Things to Consider When Selecting a Doctoral Program

Although a professional doctorate is not available, many PhD doctoral programs at universities around the country offer opportunities to specialize at the doctoral level in related areas such as biomedical informatics, public health informatics, project management, business administration, political science and law. As you consider what program will best fit your future career goals here are some things to consider:

The cost of a doctoral degree varies depending on whether you select a university or a private college, but in any case; pursuing a doctoral degree represents a significant financial investment in your future.  You may want to know the answers to these questions to ensure a good value for your investment:

• What are the admission criteria?  Do you have the qualifications that this program requires in order to apply?
• What is the average time to degree?  Although some programs have set graduation plans, other doctoral programs are open ended – you graduate when your advisor indicates it is time.
• Is the focus of your doctoral studies reflective of your passion to specialize and contribute to practice or research in your chosen field?
• What financial support is available? Some doctoral programs will offer to reduce or waive tuition fees for doctoral students who will perform as a research assistant (RAs) or graduate assistant (GAs) for the program.
• Are your research interests consistent with those of faculty within the graduate program?
• Have you weighted the options of online doctoral programs versus campus-based?

A health information professional with a doctoral degree will find careers in government, healthcare delivery, public policy, academia , corporations, and health information exchange networks Employment looks good with corporate vendors that provide services for the healthcare market, and in higher education. The need for college professors teaching health information and informatics management is high.