The federal government estimates that 40,000 new health care informatics professionals will be needed within the next decade. Nationwide, there are about 6,000 job vacancies in the field, but only 2,600 students graduate with degrees in health care informatics annually.
The new program will prepare students to work in the clinical, management and business aspects of the health informatics field. Graduates can work as practitioners, managers, analysts and researchers in several environments including hospitals and health insurance companies.
The master’s in health care informatics is the first of its kind in Florida and students can complete it in just 16 months. Courses are offered primarily online and enhanced by some on-campus sessions.
The online program will begin with 20 students in fall 2009, and administrators expect the enrollment will increase to 40 students by the fifth year.
An information session for the program will be held on Thursday, May 28 at 6pm at the Partnership I building located on 12354 Research Parkway, Room 101. To RSVP for the session, e-mail Dr. Kendall Cortelyou-Ward at kcortely@mail.ucf.edu by Friday, May 22.