Emily Muha, a recent graduate of the Master of Health Administration program at Rutgers University, has transitioned from a career in caregiving to healthcare leadership. Muha's journey began as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and later earned a bachelor's degree in Nutritional Sciences with a minor in public health from the University of New Hampshire.
Her interest in healthcare administration was sparked by her family's experience with her grandfather's struggle with Alzheimer's disease. Initially considering physician assistant school, she became increasingly drawn to the operational side of healthcare after hearing a professor's story about transitioning from nursing to becoming a hospital CEO.
"She discussed many of the challenges she faced as a nurse, which were similar to the challenges I found myself facing as a CNA. More importantly, she discussed how she was able to address these challenges as a leader," Emily stated.
After careful consideration, Muha decided that her strengths were better suited for healthcare administration rather than clinical practice. She chose to pursue an MHA program and found Rutgers University's curriculum appealing due to its robust nature and experienced faculty.
"Growing up in New Jersey I knew what a great academic reputation Rutgers had, so I looked into the Rutgers MHA program," she said. "I liked how robust the curriculum was. The professors collectively had a lot of healthcare leadership experience, were extremely knowledgeable, and genuinely invested in helping me propel my career and work towards my goals."
A pivotal moment in her education came when Muha participated in case competitions at Cleveland Clinic and Centura Health. Collaborating with fellow students, she applied classroom knowledge to real-world problems faced by healthcare systems. Her teams reached the semi-finals of both competitions.
"When I began the Rutgers MHA program my public speaking skills were shaky. As part of the case competition, we had to put together an executive-level presentation to present in person to executives," she recalled. "It was very intimidating, but the experience significantly improved my public speaking and presentation skills, increased my confidence, and introduced me to the strategy side of health administration."
Following graduation, Emily Muha commenced her career with an Administrative Fellowship at Yale New Haven Health.
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