Data, Healthcare, and Technology. All three come together when you earn an online Master of Health Informatics (MHI). Health Informatics is about developing an analytical and statistical framework for learning about—and solving—our world’s biggest healthcare issues.
Health informatics graduate programs provide students with comprehensive, foundational knowledge of healthcare-based legal issues, data analytics, database design, and information technology, and offers them openings into a wide variety of fields across the rapidly evolving healthcare and technology industries—and the basic skills needed to pursue a specialty in any one of them.
Earn an MS in Health Informatics & Analytics online from Tufts School of Medicine in as few as 20 months. Graduate prepared to process data to improve health on an individual, local, and global scale. No GRE required.
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So, what is informatics in healthcare—and why is it important? Health informatics is a field based specifically on the technological tools and platforms used to store, organize, and analyze electronic medical records. But the impact extends to more than just the technology itself. Health informatics professionals develop and evaluate these tools with the end goal of improving patient outcomes. In other words, they leverage evolving medical science solutions to evaluate patient data and deliver patient care more efficiently and effectively.
Health informatics programs cater to students from a wide variety of educational and professional backgrounds, from practicing healthcare professionals to IT workers interested in making the transition to healthcare. With the foundational knowledge and unique technological skills from an online master’s in health informatics, graduates can emerge as potential candidates for managerial positions, improving the overall health and data standards of individuals, families, and communities.
When taking the initial steps to pursue an MHI program, the most important thing is that you find the best health informatics program for you. For many people, online programs offer the flexibility they need to continue working while completing their degree. Along that vein, you can also choose to take the program part-time or full-time. Depending on which you choose, an MHI program can take anywhere from 18 months to two years to complete. Regardless of whether you choose online, in-person, part-time or full-time, the curriculum will be fairly consistent, and you’ll likely reap the same rewards after it’s complete.
Admissions requirements for an online health informatics program consists of standard academic materials, including test scores, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and a personal essay. Though the specifics and number of each item may vary by university, all MHI program applicants will typically be required to submit the following to be considered for admission:
Some online MHI programs have no GRE requirement, meaning they don’t require you to submit GRE scores to complete your application and be considered for admission. If this is the case, it will be marked on the university website under admissions requirements. Depending on the program, GRE waivers may be available based on the applicant’s prior level of work experience or academic degrees—like if they have already received a different graduate degree.
GRE waivers can be appealing to prospective students who are already well into their careers and may have never had cause to take the GRE previously, but are still looking for a career transition. According to the Educational Testing Service, standard GRE test administration costs roughly $200 in the U.S., not including any preparation costs, late registration fees, rescheduling fees, or scoring services. By saving applicants the money and time associated with test preparation—and reducing the pre-application workload in general—a GRE waiver offers significant benefits to qualified applicants.
Master’s in Health Informatics programs start off covering the core pillars of the practice. Depending on the program, titles of courses vary but students can expect to gain knowledge in the following topic areas:
In some university programs, students have the option to select electives and track-specific courses, depending on their interests, prior to completing a capstone. Some examples of such offerings are listed below:
There are a wide variety of health informatics jobs, fields, and career paths you can pursue with an online master’s in health informatics, or any MHI degree. Here are some of the most common:
Healthcare needs are continuously evolving, and so is the workforce. More and more employers are seeking out highly-skilled workers who understand and are able to help them tackle unique challenges, from data integration and standards to cybersecurity. It’s no surprise then that health informatics careers are a fast-growing field.
The average growth rate for all occupations is 5 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). But the projected growth rate for health information technicians, from 2018 to 2028, is 11 percent—more than double the average. The demand for health information technicians is partly due to the aging population. While demand is consistent across the industry, median pay and salary outlooks vary per role, employer, and location.
The median annual pay in 2018 for medical records and health information Technicians was $40,350, according to the BLS. For medical and health services managers, the median annual pay in 2018 jumped to $99,730, and the job outlook for 2018-2028 is growing at a faster-than-average rate of 18 percent. At $142,530, health informatics and computer and information systems managers had the highest median annual salary for 2018 out of all the professionals mentioned here.
With an MHI degree, you can transition into or advance further in the healthcare world. With a keen knowledge of healthcare technology, information systems, and healthcare data analytics, you can leverage your degree and have an impact on the patient, doctor, hospital, and even the public health level. Pursue an online master’s in health informatics to:
Earn an MS in Health Informatics & Analytics online from Tufts School of Medicine in as few as 20 months. Graduate prepared to process data to improve health on an individual, local, and global scale. No GRE required.
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