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What is CAT?
CAT stands for Clinician-Administrator
Transition Certificate. It is an 15-unit certificate program
for post-baccalaureate clinical health care professionals interested
in developing administrative skills to enhance their roles in
the emerging health care delivery system.
Who
is eligible?
Individuals who meet the requirements
for enrollment at TU’s Graduate School are initially eligible.
Other requirements include a current license, eligibility for
licensure, or certification in a clinical area.
How
do I apply?
Contact the Graduate School
at Towson University for a complete admissions package which includes
an application either by phone (410-704-2501) or you can access
an application online at http://www.towson.edu/grad. You must
first apply to the graduate school before applying specifically
to the program.
How
long will it take to complete CAT?
There are five 3-unit courses.
The courses will be offered in the evenings during all semesters
including summer. The course schedule is designed to meet the
needs of busy professionals. It should be possible to complete
the certificate in two years or less.
Program
Description:
This certificate is directed towards health
care providers who are interested in developing administrative
skills to enhance their ability to advance professionally in the
current health care delivery system. The program includes five
three-unit graduate courses leading to a certificate. Individuals
completing this 15-unit certificate may wish to pursue additional
graduate study and will be able to apply credits towards a Master’s
degree in Nursing, Health Science, or Occupational Therapy if
they meet those programs' admissions requirements.
The certificate is designed for
practical application of administrative theory. It focuses on
leadership and skill development through a sequence designed to
both introduce concepts and facilitate application of skills using
case study, team teaching, information technology, and other relevant
methodologies.
An introductory course, Transitions:
Health Care Professionals in a Changing Environment, addresses
contextual issues related to management in the current health
care delivery system. Four topics are introduced and integrated
throughout each of the six courses. These include leadership development,
information technology, ethics, and working collaboratively as
a member of a diverse interdisciplinary team. Four skill development
courses follow and can be taken in any sequence. These include:
Health Care Financial Management; Strategic Planning and Marketing
in Health Care; and Human Resource Management. The final course, Administration
of Health Care Organization, is a capstone experience and provides
the opportunity to synthesize content from all previous courses.
CAT
Course Descriptions:
IDHP 600:
Transitions: Health Professionals in a Changing Environment
This three-credit course provides
an introduction to the Clinician-Administrator Transition Certificate.
The focus is on the context and stakeholders of the health care
delivery system. Leadership style and teamwork skills are developed.
(3 unit).
IDHP 651:
Strategic Planning and Marketing in Health Care (Double listed
as HLTH 651)
This three-credit course provides
an overview of health care strategic planning and marketing for
profit and non-profit organizations. Concepts of strategic planning
and marketing that are applicable across health care settings
will be taught through lecture and hands-on assignments. (3
unit)
IDHP 647:
Health Care Financial Management (Double listed as HLTH 647)
This three-credit course provides
an overview of current approaches to the theories, practices,
and organization of health care financial management (HCFM). Planning,
budgeting and cost control activities will be covered along with
the analytical tools required to function in a competitive health
care market. Textbook readings, reserve readings and case studies
will be utilized. (3 unit)
IDHP (605):
Managing Health Care Professionals (Double listed as OCTH
605)
This three-credit course addresses
issues and skills related to the effective management of human
resources in the health care environment. Topics include personnel
selection, staff development and training, motivation and job
satisfaction, performance evaluation, managing a diverse work
force, and complying with legal requirements in health care settings.
(3 unit)
IDHP (610):
Administration of Health Care Organizations (Capstone Course)
This course is the culmination
of the certificate program and provides the learner with the opportunity
to integrate all the content from the previous courses. Students
will complete a major project that draws on their knowledge and
competencies with management functions related to strategic planning
and program planning, marketing, financial management, ethics,
human resources, information management, and team building. (3
unit)
Prerequisites: This is the
final course in the certificate program. All four other courses
must be successfully completed prior to registration.
Mission:
The Clinician-Administrator Transition
Certificate expands educational opportunities for post-baccalaureate,
clinical health care professionals to become administrators. Upon
completion of the certificate students will possess the knowledge
and skills necessary to provide excellence in leadership and day
to day management in the delivery of health care services in a
changing health care environment.
The Clinician-Administrator Transition
(CAT) Certificate emphasizes the practical application of administrative
theory to health care settings in the metropolitan Baltimore area,
the state of Maryland and the mid-Atlantic region. Students completing
the CAT Certificate will have:
- knowledge of the US health care
market and organizational factors influencing delivery, financing
and regulatory structures;
- skills in selecting, using,
and critically analyzing current health care administration
literature based on real world situations;
- ability to work productively
with multidisciplinary and ethnically diverse colleagues in
teams;
- awareness of responsibility
for actions and decisions on an administrative and organizational
level, as well as the understanding of the need to assume responsibility
for the action of subordinates in an organization; and,
- creativity and competence in
health care administration ethics, writing, presentation and
information management applicable to finance, strategic planning
and marketing, program planning and evaluation, human resources,
business management and leadership.
Admission
Requirements:
Applicants must meet the general
requirements for graduate study outlined in the Towson University
Graduate Catalog. Additional requirements include current licensure,
eligibility for licensure, or certification in a clinical area.
The applicant should have a minimum of an undergraduate degree in
a clinical field (nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy,
etc.) with a GPA of at least 3.0 for full admission or 2.75 for
conditional admission. There is a continuous enrollment policy for
the CAT program. Once all materials are received and evaluated,
applicants will be notified regarding acceptance to the program.
Program
Coordinator
For more information please contact.
Marcie Weinstein, PhD
Office of Collaborative Programs
College of Health Professions
Program Director
Enrollment Services, room 322-323
Phone: 410-704-4049
Fax: 410-704-4965
E-mail: mweinstein@towson.edu
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