Career characteristics among graduates of a Midwestern M.H.S.A. program: variation by gender and length of time since graduation.

This study examined whether differences occur in the careers of men and women graduating from a Midwestern Master's degree program in hospital/health services administration (M.H.S.A.) during the calendar years of 1986-1997. These alumni were divided into two cohorts: 1986-90 and 1991-97, so that temporal differences could be examined. Men and women M.H.S.A. graduates of the 1986-90 cohort are currently working in similar settings. The most common setting is in acute care organizations. Men and women M.H.S.A. graduates in the 1991-97 cohort tend to be working more outside of acute care organizations than the 1986-90 graduates. The 1986-90 group of women graduates are currently in significantly different positions than their male counterparts. Compared to their male colleagues, these women are more likely to be in middle management positions, or out of the work force. A higher percentage of men from the 1986-90 cohort hold senior management positions (such as CEO or vice-president). The 1991-97 cohort of women graduates do not currently hold significantly different types of positions than their male colleagues, though about twice as many women were not working.