Graduate Certificate in Patient Advocacy

Lead Faculty: Dr. Lorna L. Zukas

The successful completion of the Patient Advocacy Certificate Program (PAC) provides students with the necessary skills to work as patient advocate specialists, patient representatives, and ombudsmen. Patient advocates help guide patients and their families through the healthcare system to assure that patient medical and health needs are met. Patient advocates are trained to be leaders and communication specialists who empower others and work collaboratively with health care providers to mediate conflict and facilitate positive change in both the lives of patients and in the healthcare industry.

Patient Advocates work to protect and enhance patients’ rights and become agents of change in the healthcare system. When not working in direct patient care, Advocates may choose to work for governmental or non-governmental agencies, in private enterprise, for disease-specific organizations, voluntary associations, or for grassroots or national health policy organizations which foster patients’ rights and strengthen capacity among community health providers. Patient Advocates work in physical and mental health organizations, in the media, and in a variety of hospital and clinic settings.

The interdisciplinary Patient Advocacy Certificate program trains students in the history of patient advocacy and development of US health care policy, personal and professional ethics, creative leadership, negotiation and mediation, and community advocacy design.

Requirements

• Candidates for the certificate program must possess a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. Concurrent enrollment in an undergraduate program is not allowed.
• Some course work in anatomy and physiology is recommended at the undergraduate level.
• Candidates must complete two-thirds of the coursework, including PAC 600 and PAC 670 in residence at National University. Coursework transferred from other universities must have the approval of the Lead Faculty.
• Students wishing to pursue a Master’s degree can apply some or all of the academic credits awarded in the certificate program toward that degree, assuming they meet the GPA and other requirements of that degree program and the coursework is applicable and approved for the degree program being pursued.

Required Courses (6 courses; 27 quarter units)
PAC 600 - Seminar in Patient Advocacy
HUB 601D - Creative Leadership
HUB 646 - Personal and Professional Ethics
ADR 605 - Negotiation
ADR 615 - Mediation
PAC 670 - Patient Advocacy in Action (Prerequisite: PAC 600)

Program Information

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Program Locations

• Costa Mesa Campus
• Los Angeles Campus
• Spectrum Business Park Campus