An emergency department director oversees operations of an emergency medical facility and must have medical and business/administrative training. They manage budgets, hiring/firing, safety regulations, and customer service. Directors are appointed by panels and may need an advanced degree in business.
An emergency department director oversees the day-to-day operations of an emergency medical facility, such as a casualty or emergency room (ER) in a hospital. Someone who wants to become an emergency department director must undergo medical training and some business or administrative training. Pay scales for directors vary depending on the size of the facility and whether the director is employed by a government agency or a private medical company.
Typically, an emergency medical director must have graduated from college and completed a degree in medicine. Directors generally begin their careers as physicians, completing a medical degree at an accredited university. In many countries, upon completion of medical school, graduates are required to enroll in medical school and successfully complete a medical training course that can last up to four years. Typically, successful students must pass a written and practical exam before completing medical school and starting work in a hospital or other medical institution.
Medical graduates typically spend time working as interns in emergency room units or other medical facilities, where they receive on-the-job training by established physicians. Upon completion of this training, graduates can begin working as physicians, although many graduates continue their education with additional courses specializing in a specific type of medical work, such as cardiac surgery or internal medicine. Medical facilities hire physicians to fill director positions, but many employers prefer directors to have specific professional experience. Consequently, to become an emergency department director, a physician may have to spend several years working in an emergency room or hospital.
A department director must manage the facility’s budget and make decisions about hiring and firing employees. The director also takes responsibility for ensuring that safety regulations are followed, that patients are billed correctly, and many medical companies hold directors accountable for ensuring that high standards of customer service are maintained. To prepare for the position, a physician who wants to become director of an emergency department must successfully complete a college degree in business, administration, or a related field. In some cases, directors of major facilities may even be required to obtain an advanced degree in business or a similar field.
Directors are typically appointed by panels of government officials, company shareholders, or medical facility benefactors and donors. Candidates who want to become an emergency department director will typically need to be interviewed by panel members and candidates may be asked to detail their plans to improve standards at the facility. Some companies employ department managers or deputy directors. In that case, qualified physicians with business degrees may work for a while in one of these roles before moving to the director position.
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