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“I wish every expert—whether a public health expert, a clinician, or a scientist—understood how much health communication experts can help take the information that someone needs and shape it to maximize its impact.”

— Brian Zikmund‑Fisher, PhD, Professor of Health Behavior and Equity, University of Michigan School of Public Health

The human species has practiced health communication since the creation of the Hippocratic Oath in the fourth century BC – a moral code for healthcare providers to do their best and do no harm. Flashing forward to more modern times with Florence Nightingale’s work in 1853 when she arranged the training of nurses for the Crimean War.

In the 21st century, health communication goes hand in hand with modern society, humanity, and the importance of health promotion. The discipline focuses on four areas: health promotion, health care intervention, communication between patient and provider and family, and communication technologies. The role of health communications specialists is an invaluable resource between the medical community and society. In the age of digital health records, health communications specialists work collaboratively with medical providers and patients to make timely adjustments that save lives and increase prevention.

Health communications specialists work in a variety of settings. Typical work environments are nonprofit organizations, biotechnology companies, research organizations, publishing companies, institutions of education, hospitals, public health, and regulatory agencies, which include state, national, and international government agencies.

Health communications specialists typically hold a bachelor’s degree and have certifications or backgrounds in public health and related fields. Certificate programs in health communications specialists and master’s programs require bachelor’s degrees for program admissions. Often, programs offering this specific field of study offer a master of arts degree (MA) or a master of science degree (MS) focusing on health or communications.

The article below outlines the specializations, admissions, educational programs, and the steps to becoming a professional in the health communications specialist field of work.

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Dr. Brian Zikmund‑Fisher is a professor of health behavior and equity at the University of Michigan School of Public Health and the interim co-director of the Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine. His research centers on making health data, such as risk statistics and test results, more understandable for patients, clinicians, and policymakers.

Dr. Zikmund‑Fisher serves as editor-in-chief of Medical Decision Making and teaches graduate courses on health and science communication. He holds a PhD in behavioral decision theory from Carnegie Mellon University.

HealthcareDegree.com: What do you wish the public understood about health communication specialists?

Dr. Zikmund‑Fisher: We can help. Literally, that’s it. I wish every expert—whether a public health expert, a clinician, or a scientist—understood how much health communication experts can help take the information that someone needs and shape it to maximize its impact. And we can help ensure that each recipient of health communications can actually benefit from what they hear or see.

HealthcareDegree.com: What advice would you give to aspiring health communication specialist students?

Dr. Zikmund‑Fisher: First, focus on skills, not just the skills taught in public health. Learn to write in plain language all the time, not as a special step. Learn to find the single most important point that needs to be communicated (what journalists call the lede) in everything you do and prioritize that over everything else, even when others push back and say that more detail is needed for the sake of completeness. Learn to use the tools of marketing to sell health.

Second, remember that your goal is to communicate what your audience needs, which is not the same thing as what you have. Be humble, always. Learn about each and every audience, their background, their cultures (plural), and why they do (or should) care about what you will be communicating. An “incomplete” message that meets an audience’s needs is a success. A complete and accurate communication that is useless to them is a failure.

The education received by the candidate leads the road to health communications specialists and certification. Advanced degrees are a necessary component of a health communication specialist. A bachelor’s degree, preferably one focused on health sciences, is a prerequisite to master’s, graduate certificate, or post-baccalaureate programs.

There is a variety of specializations and degree types a health communication specialist may pursue. The following is a list of standard master’s of arts (MA) and master’s of science (MS) degree program titles:

• MHA: master of healthcare administration
• MSHA: master of science in health administration
• MA in strategic communication with a track in health communication
• MA in organizational communication with a concentration in health communication
• MA of communication management with an area of focus on health & social change communication
• MA in communication with a concentration in health communication
• MA or MS in health communication
• MA in health communication and promotion
• MA in applied communication with a health communication track

Interested health communications specialists need a bachelor’s degree before admission to said programs. A bachelor’s degree in health sciences is ideal but not required for admission in many cases. Most programs will require an application, letters of reference, a resume, GRE scores, and letters of purpose.

The National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC) is a national organization that provides exams, renewals, recertification, credentialing, and education for health communications specialists, among other public health professions. The National Commission recognizes them for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) and the International Accreditation Service (IAS), which provides a global standard for certification agencies.

The School of Health Professions at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s health administration program is ranked #1 by the U.S. News & World Report. The program has solid values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, along with respect and excellence, to drive the agenda forward by doing their best through recognizing talent in teams, which sets the program apart from numerous others in the area.

