The Executive Master of Science in Health Systems program (MSHS) is breaking barriers between women and engineering careers, boasting a student body that is 50% female.

The program, based in Midtown Manhattan at the SUNY Global Center, began in April 2013. It aims to teach students to design simulations of hospital databases that comprise patient information, appointment times and wait times. The students analyze these statistics to build more efficient scheduling times and improve healthcare delivery systems worldwide.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of women in engineering has increased in recent years. Enrollment of women in graduate engineering programs rose steadily from 211,000 women in 2006 to 242,000 in 2012, which the MSHS can attest to, with last year’s graduating class 54% female, this year’s 48% and next year a projected 50%.

“Studies have already proven that gender equity will add greater benefits to our engineering profession by providing a more comprehensive approach to complex problem-solving strategies,” said Mohammad Khasawneh, professor of systems science and industrial engineering at BU and graduate director of MSHS. “We are proud that our classes are so diverse and can also improve that aspect of health systems in addition to healthcare process reengineering and systems design.”

Health, statistics and engineering are tied together within MSHS. Student are obligated to take 33 credits in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields over the course of one year to strengthen their skills in designing simulations.

The program has two tracks: an industrial systems track, which requires an engineering background, and the systems science track that is open to any student with a bachelor’s degree.

Industrial and systems engineering focuses on analyzing specific data to figure out patterns and solve problems based on algorithms. A systems science track studies the relationship between different types of sciences (engineering, biology, psychology, sociology) to develop an understanding of how the simulations function as part of a complex system.

Hornbeck, though, said that the entire program was very unique.

“There are maybe a dozen schools nationwide that have health systems engineering. There’s not one that does it in an accelerated format, or one in New York other than Binghamton University,” she said.

Hornbeck also claimed that the program’s focus on individual needs boosted it’s popularity among women. Professors establish a more personal relationship with the students since there are around 30 students per class.

“Many people have interest in healthcare, but what makes our program so unique is its application of engineering to this field,” she said. “When you take the time to listen to people and answer their questions, it seems both men and women have strong interest in health systems engineering.”

As education in engineering in healthcare leads to different careers like business analysts, management engineering and process improvement specialists, the importance of women pursuing STEM careers is increased, said Hornbeck. Their varying approaches to solving problems could lead to improved health systems overall.

“To be as competitive as we can be as a nation and to improve healthcare, I think having input from all available sources of quality is definitely important,” Hornbeck said. “We can make an informed projection over what steps could be made to make a situation improved.”

Christina Muratore, a current student in the program, said she thought introducing women to engineering fields would be beneficial to STEM innovations in the long run.

“In general, I believe that diversity to any discipline allows for more ideas, better advancements, and the highest potential,” she wrote in an email. “By introducing more women to engineering, we are allowing for a world more of possibilities: engineering will benefit from a difference in perspective, and women will benefit by discovering a newfound confidence within themselves.”