Graduate Certificate in Community Health Center Management

The George Washington University has launched a new Graduate Certificate in Community Health Center (CHC) Management. This executive online learning program is designed to develop leaders who possess the skills and knowledge necessary for executive positions in the unique environment of Community Health Centers, and is affiliated with the Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health Policy and with the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC).  Applications are accepted for the Fall and Spring semesters.

Goal

The Certificate in Community Health Center Management provides quality training for the next generation of CHC administrative and clinical leaders, offers opportunities for continuous life-long learning, and encourages sharing best practices among alumni. Graduates of the program will be able to:

• Determine the needs of the target population by working closely with the community
• Effectively communicate within the organization and community
• Effectively manage organizational change and promote organizational and clinical excellence
• Utilize health information technology to improve clinical and operational efficiencies and outcomes
• Manage the unique financing systems of community health centers

Executive Format

The certificate program requires completion of 18 academic credits. Courses covering a full range of identified CHC competencies are offered over 3 semesters (12 months), allowing CHC managers to remain full-time on the job. Modalities include two onsite group sessions at GW, individual online sessions and weekly conference calls.  Courses are taught by faculty with management experience with community health centers or comparable health systems.

Value-Added Features

Unique value added features include:

1. A longitudinal team project directly related to a current local CHC initiative;
2. Onsite Capstone Congressional session in Washington at the end of the program with meetings with Federal health agency and NACHC senior staff;
3. Reduced flat tuition rate of $12,000 for the program; and
4. The ability to transfer all 18 academic credits to a full MHSA degree at GW upon admission.

Admissions Requirements

• Completion of a bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 3.0 or better
• Three (3) years experience in a Community Health Center or community health related position
• An introductory course in accounting with a grade of B or better. Prerequisite may be fulfilled by completion of an online “Accounting I” course (#ACC101) from www.Straighterline.com at a cost of $399
• Current Resume
• GRE Scores within the past five years. (www.ets.org/gre/use Institution code 5268) [Note: Applicants with any type of graduate degree are exempt]
• A short narrative related to your CHC career interests (not to exceed 250 words)
• Three references

Application Procedures

Applications for the Fall semester must be submitted by April 15. Applications for the Spring semester must be submitted by October 1. Applicants must apply online via SOPHAS, the Schools of Public Health Application Service.

Additional Certificate Information

Standard Occupation Classification (SOC) Codes

SOC codes listed relate to traditional expected employment fields.  The exclusion of other codes does not preclude someone from entering a different field if they are otherwise qualified.

Employability and Career Decision-Making

Completion of a certificate program, combined with previous experiences, specialized skills, and other factors may enable individuals to seek promotion to a new or different-level position or employment in a specific, etc.  Students are encouraged to work with program faculty, the SPHHS Office of Student Affairs,  and others to best understand how a certificate program may be utilized within the workforce and to develop a thoughtful career plan.  Students should also understand all of the factors required to ensure success in a job search such as specialized experience, the state of the economy, organizational culture, etc.

Visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics web site.

Approximate Cost of Attendance

Due to the number of participants who completed this Graduate Certificate program, information regarding median loan debt levels and graduation rates are not required.

Contact

To learn more about the application and the admissions processes, please contact the GW SPHHS Office of Recruitment and Admissions at 202.994.2160 or by email at sphhsinfo@gwumc.edu.

For more information about the curriculum and basic program, please contact the Program Director, Merle Cunningham, MD, MPH, at merlec@gwu.edu.

Related Downloads

• Graduate Certificate in Community Health Center Management Program Guide