of diagnosis and treatment become more advanced, medical professionals who don’t keep up-to-date will get left behind.
That’s why many health professionals decide to study for doctoral degrees as they move forward in their careers.
What is an Ed.D.?
The Doctor of Education degree (Ed.D.) is usually undertaken by practicing doctors who are interested in taking on leadership or educational roles. They are the ones who will prepare the next generation of doctors.
Because many of those who decide to pursue Ed.D. programs are already working, these programs usually allow students to choose coursework and research modules relevant to their own experience and expertise. Students can often pursue their doctorate in health education online while continuing to practice full-time or part-time.
When you complete an Ed.D., you’ll probably study topics such as:
- How to manage organizational change
- How to use technology in leadership (of diverse populations)
- How to design policies to reflect ethical and legal requirements
- How to collect and analyze data for research
Whereas a Ph.D. degree consists of research only, the Ed.D. is more focused on how to apply that research in practice.
The field of healthcare is growing incredibly fast, and so is the demand for healthcare education. But before healthcare professionals can study for their medical degrees, there has to be somebody to train them. That’s why the profession needs more Ed.D. graduates.
Degree components
The Health Care Ed.D. program is designed to produce graduates who will be in a position to educate the next generation of healthcare students. Courses offered in this degree cover topics such as:
- Health Care Systems and Health Policies
- Information Technology in Health Care
- Medical Practice Management and Organizational Change
- Quality Assurance in Health Care
- HR and People Management
There’s also usually a practical (college level) teaching module, and, in the US, there are various modules on Medical Spanish terminology and interpretation.
Benefits of Obtaining an Ed.D. in Health Care
The Health Care Ed.D. is designed to equip students with the skills they’ll need to work as faculty or administrators in their chosen fields. The degree also qualifies students for specialized roles. They can become an occupational therapist, a physical therapist, or a speech-language pathologist. If they prefer, holders of the Ed.D. may also become college professors or private consultants.
Obtaining an Ed.D. in Health Care is a long and challenging process. But at the end of it, you’ll have greatly enhanced skills. Your services will be more valuable, and you’ll be able to charge higher rates for those services.
Those who teach the Ed.D. degree use methods of teaching that are specialized for health care. Plus, the assessments used in the degree program are aligned with the specific requirements of professional accreditation.
Is Getting an Ed.D. in Health Education Worth it?
Although it does have several benefits, having a doctoral degree isn’t a requirement for any type of healthcare professional. If that’s the case, why would anybody choose to undertake even more studying than they absolutely have to?
No matter what industry you work in, in today’s economic climate, leadership skills are highly in demand. And you benefit enormously with your leadership skills when you earn an Ed.D.
In particular, this degree equips students with knowledge about educational systems and policy, and with knowledge about technology leadership.
It’s often said that education is key to eradicating poverty and improving people’s quality of life. This is especially true of health education. Leaders in this field are responsible not only for training future health practitioners, but also for putting in place systems and policies to ensure that teachers and students continue to achieve high standards in this important area in the future.
As technology continues to become more and more important in our daily lives, it’s essential that future leaders fully embrace the effective use of technology in education. An Ed.D. equips students with the knowledge they need in both educational policy and technology leadership.
Final Thoughts
Holders of Ed.D. degree qualifications are in high demand for all the reasons highlighted above. Those who work in health care are concerned with improving the lives of their patients. So, obtaining a doctorate in health care education is an excellent way of achieving this and other goals of advancing patient care and delivery.
