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Healthcare + Technology

Get certified in one of the fastest growing occupations in healthcare from a program that places over 90% of graduates in health IT jobs.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Health Informatics & Health Information Technology (HIHIT) Certificate is a 9-week program designed to prepare post-baccalaureate students for a variety of careers in Health IT. The program includes four courses and hands-on training with electronic health record software systems, including a working health information exchange (HIE). Students also learn to analyze data using SQL and Tableau.

Summer 2024 Session

Summer 2024 Dates: June 17, 2024 - August 16, 2024

Application Deadline: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 by 11:59 pm CST

The certificate program is full time for 9 weeks and completely online.

Tuition for the program is $7,900 for UT Austin graduates; $8,400 for graduates of other institutions.

Who Should Apply

  • Bachelor's Degree

    In any discipline from any 4-year university. *Exception: Seniors can apply*
  • Cumulative GPA

    GPA of at least 2.75 or higher (recommended, not required)
  • New Career

    Seeking an exciting career in the Health Informatics and Health IT field
  • Strong Communicator

  • Strong Social Skills

  • Highly Motivated

Can't Recommend Enough
If you are passionate about the healthcare field but are unsure where you might fit in, I cannot recommend UT’s HIHIT program enough! This program gave me all of the tools I needed to land my first role at a company I love so much and I can’t thank this program enough!
Jewel G Photo

Learn More and Apply

  • Info Session
    Info Session

    Our next virtual info session is Wednesday, April 10 from 5 - 6 pm CST

    Register
  • Meet One-on-One
    Meet One-on-One

    Schedule a virtual meeting with our Student Engagement and Success Coordinator, Amanda Smits.

    Book a Meeting
Life Changing
The HIHIT program completely changed the trajectory of where my life was headed.
Bryan D Photo

Apply Now

The Summer 2024 Session will run from June 17 - August 16, 2024

The deadline to apply is Tuesday, June 4th by 11:59 p.m. CST

PROGRAM DETAILS

 

The Health Informatics & Health Information Technology Certificate is a full-time, 9-week program. The certification program is designed to prepare post-baccalaureate students for a variety of careers in Health IT. Students will gain knowledge in four didactic courses and receive hands-on training with electronic health record software systems. More detailed information about the courses can be found below.

 

You will have the opportunity for direct, active participation with current electronic health record software systems, utilize a working health information exchange (HIE), and learn to analyze and visualize healthcare data using SQL and Tableau.

 

You will complete a final data visualization project and receive professional development assistance with job search support.

 

TOPICS

As part of this program, you will study the following topics:

 

  • Health Informatics and Healthcare Analytics
  • Data Analytics and Visualization
  • Project Management
  • Process Redesign and Quality Improvement
  • Healthcare Policy
  • Revenue Cycle Management
  • Population Health
  • Value-Based Care
  • Interoperability

 

This program is a full-time commitment and we do discourage participants from trying to work or take other college-level courses while completing this program. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us at hihit@austin.utexas.edu.

Truly One of a Kind
I could not recommend this program enough to anyone out there even remotely interested in the field of health IT. This program is truly one of a kind, and doing things that very important people are noticing! If you are looking for a career in Health Informatics and Health IT, this program is undoubtedly the right move.
Tyler R Photo

Courses in the Program

Fundamentals of Health Information Technology

Topics in this course include healthcare policy surrounding healthcare technology (e.g. ARRA, Promoting Interoperability, healthcare privacy and security), current technologies (telemedicine, use of mobile devices, patient generated health information, virtual/augmented reality), electronic health records (EHRs) ,interoperability as well as hospital information systems and digital imaging.  Additionally, students are exposed to a variety of Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems with hands-on exercises based on clinical scenarios using fictitious test patients.

Introduction to Health Informatics and Healthcare Analytics

This course consists of the theoretical foundations of health informatics, database theory and management, healthcare vocabularies and standards, medical decision making, basic statistics, and healthcare analytics. Students gain hands-on experience in multiple analytics tools including in MS Excel, Tableau, HL7, SQL, and Blockchain. 

Project Management, Process Redesign, and Quality Improvement

This class focuses on the basics of project management using best practices as described in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (including RFPs, scope, project planning, budgets, and deliverables, risk), as well as an introduction Six Sigma quality improvement methodology, including tools to evaluate and improve quality. After completion, graduates are eligible to take the entry level project management exam. This course also explores the tools and techniques used to perform an analysis of workflow processes and to evaluate the impact of technology to improve these processes.

