The Degrees You’ll Need to Work at Glassdoor’s Top Healthcare Companies in 2019

For over a decade, job and recruiting site Glassdoor has made a practice of determining the top companies to work for across North America based on anonymous employee feedback on jobs, work environments, and employers. Of the 100 companies chosen in 2019, over a dozen are rooted in the healthcare industry, spanning laboratories, hospitals, and specialized healthcare centers. One corporation is even making waves with a cutting-edge robotic surgical system that’s named after a figurehead of the Renaissance—or a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, depending on your preferences.

It turns out, careers at Glassdoor’s top healthcare-based companies aren’t only for doctors, nurses, and whoever’s behind the counter at the hospital gift shop. While many employers rely on healthcare practitioners to provide treatment, countless other careers are essential to keep the industry running. And it is running. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates that employment of healthcare occupations is projected to grow 14 percent through 2028, adding about 1.9 million new jobs to the sector.

Whether you’re a software engineer, social worker, or financial planner who’s looking to switch up your industry, or a healthcare professional hoping to advance your skillset in the field, these degrees can help you do that. Note that the specializations we’ve listed alongside each healthcare company don’t include any that require Medical Doctor (MD) certification, because spending anywhere from seven to 12 years completing an M.D. program and residency training isn’t for everyone. We also know that a medical degree also isn’t a be-all and end-all to a career spent improving peoples’ health and wellbeing, and wearing pajamas to work. Wait, pajamas? We totally meant scrubs.

Which Master’s Degrees Do You Need to Work at Glassdoor’s Top-10 Healthcare Companies?

Intuitive Surgical

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. took shape in 1995 on the belief that medical intervention should help people recover as quickly and thoroughly as possible. Over two decades, they’ve changed the landscape of minimally invasive care through their robotic-assisted surgical systems, “da Vinci” and “Ion.” These flexible, modular products integrate multi-faceted vision technologies and instruments, allowing surgeons more precise control over surgical procedures as patients experience less blood loss, scarring, and discomfort. As for Intuitive Surgical employees, they provide behind-the-scenes support to customers, surgeons, and patients around the world.

Advanced degrees in healthcare administration, health policy and management, public health, and even environmental sciences will benefit candidates hoping to lead on-site hospital observation and training programs, maintain manufacturing safety policies and procedures, and provide support to healthcare teams the event of shifting healthcare laws and governmental policies.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

St. Jude was founded in 1962 to advance the prevention and cures of childhood cancers, blood disorders, and other life-threatening illnesses. Over time, the hospital’s groundbreaking research and treatments have helped push the survival rate for childhood cancer from 20 percent in 1962 to over 80 percent today, all at no cost to patients and their families.

St. Jude is on the lookout for talented healthcare practitioners, such as those who hold a Master’s in Physician Assistant Studies as well as nurses who’ve completed postgraduate programs in neonatal care, anesthesiology, and emergency medicine. The hospital also hires candidates with graduate degrees in psychology and social work as part of their allied health approach to helping patients and families cope with life-threatening illness. Master’s degrees are also a preference across other roles and departments, including instructional design, marketing, as well as accounting and finance.

Trilogy Health Services

Trilogy Health Services provides comprehensive and long-term care to seniors in their over 100 senior living communities across the United States. These communities offer a range of independent and assisted living amenities, from skilled nursing, rehabilitative, and pharmaceutical services to in-home and non-medical staffing care. The company is also renowned for its memory care, which is designed to meet the unique needs of those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

Candidates seeking advanced careers with the company may consider a Master’s degree in Health Administration and potentially degree specializations related to home healthcare administration, such as gerontology and long-term care. Those pursuing roles within Trilogy’s Social Services Department can use the skills gained from a Master of Social Work to help older adults adjust to life in their new residences and provide supportive counseling as needed.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH)__

A part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, NIH is the largest biomedical research agency in the world, comprising 27 institutes and centers across general medical sciences, alternative therapies, and translational research and medicine. Among its vast range of projects, the institute has supported efforts to develop an AIDS vaccine, map human genetic variation, and study avian flu.

NIH welcomes nurses with postgraduate training in clinical backgrounds that include oncology, pediatrics, neurology, behavioral health, and critical care, among other areas. However, you don’t have to have specialized healthcare training to contribute to the institute’s mission. Take a Master of Business Administration degree, for example, which provides candidates with the training to manage federal scientific grants. An advanced finance degree is another example, and will bolster a career overseeing NIH’s contracts and acquisition services.

Northside Hospital

The Northside Hospital system is made up of five not-for-profit hospitals serving Atlanta and the surrounding areas. Combined with affiliated outpatient centers and medical offices throughout the Atlanta region, the hospital system has nearly 3,500 physicians on staff and more than 21,000 employees. Northside Hospital is committed to balancing state-of-the-art clinical facilities with safe, high-quality patient care, and they do so across a wide array of specialties. Some of its recent accomplishments include receiving The Joint Commission’s (TJC) Gold Seal of Approval for health care quality, as well as quality achievement awards for heart failure and stroke care from the American Heart Association.

