Abstract
Objectives We developed and implemented a customized internal clinical informatics (CI) curriculum
for the UC Irvine CI Fellowship program. The goal was to transition from an externally
sourced curriculum to a more focused, internally developed program, aligning with
feedback from early fellows and the evolving practical needs of clinical informatics.
By designing this curriculum in-house, we sought to provide a more efficient, cost-effective,
and relevant educational experience for fellows.
Methods The curriculum was designed over a one-year period, beginning in July 2021 and launched
in July 2022. The development process involved collaboration among core clinical informatics
faculty, organizing the content into 13 thematic blocks, each spanning four weeks.
Each block included a mix of pre-recorded lectures for asynchronous learning and interactive
sessions for applied, synchronous learning. The curriculum was designed to cycle twice
over the course of the two-year fellowship, with second-year fellows taking on greater
teaching responsibilities to solidify their knowledge. Feedback was gathered from
graduating fellows and used to iteratively refine the content and structure.
Results Feedback from fellows during the first year of implementation was overwhelmingly
positive, with evaluations indicating high satisfaction regarding the relevance, focus,
and practical application of the content. Quantitative and qualitative feedback suggested
that fellows found the internal curriculum more aligned with their learning goals
compared to the prior external curriculum. Modifications were made based on fellow
input to adjust the number and structure of interactive sessions, ensuring high-yield
learning.
Conclusion This case study highlights the successful development and implementation of a customized
clinical informatics curriculum at UC Irvine. The curriculum offers a more tailored,
responsive, and comprehensive educational model, addressing both financial constraints
and the need for a practical, focused learning experience. This initiative provides
valuable insights and a potential framework for other institutions seeking to transition
to an internal informatics curriculum.
Keywords
training and education requirements - strategies for health IT training - accreditation
and licensure - continuing professional development - continuing education
