The Health Care Administration (HCA) program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is a full certified undergraduate program member of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA). We are proud to be one of only 44 AUPHA-certified undergraduate programs in the U.S., out of hundreds of programs nationally. Full certified undergraduate program membership in AUPHA represents programmatic accreditation for undergraduate health administration programs.

Mission

The Health Care Administration (HCA) program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee provides a comprehensive curriculum in health services administration to a diverse, highly-qualified student population. Faculty and active practitioners bring a breadth and depth of expertise to the delivery of courses in medical science, informatics, and management. The HCA program enhances the quality of life of the residents of Wisconsin, in the advancement of the knowledge and the ability of healthcare professionals to lead their organizations, to serve their communities, and to improve the health status of their communities.

Vision

The HCA program delivers state-of-the-art education to traditional and nontraditional students, preparing them for entry or mid-level management positions in group practice, ambulatory care, long-term care, hospitals, managed care, and other health-related organizations. We use innovative instructional methods to deliver excellent and consistent educational outcomes based on the needs of our industry and our constituency.

Values

In pursuit of this vision, the HCA program is guided by a commitment to the following values established by the College of Health Sciences:

• Integrity in all that we do
• Collaboration to achieve Excellence
• Diversity of thought, perspective and culture
• Accessibility to promote optimal engagement

In addition, the HCA program recognizes the importance of the following values:

• Continuous improvement in the quality of work performed, and commitment to service
• Respect for the dignity of each individual
• Accountability of individual faculty, staff, and students to each other and our constituencies
• Fairness in matters involving students, faculty and staff
• Teamwork among students, faculty, staff, and alumni and openness to innovation and change

New College Students

On your application for admission to UW-Milwaukee, select “Health Care Administration” as your intended area of study. You will be classified as “Health Care Administration-Intended” upon admission to the University.

After you have completed the prerequisite courses during your first two years of study, you will be eligible to apply for admission to the major and professional core courses.

Transfer Students

The Health Care Administration program will consider applications to the major at the end of each semester, as long as your cumulative UWM GPA is 2.5 or above, you have completed the admission prerequisite courses, and you have met the grade requirements for required courses. You are encouraged to apply to the major as soon as you meet these requirements and have achieved sophomore status.

The following courses are prerequisites for admission:

• COMMUN 103: Public Speaking
• ENGLISH 102: College Writing and Research or completion of the UWM English competency requirement
• ECON 103: Principles of Microeconomics or ECON 104: Principles of Macroeconomics
• MATH 105: Intermediate Algebra or a Math placement level C on the proficiency test
• HS/HCA 102: Healthcare Delivery in the United States
• HCA 220: Leading Healthcare Professionals

If you are entering the University with credits from another institution you must schedule an advising appointment to plan your course of study. If you are unable to meet in person with your advisor, your non-UWM credits can be tentatively reviewed by sending a faxed or mailed copy of your transcript along with an explanatory cover letter to:

Who is my advisor?

Angela Kowalski, MS
(414) 229-2758 • angelak@uwm.edu

You can also see the name of your advisor and contact them directly by accessing your student center in PAWS.

Prior to Fall 2016

Fall 2016 to Spring 2019

Fall 2019 to Present

Future Healthcare Executives (FHE)

Future Healthcare Executives (FHE) is a very active student organization within the Health Care Administration (HCA) program, and they are recognized participants in the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) Higher Education Network. FHE offers students an opportunity to meet leaders in the field, attend professional education and networking events sponsored by the ACHE Wisconsin Chapter, and attend other conferences at the local, state, and national level.

Students also develop leadership and management skills by participating in workshops, community service and volunteer activities, speaker events and job shadowing opportunities with executives from the Milwaukee area and beyond. FHE members regularly attend local ACHE education and networking events, serve on committees and volunteer at location meetings, and participate in the national ACHE Congress on Healthcare Leadership.

Membership in FHE is open to all UWM students, both undergraduate and graduate, who have an interest in health care administration, regardless of major.

Contact

Kathleen Olewinski, Faculty Advisor
Director, Health Care Administration Studies
(414) 229-7110
kmo@uwm.edu

For more information or to join FHE during the academic year, connect with the student organization president directly at fhexecs@uwm.edu.

The faculty-supervised internship (minimum of 120 hours) is an integral component of the Health Care Administration major. Students, under the direction of a preceptor, are given opportunities for management-related experience in local, national, and international health care organizations.

You must complete a faculty-supervised internship prior to graduation; you may enroll in up to 3 HCA internships for academic credit before graduation. The HCA Internship and capstone course is HCA 580.

To be eligible to complete the required senior internship, you must:

1. Submit a completed internship application by:
   • October 1 for the following Spring semester
   • March 1 for the following Fall semester

   Summer internships may also be approved by the internship coordinator if required to graduate on time, if eligibility criteria are met and a completed application is submitted by March 1.

   Internship application materials are available from:

   Kathleen Olewinski, MS, RHIA, NHA, FACHE, PhD Dissertator
   Health Care Administration Internship Coordinator
   College of Health Sciences
   Northwest Quadrant Building B, Room 6432
   kmo@uwm.edu

2. Have senior status in the Health Care Administration program.
3. Adhere to all professional behavior standards.
4. Submit required paperwork from mandatory orientation which includes completion of a background check.

The internship application is required, and must be completed online and submitted by the October 1 deadline for the following Spring semester, and by the March 1 deadline for the following Fall semester (or summer semester when pre-approved to graduate on time). By the same deadline, forward your unofficial transcript and draft resume with skills and relevant courses included to Kathleen Olewinski at kmo@uwm.edu

If you have been asked to have a criminal background check done in preparation for your internship, you will get instructions during the mandatory Health Care Administration Program Orientation upon your admission to the major.