In this 33-month program, students learn in nine- to 12-week semesters, including an administrative residency. The learning model is derived from cohorts’ work to foster peer relationships and build supportive measures. Real-world work in partnership with the UAB Health System provides hands-on application of coursework. The application process includes an application with three letters of reference, a resume, a fee of $70, and official transcripts sent directly to the university.

• Location: Birmingham, AL
• Duration: 33 months
• Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME)

Known as the first public health school in the United States since 1912, Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine prepares students to be insightful leaders and developers to continue to develop and shape the future of public health. Offering dual programs on campus and online, Tulane is making a dent in the disparity of public health and changing the system’s structure. It is ranked #12 by USA Today’s best public health schools nationwide.

The program focuses on the following core ideals: evaluation, community engagement, health communication, intervention principles, and qualitative and quantitative research methodologies applied to health crises in any setting. The program requirements help students design a public health intervention program based on theory. In addition, students take 45 hours of courses in biostatistics for public health, social and behavioral aspects of health, social marketing, public health policy and practice, community organization, and community work for social justice.

• Location: New Orleans, LA
• Duration: Two years
• Accreditation: Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)

Since 1981, this CAHME-accredited program has taught from a teacher-to-practitioner model to ensure the best possible education. With small class sizes of twenty-five people or less, the full-time health systems management program started in 1979 and entailed two years of focused work with a paid part-time internship.

The curriculum includes health resources management, a patient experience seminar, finance fundamentals, statistics for healthcare management, health law and ethics for healthcare managers, and managerial epidemiology. The program’s application process includes a bachelor’s degree requirement, a highly recommended microeconomics course, an online application, and official transcripts.

• Location: Chicago, IL
• Duration: 21 months
• Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME)

Virginia Commonwealth University’s College of Health Professionals prepares the future of healthcare leaders in their master’s of science in the health administration program. This 41-credit program aims to help students lead in the private and public sectors of the healthcare system.

The program is a combination of both online and asynchronous models. Student learning outcomes are organized into the following categories: communication, professionalism, leadership, business and analytic skills, and healthcare environment knowledge. The curriculum centers around leadership preparation for management, operations, and strategy positions. Admission requirements include a personal written statement, three references, official transcripts, and test scores.

• Duration: 22 months
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

The College of Public Health at Ohio State University is ranked seventh in the nation by the U.S. News and World Report. Graduates from this program enjoy a 95 percent job placement rate and access to one of the most robust alum societies in the nation.

The first year of the curriculum is centered around building a foundation of skills necessary for the role, which include analytic, critical thinking, and communication skills. The second year of the curriculum takes the first year’s foundation and builds upon it with case and practice-based learning and integrative work.

• Location: Columbus, OH
• Duration: Two years
• Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME)

The Oregon Health Sciences University School of Medicine Division of Management’s master’s of science in healthcare administration program is geared toward working professionals seeking an advanced degree in management.

Admissions requirements include two years of work experience in a healthcare field, a bachelor’s degree, a minimum GPA of 3.0, an online application, official transcripts, a $70 non-refundable fee, and an interview. A graduate certificate in healthcare administration is also available.

• Location: Portland, OR
• Duration: 21 months
• Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)

At Boston University Metropolitan College, healthcare issues are tackled head-on with two concentration areas offered in the online master’s of science in health communication skills. This program is geared towards professionals with health communications, public health education, journalism, healthcare, public relations, and marketing communication backgrounds.

Once admitted, students can choose from two concentration options: visual and digital health communication and healthcare promotion, media, and marketing. Core courses include writing for health, health communication principles and strategies, the U.S. healthcare system, and research methods for health communication.

• Duration: 16 to 18 months
• Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)

Southern Oregon University’s online MBA in healthcare administration expands student knowledge through vital operational systems and current healthcare topics and develops current healthcare information systems. The 33-credit program features seven-week classes in strategic operations management, marketing management strategies, economic analysis, advanced organizational behavior, and legal and ethical issues in business and management. Twelve credit hours of concentration courses include advanced health communication, healthcare in the United States: structures, systems, policy, and process improvement.

Admission qualifications include candidates holding a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university, three years of relevant experience, and a 3.0 GPA. The GMAT is not required for admission, and students need not take any prerequisite courses to be eligible.

• Duration: 15 months
• Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)

Grand Canyon University offers an online and hybrid MHA program that emphasizes healthcare quality and patient safety. Eight-week courses include leadership styles and development, healthcare policies and economics, fundamental healthcare business analysis, and analysis of contemporary healthcare delivery models. In addition, a sixteen-week healthcare practicum course is required to give students hands-on pr