Business students may not at first consider a job in the medical field out of college, but they are highly needed, Dr. Robert Aki said earlier this month.
"The people that run those hospitals, that make…decisions, aren't doctors anymore. They're not the patients, even. It's basically all about health care administration, and most administrators don't even have a medical degree," he said.
After graduating from BYU-Hawaii in 1995, Aki attended the California College of Podiatric Medicine. He then practiced for two years in Los Angeles and three years in Honolulu as a foot and ankle surgeon by trade. Aki explained how much the field has changed, though, since he completed undergraduate work. "Medicine has changed quite dramatically into much more specialized fields," he said.
In order to keep up with advances in medicine, Aki explained that many specialized doctors and surgeons often have to get outside their specialty. He and his partners took their office and diversified it into an orthopedic rehab, covering foot and ankle surgery as well as upper extremity rehab, physical rehab, and medicine. "We've managed to evolve and change with the changing times."
Aki's main motivation in his work, he said, comes from his faith. "Many times in the scriptures you see Christ and how he helped other people. That was a great motivation for myself to get involved with medicine in the first place. I knew I could help people," he stated.
Business graduates who also want to help people may feel they cannot work in the medical field, Aki said. "Most people think medicine is just about doctors and nurses, and that's not actually true," he said.
The doctor suggested the same graduates can work in business health administration, or, as he called it, "health care without the blood." People skills, organization, knowledge of technology, and office efficiency are highly marketable skills, Aki explained. "Demand for quality in community health and health services professionals is high. It is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years, apparent in my research."
Aki said that professionals running such offices often have MBAs, organization, drive, and lots of enthusiasm. These things help lighten the work load off the physicians so they can care for their patients. "The need for business people in medicine to make it work effectively is very important… so that doctors can focus on medicine rather than the office and business side."
Offices of health care or solo practitioners, general medicine and surgical hospitals, home health services, and out-patient care centers are places for business graduates to likely find jobs, Aki proclaimed. He stated that the most important aspect in the job hunt, though, very well could be determination.
"If you can prove to them that you're valuable, that you can help them make more money, they're going to be really interested in you… no doubt!"