Health screening requirements must also be met for specific sites prior to placement consideration. Physical and health screening forms are provided during the mandatory Health Care Administration Program Orientation, and available from:

Kathleen Olewinski, MS, RHIA, NHA, FACHE, PhD Dissertator
Health Care Administration Internship Coordinator
College of Health Sciences
Northwest Quadrant Building B, Room 6432
kmo@uwm.edu

UWM Career Planning & Resource Center (CPRC)

• Non-credit and experiential internships may be available
• Walk-in career advising, as well as information regarding jobs, career fairs, and resources for students and alumni.
• A PantherJobs website to search for jobs and internships in all fields

Partial Listing of Current and Past Internship Placement Sites

• AseraCare Hospice
• Aurora At Home
• Aurora Credentials Verification Service
• Aurora Health Care
• Aurora Health Care Medical Group
• Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center
• Aurora Sheboygan Memorial Medical Center
• Aurora Sinai Medical Center
• Aurora West Allis Memorial Medical Center
• Bellin Health
• BloodCenter of Wisconsin
• Children’s Hospital and Health System
• Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
• Children’s Medical Group
• City of Milwaukee Health Department
• Columbia St. Mary’s, Inc.
• Columbia St. Mary’s Foundation
• Columbia St. Mary’s Hospitals
• Community Care for the Elderly
• Community Health Internship Program (CHIP)
• Community Memorial Hospital
• Compassionate Care Hospice
• Curative Care Network
• Dynacare Laboratories
• Elmbrook Memorial Hospital
• Flagship SailsRx
• Froedtert Health
• Froedtert Hospital
• Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin
• Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Community Physicians
• GE Healthcare
• Gundersen Health System
• Lake Terrace Health and Rehabilitation
• Medical College of Wisconsin
• Milwaukee Center for Independence
• Milwaukee VA Medical Center
• Molina Healthcare
• Norris Health Center
• Northwestern Mutual
• Orthopaedic Hospital of Wisconsin
• ProHealth Care
• ProHealth Home Care & Hospice
• Saint John’s On The Lake
• Sheboygan Progressive Care Center
• Therapy Plus of Wisconsin
• Watertown Regional Medical Center
• Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare
• Wheaton Franciscan Medical Group
• Willows Nursing and Rehabilitation
• Wisconsin Heart Hospital

The following requirements must be met to graduate:

1. Completion of the required 128 credits (124 credits for students entering the program on or after September 3, 2019)
2. A cumulative UWM GPA of 2.5
3. A grade of C+ or better in all Health Care Administration (HCA) and Health Sciences (HS) courses and a C or better in all other required courses
4. Completion of all University General Education Requirements

You may choose to supplement your learning by integrating the Certificate in Health Care Informatics into your undergraduate studies. You need to meet with your advisor to declare your intention to complete the Certificate.

Use UWM’s Graduation website to review campus-wide graduation requirements, graduation application deadlines, applying for graduation, and ordering your cap and gown.

Salaries of New Graduates

Local healthcare employers and new graduates of the health care administration undergraduate program report average starting salaries between $32,000 and $45,000 per year, depending on the position and type of employer as well as years of experience and location. Most new graduates are employed within 3 to 6 months of graduation, many within 1 month, with an increasing number pursuing graduate studies.

Expected Growth

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical and health services managers is expected to grow 20 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. As the large baby-boom population ages and people remain active later in life, there should be increased demand for healthcare services. This means greater needs for physicians and other healthcare workers, medical procedures, and healthcare facilities, and therefore greater needs for managers who organize and manage medical information and healthcare staff. There should also be increased demand for nursing care facility administrators as the population grows older.

Employment is projected to grow in offices of health practitioners. Many services previously provided in hospitals will shift to these settings, especially as medical technologies improve. Demand in medical group practice management is expected to grow as medical group practices become larger and more complex.

Although the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that median salary for all medical and health services managers in 2016 was greater than $96,000 per year, earnings vary by type and size of the facility and level of responsibility. Salaries differ for non-managerial entry level positions, with higher pay typically associated with positions requiring a master’s degree.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Medical and Health Services Managers.

Visit these websites for current information and other resources regarding our profession. Look for special student membership incentives offered through some of these professional associations, and valuable career resources as well as education and networking events, scholarships, leadership development, and mentoring. Some professional associations also offer a pathway to credentialing for experienced health care executives and professionals, to distinguish yourself in your profession.

• American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE)
• American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA)
• American Health Care Association (AHCA)
• Medical Group Management Association (MGMA)
• Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA)
• Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS)

• Ron A. Cisler, PhD
  Professor Emeritus
• Jennifer T. Fink, PhD, MS
  Assistant Professor, MHA Program Co-director
• Jake Luo, PhD
  Associate Professor, Informatics Graduate Program Director
• Mary K. Madsen, PhD, RN, FAAIDD
  Professor Emerita
• Priya Nambisan, PhD
  Associate Professor
• Kathleen M. Olewinski, MS, RHIA, NHA, FACHE, PhD (ABD)
  Clinical Assistant Professor, Director of Health Care Administration Studies, Educational Coordinator
• Hanh Trinh, PhD
  Associate Professor, Co-chair
• Min Wu, PhD
  Associate Professor, Co-chair
• Barbara J. Zabawa, JD, MPH
  Clinical Assistant Professor, MHA Program Co-director