INFORMATION FOR FELLOWSHIP AND MASTER'S OF SCIENCE CANDIDATES

Health sciences informatics research involves innovations in the understanding of the information needs of, the designs and technology for, the deployment of, and the evaluation of information management in the health sciences: basic science, clinical science, nursing, public health, and librarianship. The approach at Johns Hopkins is interdisciplinary. Although housed in the School of Medicine, the training program partners with all schools in the health sciences and throughout Hopkins. All fellows who successfully complete the program will receive a Masters of Science in Health Sciences Informatics.

The Integrated Fellowship and Master's Degree Program

The 2-year fellowship and Master's Degree Program begins each July and has the following goals:

• To achieve a baseline level of competency in health sciences informatics
• To assimilate the fundamentals of health sciences informatics research
• To develop proficiency in one or more defined areas of health sciences informatics
• To increase knowledge of fields related to health sciences informatics, such as computer science, biostatistics, and evaluation methodology
• To observe and participate in collaborative research and development activities in health sciences informatics
• To complete a health sciences informatics research experience that includes proposal development, project execution, data evaluation, and reporting of results

Public Health Track:

We have a special interest in candidates with background and experience in public health. In addition to coursework, practica, and research supervision tailored to public health, we provide a unique experience to public health fellows. They participate in a national program, sponsored by the National Library of Medicine, that connects them with public health informatics trainees at Columbia University, University of Utah, and University of Washington twice a year for special activities with public health and informatics experts. This special cohort of trainees is expected to take national leadership in the area of public health informatics.

Admission criteria are the same, and candidates will be judged in the same pool as other candidates.

The curriculum comprises several components.

Didactics include the Core Curriculum in Health Sciences Informatics (Applications; Design and Evaluation; Data, Information, and Knowledge; and Decision Support), electives, and two weekly seminars. These experiences provide a basic knowledge base that is generalizable across health sciences informatics applications.

Practical experience is provided during three practica or rotations in operational information technology environments throughout the university and with outside partners. These experiences provide suggestions for research, provide practical exposure to information technology, and provide workers at the practicum sites exposure to informatics concepts.

Research experience, which is 50 percent of the effort, is provided through mentored research. Research results are expected to be presented at national meetings and published in the academic informatics literature.

There are no clinical responsibilities associated with this fellowship.

The Johns Hopkins University and The Johns Hopkins Health System do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or veteran status in any student program or activity administered by the university or with regard to admissions or employment. Defense Department discrimination in ROTC programs on the basis of sexual orientation conflicts with this university policy. The university is committed to encouraging a change in the Defense Department policy.