Career Management

Industry-Relevant Professional Development

“The program meets students where they are as working professionals and equips them to keep progressing in their careers. What sets it apart is how applied it is. Students aren’t working through hypotheticals – they take real questions from health organizations and carry them through to recommendations that can be acted on, and I’ve supervised projects that fed into larger provincial and national initiatives well beyond the classroom. Students seem to grow a lot and leave the program well-equipped to take the next step in their careers.” Chantelle Recsky, PhD, RN, she/they, Sessional Instructor

Students entering the MHA come with diverse experiences and career goals, be it to progress within your organization or to transition to a different role or company. You’re encouraged to build your career plan through our dedicated professional development activities and connections with people and resources across the School and UBC.

Leads 360 Assessment

The UBC MHA program has a long-standing strategic partnership with the Canadian College of Health Leaders (CCHL) which houses LEADS Canada. Used most commonly for leadership development in health care organizations, the LEADS 360 Assessment is a feedback process based on the LEADS in a Caring Environment capabilities framework. LEADS is broadly adopted and integrated in health organizations across Canada and was developed in response to the need for a Canadian approach to leadership in health. The LEADS 360 Assessment includes a debriefing by a LEADS Certified Executive Coach. Completion of the LEADS 360 is a requirement of the Certificate Health Executive (CHE) designation, which UBC MHA students are eligible for. UBC MHA students are supported in participating in a LEADS 360 Assessment which provides invaluable insights in leadership development and goal-setting.

Professional Development Workshops and One-On-One Services

Throughout the program, you’ll have access to workshops, one-on-one coaching sessions and online events. Topics include:

  • Alumni Insights Panel: A panel of alumni sharing their insights to give you a sense of what it’s like in their position and area of the healthcare sector
  • Build a Career Action Plan: Clarify your career goals, identify obstacles and develop a career action plan
  • Interview Prep: Learn and practice effective skills and strategies to succeed at your next interview
  • LinkedIn and your Digital Brand: Maximize your career with a strong digital brand to feature your education, experience and skills
  • Professional Relationship Building: Learn what networking really entails, the returns it generates and how to leverage the power of networks you already have
  • Creativity and Innovation: Use the skills of Improv with the Vancouver TheatreSports League to exploring new approaches to problem-solving, taking risks and dealing gracefully with the unexpected.

Alumni and Faculty Network

The MHA program connects students to an extensive network of faculty, alumni and health care experts. During your two years of coursework, students will engage with our MHA faculty from business and healthcare fields along with guest speakers and projects and case studies from local hospitals and healthcare organizations.

MHA alumni are invaluable resources for the program and highlight how they translate what they have learned to their professional lives dedicated to improving the health of Canadians. Our program is committed to providing opportunities for our alumni to stay connected and network with each other.

Industry Partnerships

The MHA partners with provincial agencies, local and national organizations to provide students with meaningful learning opportunities, both while in the program and as alumni.

  • Certified Health Executive Designation (CHE): UBC MHA students receive advanced standing in all five components required to earn their Certified Health Executive designation, and can complete the final two requirements while earning their MHA degree. UBC MHA students pay a significantly reduced rate for their designation.
  • Health Authorities: Our close relationships with provincial health authorities and government agencies fosters connections for our students to potential internships and research projects, along with access to guest speakers and workshops.
  • Canadian College of Health Care leaders (CCHL): The alliance between the UBC MHA program and CCHL demonstrates the College’s and UBC’s commitment to fostering leadership development for health leaders. Students in each cohort assign a student representative to be a member of the BC Lower Mainland Chapter executive.

Capstone Project

The final research project for  SPHA 590 connects students with a supervisor to research and report on a self-selected topic related to specific interests for investigation in the health care field.