Regenstrief, IU launch public and population health program

Groups say project, backed by $2.5 million NIH award, will fill a need for informaticians.
By Bernie Monegain
01:41 PM

The Regenstrief Institute, widely known for its clinical informatics work, is launching a program to train researchers in public and population health informatics.

The initiative is supported by a five-year, $2.5 million award from the National Library of Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health.
Regenstrief is collaborating with Indiana University School of Medicine and IU's School of Public Health at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

The program, which begins this month, aims to prepare graduate students and post-doctoral fellows to work broadly in the healthcare industry and academia, as well as for local, state and federal public health departments.

As Regenstrief executives see it, the trainees in the program will fill a need for informaticians.  It’s a demand that is expected to grow over the next decade and beyond.

"There is a pent-up demand for informaticians with new skill sets in both public health and population health, but there has been a lack of educational and training programs to meet this need," said Regenstrief Institute investigator Brian E. Dixon, associate professor of epidemiology in the Fairbanks School of Public Health. Dixon co-directs the new program with Regenstrief Institute investigator Titus Schleyer, professor of biomedical informatics at IU School of Medicine.

Individuals with bachelors or masters’ degrees in a quantitative science, such as mathematics, statistics, computer science, or informatics, or in a health science, such as public health, genetics, nursing or dentistry, will be considered for the PhD program.

Doctoral degrees will be awarded by the Fairbanks School of Public Health.

“Given the rapid growth in health-related data, from clinical and genomic data, to a wide array of social and behavioral determinants of health, it's more important than ever that we train experts in informatics who can lead efforts to improve the health and healthcare of individuals and populations," Regenstrief Institute President and CEO Peter Embi, MD, said in a statement.

Information for applicants here.

Twitter: @Bernie_HITN
Email the writer: bernie.monegain@himssmedia.com


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