Abstract
Opportunities for education in clinical informatics exist throughout the spectrum
of formal education extending from high school to postgraduate training. However,
physicians in residency represent an underdeveloped source of potential informaticians.
Despite the rapid growth of accredited fellowship programs since clinical informatics
became a board-eligible subspecialty in 2011, few resident physicians are aware of
their role at the intersection of clinical medicine and health information technology
or associated opportunities. In an effort to educate and engage residents in clinical
informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia has developed a three-pronged model:
(1) an elective rotation with hands-on project experience; (2) a longitudinal experience
that offers increased exposure and mentorship; and (3) a resident founded and led
working group in clinical informatics. We describe resident participation in these
initiatives and lessons learned, as well as resident perceptions of how these components
have positively influenced informatics knowledge and career choices. Since inception
of this model, five residents have pursued the clinical informatics fellowship. This
educational model supports resident involvement in hospital-wide informatics efforts
with tangible projects and promotes wider engagement through educational opportunities
commensurate with the resident's level of interest.
Keywords
medical informatics - medical education - internship and residency - strategies for
health IT training