Operational Models of Healthcare Systems

The lectures presented in this course describe the complex U.S. healthcare system and explain the way in which healthcare is delivered along a continuum of care.  The course integrates new health policy as related to current and impending changes to healthcare delivery along the continuum.  A special emphasis is placed on the operational delivery of ambulatory care and the manner in which acute care facilitates are evolving. Topics include a comparison of the US health care system to health care delivery in other countries, population health and health care finance/insurance - including discussion on public (Medicare and Medicaid) and private (Managed Care) coverage. Descriptions of current and emerging payment mechanisms, revenue cycle management, risk management, overhead reduction and practice management are covered in detail to allow students a robust understanding of business issues associated with health care delivery. 

Data Analytics Intensive

This course consists of a data intensive that allows students to gain experience in EHR data creation and migration. It will build on analytics and data science skills developed in the didactic and hands-on portion of the Health Informatics and Health IT program. 

Certifications

Graduates of this program receive a certificate in Health Informatics and Health IT from the McCombs School of Business.

HIHIT graduates also have the opportunity to sit for four external certifications upon graduation. Contact us or attend one of our information sessions for more details.

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  • Programs for Organizations

    We also offer customized training programs for healthcare and IT organizations that can be online or in person, on your campus or ours. For more information, contact us at hihit@austin.utexas.edu.

CAREER SERVICES

Greater than 90% of our certificate graduates seeking a job in Health IT are employed within one year, many within a few months of graduation.

 

We provide students with career resources including:

 

  • Workshops on resumes and cover letters
  • Informational interviewing
  • Job interview prep
  • Networking events with employers

 

Many Health IT jobs require travel and/or relocation, so flexibility to accept a job outside of Austin or outside of Texas will optimize your career opportunities. 

 

Examples of positions offered to HIHIT certificate graduates:

 

  • Business Analyst
  • Implementation Specialist
  • Project Manager / Project Coordinator
  • Consultant
  • Software Training Specialist
  • Epic Application Support Analyst
  • SQL Data Analyst
  • ACO Interoperability Specialist
  • Application Analyst
  • Implementation Account Manager
  • Client Services Manager
  • EHR Sales
  • Healthcare Policy Analyst

FAQs

If you can't find answers to your questions here, please email us at hihit@austin.utexas.edu.

 

CLICK HERE to book a time to meet with the HIHIT Enrollment Coordinator to answer your questions, or CLICK HERE if you want more information about the upcoming HIHIT session.

What are the requirements for admission/acceptance into the program?

You will need to:

  • Have a bachelor's degree from a 4-year university (Note: you can still apply without a bachelor's degree)
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher (Note: you can still apply even with a lower than 2.75 GPA)

 

What if I hold a degree from outside of the U.S.?

Individuals who have completed university coursework at an institution outside of the United States or who received a degree from a university outside the United States, must have their transcript evaluated for U.S. degree. (This is not required for study abroad or other short-term study abroad courses.)

To have your foreign transcript evaluated, we recommend that you utilize a company within the National Association of Transcript Evaluators (NACES): http://www.naces.org/members.html. Please have the evaluation mailed to:

The University of Texas at Austin
ATTN: HIHIT Program
PO Box 8424
Austin, TX 78713-8424

 

Do I have to apply to the program?

Yes. The application period opens a few months before each session. 

Click here to be notified when the next application period opens. 

What are the admissions procedures for the program?

Typically, we we require a bachelor's degree due to employment purposes. However, you can still apply if you do not hold a bachelor's degree. Applicants can email their resume to hihit@austin.utexas.edu. For NON UT Austin students/graduates, please have the last university where you received a degree send an official transcript digitally to hihit@austin.utexas.edu. If your transcript need to be mailed, please let us know.  UT Austin students/graduates do not need to send their transcript. After submitting your online application, we will be in touch with you to schedule a brief virtual interview. 

 

Do I need to be eligible to work in the U.S. to participate in this program?

No, this is not a requirement. However, the main goal of the program is to rapidly train and place graduates into Health IT jobs. For more information about employment for non-US citizens, please contact the UT International Office at (512) 471-1211 or visit https://world.utexas.edu/.

 

How long is the program?

The certificate program is 9 weeks long.

 

When and where do classes meet?

The program is completely online and is a full-time commitment (40 hours per week minimum). We are hoping to have some optional in-person help sessions based on University guidelines.

 

Will I get college credit for this program?

All graduates of the HIHIT program will receive a certificate in Health Informatics and Health Information Technology from the McCombs School of Business. The process for awarding college credit from The University of Texas at Austin for the courses completed in the HIHIT program is currently underway. 

 

How much does the program cost?

Tuition for the program is $7,900 for UT Austin graduates; $8,400 for graduates of other institutions. We do offer an in-house payment plan. There is one highly recommended textbook and the others are optional.

When do I have to pay for the program?

The tuition is due five days before classes start, unless you have already established a payment plan with us.

 

What is the program's refund policy?

