Dr. Joseph Charleman, who joined the faculty of St. Thomas Aquinas College’s School of Business in 2022, spearheaded and oversees STAC’s Healthcare Management & Informatics MBA Program. In late January 2023, the program received accreditation as a Digital Health Leader (DHL) Program—the only accredited DHL master’s certificate program in the country.
Having devoted his career to healthcare as an educator, researcher, and Certified Surgical Technologist/Certified Surgical First Assistant (CST/CSFA), Dr. Charleman has a deep understanding of the healthcare industry, how it is evolving, and the need for educational programs that evolve along with it to prepare future generations of healthcare professionals.
“Healthcare delivery and reform are key issues for the United States and the world, due to shortages and the emergence of new diseases,” Charleman explains. “Healthcare quality for all populations is the new trend within healthcare delivery.”
The health information field aims to develop new methods and technologies to capture, process, and share patient data that comes from multiple sources, he adds. To set students up for success in the evolving healthcare workforce, STAC’s MBA program in Healthcare Management & Informatics offers a blend of healthcare management, informatics, finance, health information management, and law and ethics coursework. Graduates of the 39-credit program receive a CAHIIM certificate of completion as a Digital Healthcare Leader and are eligible to sit for the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) examination. The STAC MBA Healthcare Management & Informatics program is part of the American College of Healthcare Executives Higher Education Network (ACHE).
When asked what makes STAC stand out from other institutions, Dr. Charleman points to the college’s culture and environment that supports and encourages students. In addition, he notes “STAC’s innovation and the creation of new programs and initiatives that meet students’ needs and expectations.”
Dr. Charleman brings more than two decades of experience in healthcare to his role as associate professor of healthcare management at STAC where he teaches a variety of courses, including finance, information management, and health informatics, among others. Most recently, he served as Chair of Surgical Programs & Assessment Coordinator, School of Health, at Berkeley College in New Jersey where he oversaw all functions of surgical programs across the college’s New Jersey and New York campuses. He was also an instructor for the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) in Orange County and a member of Kaplan University’s online adjunct faculty.
His hands-on experience in the medical field includes serving as a surgical technologist, first assistant, and operating room assistant supervisor for the Associated Surgeons of New Jersey, a post he held for 12 years. He also worked as a surgical technologist at St. Francis Hospital in Jersey City and at the Meadowlands Hospital in Secaucus. He is also a licensed practical nurse (LPN).
Dr. Charleman earned his DBA in Healthcare Administration at Northcentral University in San Diego, California, a master of science in healthcare administration at New England College in New Hampshire, and a bachelor’s degree in organizational management at Nyack College.
Currently, he is a member of the board of directors for the Association of Surgical Technologists and a board member of Healing the Children of New Jersey, where he sits on the Medical Missions Abroad Committee.
“I am able to participate in medical missions abroad to countries in need throughout the world,” he says. “The ability to participate and make a global impact for those in need is a huge benefit.”
To that end, Dr. Charleman has directed annual trips to international countries to perform pro bono surgeries for impoverished people in Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, and Peru. His commitment to leading successful missions earned him The International Association of Healthcare Central Service and Materials Management (IAHCSMM) Humanitarian of the Year Award.
Dr. Charleman has been honored with several other awards throughout his career, including the Sue Tiger Award for outstanding humanitarian service to patients in need in South America and the Humanitarian of the Year Award for collecting and donating medical supplies for local hospitals in Ecuador. From his earlier years of service with the U.S. Army, he was awarded the U.S. Department of Defense Patriotic Employer Award for extending his service to employ and educate military veterans.
A Bronx native, Dr. Charleman now lives in Vernon, New Jersey. He enjoys traveling—Italy is a favorite destination, and he’s looking forward to an upcoming trip to Iceland—and spending time outdoors biking, camping, and playing Pickle Ball. He’s a member of the Mini Cooper Club, loves movies, and is a self-described Comicon fan.