PGDHM Vs. MBA In Hospital Management

Hospital management is a career option that is chosen by many working in the healthcare industry. After graduation, a big question lies in front of the students that are hoping to pursue a master’s degree in hospital administration, whether to go for PGDHM or MBA in Hospital management. The confusion is common because these are the most common options in the stream, and they deliver similar purposes. Despite being related, specific differences make the courses dissimilar to each other. For understanding the differences, one must first know the basics of both degrees.

PGD in Hospital Management (PGDHM)

PGDHM is a postgraduate diploma in Hospital Management, a course that focuses upon the specialization in hospital management. The duration of this course is of one year, and it is divided among four semesters. The specialization of particular subjects under hospital management is chosen by the students in the third and fourth semesters of the program whereas, the first two semesters focus on the general topics of hospital administration that are common for all the pupils. The individuals with a bachelor’s degree in any stream of medical science or hospital management are eligible for admission under this course.

MBA in Hospital Management

An MBA in Hospital Management is like other MBA degrees, i.e., the primary focus of the course is laid upon the development of managerial skills in an individual. The course is a post-graduation of two years with four semesters. Within the curriculum, administrative subjects like finance, marketing, and control operations are taught to the students concerning the healthcare discipline. The healthcare sector experiences many changes, not only on national but also on an international scale. The Curriculum of MBA in Hospital Management is designed to face all the changes & challenges on both the global and national levels of healthcare. The postgraduates are eligible for management positions in hospitals, public healthcare establishments & pharmaceutical firms.

PGDHM & MBA in Hospital Management: The Difference

The question again lies what is the difference between PGDHM and MBA in Hospital Management as the course seems the same. The confusion is mainly because of the names of the course. One of them is a post-graduation degree, and the other is a diploma course. The diploma courses are not affiliated to any university, and their curriculum is curated by the institutes while seeking industry trends.

PGDs are offered by autonomous institutes that are not affiliated to any university and hence are not bound by any particular syllabus structure. The increased popularity of the PGD courses is also due to the outdated courses of universities, and the level of flexibilities independent institutes get in the provision of best knowledge and skills that are industry-specific.

Some major differences among the courses are:

• PGDHM is not equivalent to MBA as PGDHM is a one-year diploma course, whereas MBA is a two-year full-time degree.
• The syllabus of the diploma course is more industry-focused in practical ways, while the MBA is more focused on theoretical knowledge. Mainly the syllabus is quite similar but there are differences when it comes to a practical approach in the subjects.
• MBA focuses more on hard skills, and PGD focuses on Soft Skills.
• An MBA is affiliated to one or the other university, and the curriculum cannot be changed that easily. On the other hand, the curriculum of PGD in Hospital and Health Management is far more flexible.
• The affordability of fees is yet another point of difference among the courses. MBAs are more cost-effective than PGDHM as the fee set is as per university standards.

Hence, there are many similarities and differences among both the courses with no right or wrong in particular! The final decision to pursue the course depends on the future goals of the students and nothing else.