Will a certificate in health care compliance make me marketable?

May 12, 2016 9:02 PM

I have a law license but have never practiced. I work in public health but want to go back to the private sector. It occurs to me that health care compliance would make some sense based on my background, and there is a program at one of the law schools in town where I could get a certificate in it. This would take a year and cost $10k. Is this a smart move or would I be getting suckered into paying for a gimmick credential?
posted by lakeroon to Work & Money (2 answers total)

I don't know what jurisdiction you are in (and that information might elicit better answers) but in my experience, including recruiting for large public health programmes, and specifically once or twice now, for people with expert knowledge of health standards accreditation and compliance practices and methodologies, a formal qualification in a niche profession makes you stand-out from the crowd and demonstrates your commitment to your chosen field. Mefimail me if you like.
posted by esto-again at 2:04 AM on May 13, 2016

As a generality not exclusive to law or healthcare, I view programs like this as a substitute for experience. It would make you look viable against a person with the law degree plus two years of experience in the field. Looked at that way, if you could get a job now with a firm working in the field you would end up in a similar place but perhaps better off financially.
posted by SemiSalt at 4:34 AM on May 13, 2016