This course considers writing and other forms of communication as a management tool in business and the healthcare industries. It addresses how effective writing - in plain English - can shape project plans, motivate people, solve problems, and enhance your role in virtually any position. Students will investigate their own communication style, reflect on opportunities for improvement, and enhance their foundational communication abilities. Students will demonstrate and develop their presentation skills through research, case study analysis, and business-related communications. Students also will develop other higher communication abilities, including empathic listening, oral presentations, and understanding the role of personality types in perceiving information. As such, the two major goals of this course are to acquaint students with an array of communication tools and provide them with practical scenarios for developing and polishing their writing and communication skills.

This course is an exploration of two areas of leadership development and practice: 1) the art and science of leadership in the health professions including theory, skills and applications; and 2) critical issues facing the health professions.

This course considers the processes, theory, and practices of negotiation, conflict resolution, and relationship management to hone your capabilities as a more effective negotiator in a variety of situations including health professions. We examine effective and ineffective strategies, determine why they work well, and discuss successful alternatives if they do not. Students will also identify patterns of negotiation and conflict resolution in different national and cultural contexts, to gain an understanding of how interpersonal style, personality, culture, and other variables influence our negotiation, relationship-building, and decision-making skills.

This course will introduce students to basic concepts in risk management. The foundation of the study of these topics is the nature of risk and the risk management process, including legal liability and regulatory compliance, as it pertains to health and healthcare organizations. The course will introduce fundamental statutory and regulatory regimes that bear on risk and its management. Students will also learn how to identify issues, applicable laws, regulations, and industry standards needed to develop an effective compliance management program.

This course examines the structure of health care systems in different countries, focusing on financing, reimbursement, delivery systems, manufacturers, and the adoption of new technologies. We study the roles of private and public sector insurance and providers, and the effect of system design on cost, quality, efficiency, and equity of medical services. How do these different systems deal with decisions about investment and adoption of new technologies? How do service providers and manufacturers evaluate opportunities for growth and expansion in new geographies and markets? Regions and countries discussed will include the US, UK, Western Europe, Russia and the Baltics, the Middle East, and Asia (Sri Lanka and India). This course explores entrepreneurial and other private sector solutions for health services and access to medicines and technologies in the developing world and other underserved areas. We also study creative programs to engage the private sector in development of vaccines and medicines for tropical diseases and therapeutic strategies for the rapidly growing burden of chronic, non-communicable diseases in the developing world.

This course consists of activities culminating in meeting minimal competencies in business and the related healthcare field for teaching in higher education institutions. Individually identified competencies include tasks such as responsibility for planning, preparing, presenting and evaluating a course with supervision. Student, instructor and advisor develop a contract reflecting current abilities and development needs in teaching.

Prepares the student for doctoral research through faculty-supervised research experiences. Focuses on the research process, including developing a question, literature review, design and method, IRB, grant writing, subject recruitment, instrumentation, measurement, data collection, data analysis, interpretation of results, and dissemination of results.

This course is designed for students interested in an administration and leadership mentored practicum to assist them in meeting their future career goals. Students are expected to develop a learning contract with specific objectives, and work with their faculty advisor to identify the resources needed to successfully complete this practicum.