the demand for healthcare services has expanded so much that the industry at Rs 70,000 crore, is among the fastest growing sectors in the country. While the central and state government health services provide essential hospital services in the rural and urban areas, the basic infrastructure and the quality of services are inadequate to meet the growing requirements of an increasing population. Health services in the country require not only an infusion of more doctors and specialists, but professional services of trained manpower to manage hospitals and medical facilities.

The postgraduate programme is open to students from all disciplines. Doctors too can be admitted to this course. The All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, and Delhi University’s Faculty of Management Studies offers a Masters/MBA in Hospital Administration for MBBS graduates with 3-5 years of experience.

The programme combines training in management skills, management principles, accounting and business communication, along with specialised knowledge on the working of a hospital, marketing of hospital services and logistics management. You also get to know about basic healthcare and nutrition, prevention of communicable diseases, community health and other medical related services.

Those interested in the medical field, can look at hospital administration as a good option. To get into this field you can take up a postgraduate diploma in hospital management, or a graduate level course in public healthcare or health care services. SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai, Symbiosis Centre of Health Care, Pune, and Indian Institute of Health Management Research, Jaipur, and Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, are some of the institutes that offer PG diploma courses in Healthcare/Hospital Administration to graduates of any discipline.

The University of Pune offers a B.Sc in Hospital Administration, as well as a PG diploma in health education. The Tata Institute of Social Services, Mumbai, and the Apollo Institute of Hospital Administration, Hyderabad, offer a Master’s in Hospital Administration for medical and non-medical graduates with a minimum of 50 per cent marks. There are also courses in health and family welfare management, offered through distance learning from the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi, and IGNOU which offers PG diploma in Health Administration through correspondence for graduates with some related experience.

Today, the management of hospital and health services has assumed a professional status. Many hospital and pharmaceutical firms are setting up professionally managed centres for providing multi-specialty healthcare services, and need managers who have an understanding of general management and its application to the healthcare delivery systems.

So, if you are good with people, have patience, tact and communication skills you can look at a fulfilling career as a manager or consultant with a hospital, nursing home or clinic, working to help people with medical problems. With some experience you could also set up your own nursing home or hospital