From design to health insurance specialist: transfer credit/ how to?

January 13, 2014 3:31 PM

Design degrees from Europe, 6 years experience as retail planner/analyst : want to move to health care specialist/analyst.

I studied Product Design at Central Saint Martins- London Institute (B.A) and prior to that did a 3 year degree (foundation course+BTS) in ceramic design in Paris at another major Art School.

I have 6 years in retail planning/analyst on my resume for a US home goods company as well as experience with e-commerce/ marketing.

I am looking to change path and would like to work for CMS as a health insurance specialist, specializing on analyzing data and policies.While I am mostly looking to do this change through jobs, I am also looking into whether a health care administration degree will be absolutely necessary.

If so, would any of my education transfer to the US system? The European system for arts school is so different I have no idea how a possible transfer of credit could work at all regardless of the fact it so probably not much relevant

Also looking into add-on training about health care specific policies.

If you have suggestion let me know.

posted by kirikara to Work & Money (3 answers total)

Definitely policy, and not, e.g., health informatics (which seems, from the outside, like a more seamless switch)?
posted by cotton dress sock at 3:46 PM on January 13, 2014

For what it's worth, "health insurance specialist" is a very common and very broadly applied job title in CMS, and it absolutely includes people without a health administration background.
posted by jameaterblues at 7:30 PM on January 13, 2014

Response by poster: well it sure is good to know that CMS could hire people without health administration background.. judging from requirements of postings and people path on linked that hold these jobs I was kind of gathering it would be required.
if anyone knows what the best "stepping stone" job could be for me, I would like to hear it.
So far most job that look interesting to me require solid stats experience/IT analyst experience to a level i am not at (including sql database and other softwares) and/or solid experience in health care which i don't have.
I am at a point where I could step up to a decent level of responsibility in retail/business (though it is not what I would prefer) so I don't want to downgrade too much but I am much more interested in working for CMS, so it might be worth it if I can find the right way.
posted by kirikara at 8:20 PM on January 13, 2014