High School

A well-rounded education is a good foundation for the administrative and human resource management skills needed in clinic manager work. Take classes in science, math, business, health, sociology, and psychology. English classes are also beneficial for the writing and communication skills needed in the job.

Postsecondary Education

A bachelor's degree is the minimum requirement for clinic management work. Many employers prefer to hire clinic managers who hold a master's degree. Clinic managers may hold bachelor's and master's degrees in business administration, health administration, management, or public health administration. They may also have majored in nursing. Most master's degree programs will 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 courses that are helpful include psychology, sociology, English, and writing.

Licensure

Those who work for clinics in nursing homes are required by states to be state-approved through 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/state-boards-agencies.

Certification

Clinic managers become certified to improve their knowledge and skills and keep up to date on industry developments. They may become certified in medical management through the 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, and the American College of Health Care Administrators, https://www.achca.org/certification.

Employers prefer to hire clinic managers with at least a bachelor's 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 clinic's 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 staff's problems to improve the work and environment. They can 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 also have strong technical skills, which are required to keep up with the developments in technology and data analytics in the health care industry.