Celebrating the launch of the Master of Health Administration Program in Community Care at TRSM
Building on Ryerson’s expertise in providing career-focused programs and experiential learning opportunities to students, the Ted Rogers School of Management officially launched its new Master of Health Administration (Community Care), or MHA(CC) program, on October 17, 2018.
The MHA(CC) is the first program of its kind in Canada and welcomed its first cohort of students this fall. Nearly all of the first cohort attended the program launch event at TRSM along with friends and family, Bachelor of Health Administration (BHA) alumni, stakeholders from community care organizations, faculty and staff.
In their remarks, Michael Benarroch, Provost and Vice President, Academic at Ryerson University, Daphne Taras, Dean of TRSM, and Cory Searcy, Associate Dean, Yeates School of Graduate Studies, noted that the demand for this new and innovative program has been remarkable, surpassing university targets and expectations. Healthcare and services are moving to the community, so there is an increasing demand for skilled professionals who understand how this sector works, and how they can drive change to improve care.
The event was coupled with the third annual Winston Isaac Lecture in Healthcare Services, which was delivered by Kim Baker, CEO of the Central Local Health Integration Network (LHIN). Winston Isaac, now retired, helped build the unique BHA that, in turn, established the foundation for the new MHA(CC).
In her presentation, Baker spoke about the complexity of providing healthcare in the community and the skills, knowledge and abilities future leaders working in this sector will need. Due to the complexities, leaders must know how to work collaboratively with a variety of healthcare providers and always put the client and family in the centre.
The theme of building and sustaining partnerships was emphasized during Baker’s presentation, and she also noted top attributes of an effective community care leader, including being patient and family centred, and a creative collaborator and innovator.
The curriculum of TRSM’s new MHA(CC) program provides students with opportunities to learn and apply these key skills. This was by design, not by accident, since Baker is a member of the Program Advisory Committee that was consulted throughout the development of the curriculum to ensure it would meet the demands of this unique sector.
“It is astonishing how applicable the curriculum and learning is to my current role,” says MHA(CC) student Gary Gallagher, RN and Clinical Program Manager at Baycrest Health Sciences. “This was not clear before starting, but has evolved. It’s early, but as I’ve said to others, this may be the best career decision I have ever made.”
Cynthia Doorenspleet, a full-time paramedic in the City of Toronto for the past nine years, is also enrolled in the MHA(CC) program. “I believe this is a timely program for a world that is realizing the business challenges related to overburdened healthcare systems,” she says.
“I intend to leave the MHA(CC) program with a firm basis to bridge gaps between the disparate healthcare programs that constitute our community care system today,” Doorenspleet explains. “Having witnessed firsthand these gaps as a paramedic, I am motivated to be a force of positive change towards better healthcare management for our aging, complex care and marginalized populations.”
Interested in applying to the MHA(CC) program? Register now to attend an upcoming Information Night. This is your unique opportunity to meet the faculty, learn about the program, find out about scholarships and learn tips on submitting a strong application package to this competitive program. To register for a November or December information night and learn more about the program, please visit the MHA(CC) website.