The $500 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your place in the program once you have been admitted. After the first day the program begins, there are no refunds should a student withdraw for any reason.

 

Does this program provide tax forms?

We are not able to provide tax forms. Most students use their tuition payment receipt to file with their taxes.

 

When is the program offered?

The program is offered three times a year with start dates in early-mid January, June, and September.

 

How was the HIHIT curriculum developed?

The HIHIT program was developed with the guidance of industry and healthcare experts. The director and the faculty who teach in the program are in constant contact with the organizations who hire our graduates to make sure that the curriculum is kept current and reflects the skills and competencies our students need to be job-ready when they graduate. 

 

What is the average salary of your graduates that have taken a job in Health IT?

The average starting salary for our program graduates is typically between $50,00-60,000 for entry-level positions. Those with advanced degrees or other credentials (i.e. M.D., R.N.) can expect to be offered higher salaries.

 

How can I learn more?

If you have additional questions about the application process or other program details, please contact us by email or phone. For admissions questions, please contact Mrs. Amanda Smits, Senior Student Enrollment and Success Coordinator, at hihit@austin.utexas.edu

Course Instructors & Staff

  • Rick Nauert
    Headshot of Rick Nauert.
    Rick Nauert

    Faculty - Clinical Associate Professor, UT College of Natural Sciences

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  • Juliette Nwagbara
    Juliette Nwagbara

    Lecturer, McCombs School of Business

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  • Asad Tariq
    Asad Tariq

    Lecturer, McCombs School of Business

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  • Abi Maddox
    Headshot of TEE staff member Abi Gbewonyo Maddox.
    Abi Maddox

    Assistant Professor, Lead Technology Coordinator, McCombs School of Business

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  • Amanda Smits
    Headshot of TEE staff member Amanda Smits.
    Amanda Smits

    Senior Student Engagement & Success Coordinator and Career Services Instructor

  • Erin Steppe
    Headshot of TEE staff member Erin Steppe.
    Erin Steppe

    Director, Career Accelerator Programs and Career Services Lead Instructor

  • Jason Gonzalez
    Jason Gonzalez

    Training and Technology Specialist

  • Kristal Trimble
    Kristal Trimble

    Administrative Associate

Student Testimonials

HIHIT TESTIMONIALS

  • Anna, HIHIT Summer 2023

    Software Training Specialist, eClinicalWorks
  • Ari, HIHIT Summer 2023

    Associate Consultant, Innova Group
  • Gizem Engur, HIHIT Fall 2022

    Strategic Account Manager, eClinicalworks
  • Allen, HIHIT Fall 2022

    Application Analyst, UT Southwestern
  • Gabby, HIHIT Fall 2022

    Application Analyst, UT Southwestern
  • Daniel Nguyen, HIHIT Summer 2022

    Associate Epic Grand Central Analyst, AdventHealth
  • Ope, HIHIT Spring 2022

    Senior Project Associate, Athenahealth
  • Jade, HIHIT Fall 2021

    IS Clinical Application Specialist, Baylor Scott & White Health
  • Tyler, HIHIT Fall 2021

    IS Application Specialist, Baylor Scott & White Health
  • Zarah, HIHIT Summer 2021

    Program Analyst, OZ Systems
  • Alex, HIHIT Summer 2021

    Customer Success Associate, Luminare Inc.
  • Veronica, HIHIT Summer 2021

    Clinical Solutions Architect, Babylon
  • Brycen, HIHIT Spring 2021

    Ambulatory Consultant I, Cerner
  • Victoria, HIHIT Fall 2020

    Project Manager/Clinical Transformation Specialist, Ascension
  • Ann, HIHIT Fall 2020

    Consultant, Cerner
  • Mareis, HIHIT Summer 2020

    Technical Support Engineer, Lyniate
  • Thomas, MD, HIHIT Summer 2020

    Chief Medical Officer Emeritus, Director of Clinical Innovation, Research & Development, Medcor, Inc.
  • Jewel, HIHIT Summer 2020

    Integration Project Manager, eClinicalWorks
  • Avni, HIHIT Summer 2020

    IT Integration Analyst, Caravan Health
  • Jennifer, HIHIT Summer 2020

    Account Specialist, VRL Eurofins
  • Kirsten, HIHIT Summer 2020

    Enterprise Account Manager, Oracle
  • Anjali, HIHIT Summer 2020

    Quality Engineer, Stryker
  • Balu, HIHIT Spring 2020

    Consultant 1, Cerner
  • Xavier, HIHIT Fall 2019

    Client IT Integrator, Robin Healthcare
  • Bryan, HIHIT Fall 2019

    Product Implementation and Customer Success Manager, LeanTaaS

Organizational Affiliate