Accelerated Student Sonny Osowski’s Finds SLU On Path to Health Administration
Originally from the Milwaukee area, Master of Health Administration accelerated student Sonny Osowski’s experience with St. Louis started from a young age.
Osowski, who spent much of her youth visiting the St. Louis area, learning what the city had to offer, applied to many schools in the Midwest. Ultimately, she chose Saint Louis University (SLU) as it felt like the best opportunity for her to succeed and was familiar.
“I applied to various schools throughout the Midwest with similar reputations and characteristics as SLU. However, it wasn’t until I visited SLU as a high school senior that I truly felt like myself – something that I hadn’t felt at any other university I had toured. From this feeling, I knew that SLU was where I was meant to be and I am so glad to have found it,” she says.
Her path to SLU started from a different, albeit similar route. She originally planned to pursue a career in the medical field, but quickly realized that her strengths were more suited for the administration side of healthcare.
“I quickly realized that my skills and strengths were more inclined towards administration and the business side of healthcare. So after changing course towards Health Management, I quickly learned about the Accelerated MHA program,” she said. “I knew I always wanted to continue onto higher education after my undergraduate studies, so the Accelerated MHA Program would be a great fit for me.”
This accelerated program enables health management majors to obtain their undergraduate and graduate degrees in five years; students then enter the workforce up to a year earlier than with a traditional two-year MHA program.
Students apply to the accelerated program during their junior year, and accepted students begin graduate coursework during their senior year.
“All of the courses that I have taken so far within the MHA program have been exceptional in helping me see what potential work or issues I may face within my future career,” she said. “Health policy really pushed me to think outside of the box beyond what you may encounter within a hospital or health system while accounting and finance have enabled me to use some of my math/biostatistics background which I always love.”
Osowski recently graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Health Management, Mathematics, and Biostatistics. She hopes to receive an Administrative Fellowship after graduating with her MHA next year in the spring of 2024.
“After graduating with my MHA I would like to enter into an Administrative Fellowship. For me, an Administrative Fellowship will expose me to numerous different departments of healthcare which will strengthen my overall understanding of the different functions of hospital systems while helping me find or determine which area I would like to find a role in following the conclusion of the fellowship,” she said.
College for Public Health and Social Justice
The Saint Louis University College for Public Health and Social Justice is the only academic unit of its kind, studying social, environmental and physical influences that together determine the health and well-being of people and communities. It also is the only accredited school or college of public health among nearly 250 Catholic institutions of higher education in the United States. Guided by a mission of social justice and focus on finding innovative and collaborative solutions for complex health problems, the college offers nationally recognized programs in public health and health administration.