Many advanced degrees across a range of nursing specializations will be useful to prospective employees, particularly those that can deliver on Northside’s expertise in maternity services, women’s health, cancer care, surgery, and radiology. For those seeking careers outside of nursing, postgraduate training in rehabilitation sciences, physical therapy, and social work are all a benefit to the hospital’s allied health team.

Boston Scientific

The team at Boston Scientific works collaboratively to develop solutions to the issues faced by those suffering from life-threatening conditions and the healthcare professionals who provide their care. The company has spent more than three decades leading in the medical manufacturing industry with devices used in medical specialties and procedures spanning interventional radiology, cardiac surgery, and oncology, among others. Whether joining Boston Scientific’s sales, manufacturing, human resources, or a healthcare-related team, candidates work alongside scientists and technical experts from around the world.

Whether you’re seeking a career that lets you offer guidance on a wide range of finance matters, fine-tune the software behind the latest implantable pacemaker, or oversee product launches with keen healthcare industry, postgraduate training could certainly help you land a job with the company—especially when combined with relevant work experience.

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital (NYP)

NewYork-Presbyterian is one of the most comprehensive academic medical centers in the U.S., known for providing high quality, compassionate care, and services to patients in the New York metropolitan area and around the globe. NYP is an affiliate of Weill Medical College of Cornell University and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, which brings together internationally recognized researchers and clinicians to develop and implement the latest approaches for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. With more than 6,500 physicians on staff and 20,000 employees, the hospital sees more than 2 million visits annually, including more than 310,000 emergency department visits and close to 15,000 infant deliveries.

Those looking to land a career with a leader in medical education, research, and patient-centered care will find that NYP’s clinical roles have similar educational requirements as other hospitals on this list. Take a Master’s degree in Nutrition, for example, which is necessary for a dietician career covering all aspects of patient-centered services. Those looking to shift their nursing career to NYP will need advanced degrees across many nursing specializations. Hospice care, anesthesiology, and nurse management are just a few examples. The center also offers job opportunities that don’t require a master’s degree, which span information technology, operations, sales, among a variety of other departments.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Since its start in 1884 as New York Cancer Hospital, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has become the world’s oldest and largest private cancer center, devoting over 130 years to quality patient care, innovative research, and educational programs on cancer-related topics. U.S. News & World Report has ranked the hospital as one of the top two hospitals for cancer care in the country for more than 25 years, thanks in part to more than a dozen multidisciplinary cancer care teams that combine their expertise and experience across specializations. Memorial Sloan Kettering’s CEO, Craig B. Thompson, made it to Glassdoor’s annual list of highest-rated CEOs in 2016, 2017, and 2018.

Memorial Sloan Kettering is widely known for its specially trained oncology nurses, nearly 35 percent of whom have worked at the center for at least ten years. Master’s degrees are a requirement to land advanced positions across nursing informatics, nurse practitioners, environmental health and safety, as well as physical therapy.

Outside of patient care, candidates seeking administrative management positions are well-suited with a Master’s degree in Business, healthcare MBA, or postgraduate training in a related field. Those seeking c-suite positions will need a Master’s in Healthcare or Master’s in Hospital Administration degree.

MD Anderson Cancer Center

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston focuses on cancer patient care, research, education, and prevention. Like Memorial Sloan Kettering, U.S. News & World Report has ranked MD Anderson as one of the nation’s top two hospitals for cancer care for over two decades. The center employs nearly 20,000 people, including more than 1,600 faculty members, all of whom work in more than 25 buildings across Houston and Central Texas. MD Anderson has one of the largest patient bases and uses it to find patterns, evaluate treatments, and predict outcomes for cancer patients. Its team-science mentality approach has led to new drugs, first-of-a-kind clinical trials, and new ways of sharing knowledge.

Like Memorial Sloan Kettering, advanced nursing degrees are a requirement across many specializations, including radiation oncology and pediatrics. A Master’s in Business Administration is necessary to secure senior management roles across many non-clinical business support departments, as is a Master’s in Accounting or Finance to land in the center’s internal audit team. Candidates looking to lead P.R. efforts and media strategy for MD Anderson’s clinical care, take note. A Master’s degree in English, Journalism, Public Relations, or Communication is preferred.

BAYADA Home Health Care

Bayada Home Health Care has provided a full range of clinical care and support services at home for children and adults of all ages since 1975. It remains family-owned with more than 360 offices in 23 states and six countries, with services spanning pediatric, adult nursing, and hospice care, as well as habilitation and personal care support. CEO David Baiada was included in Glassdoor’s list of top CEOs in 2017 and 2019.

Bayada offers job openings across nursing, home health aide, medical social work, therapy, and administration. While candidates seeking entry-level social work careers with Bayada will only need a bachelor’s degree, a Master’s degree in Social Work is required for medical social work with the company, as is Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) certification for leadership social work roles. Health aid, nursing assistant, and other caregiver careers with Bayada are also obtainable with an undergraduate degree, while senior nursing positions require a Master’s degree in Nursing and at least five years of work experience.

Questions or feedback: Email editor@noodle.com

Questions or feedback? Email editor@noodle.com