Health Care CFO Says Master's Degree Brings Business Success In Dallas
When patients are homebound and need health care services, Dependable Care Health Service, LLC dispatches nurses, physical, occupational and speech therapists, home health aids and medical social workers to a patient's home.
Marieshia Hicks is the chief financial officer and associate administrator for Dependable Care Health Service, LLC in Garland, Texas.
Initially, Hicks wanted to go into hospital administration and run a hospital. After college, she did research to find out which program would help her achieve that goal. She earned a master's degree in health administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Hicks was working in a hospital but wasn't happy there. After a discussion with her parents, Hicks moved to Dallas and came on board in the family home health services business. "I like that I'm in the healthcare industry and helping people. It is a challenge because it is my business. It isn't a 9-to-5 job. It isn't just a paycheck. It is a career that I love. I have employees and patients that I am responsible for," said Hicks about the demands of running and owning a business.
The advice Hicks would give for someone who is considering returning to school to earn a master's degree is "to not waste an opportunity."
"There is a different mentality than being an undergrad. Be fully invested in your graduate program. Take advantage of everything. Network. Shadow other professionals. The master's program is an expensive education. Research your financial options to pay for the advanced education. Remember, a master's degree is to help you become a master of a particular field of study. Be dedicated and the success will come.
"The greatest reward is using my knowledge that I have gained from my master's degree to improve people's lives," said Hicks.
Robin D. Everson is a native Chicagoan who resides in Dallas, Texas. Her appreciation for art, food, wine, people and places has helped her become a well-respected journalist. A life-long lover of education, Robin seeks to learn and enlighten others about culture. You can find her work at Examiner.com