A certification in Health Information Technology (HIT) offers a specialized skill set that is crucial in the modern healthcare landscape. By blending healthcare knowledge with applied health informatics, your professional options will expand to include diverse career paths. 

The Department of Biomedical Informatics at Columbia University is uniquely positioned to provide the experience, faculty, and resources to train the highly valued professionals essential to make a difference in the field. Some graduates have utilized the program to enhance their current job roles and career paths, while others have switched careers and used the program to catalyze their field change. Graduates of this program have become Clinical Analysts, Analytics Project Managers, CMIOs, CNOs, Chief Data Scientists, Interface Analysts, EHR Managers, Health IT entrepreneurs, Informatics Education Program leads, and much more. 

The Program
This executive format program is designed to be work-friendly – it is fully virtual with synchronous and asynchronous components, and it is completed in just two semesters. A cohort-based program, classes start in September and end in May. The program consists of four courses, each worth three points apiece, for a total of 12 points of graduate level coursework. Students completing the program receive a Certification of Professional Achievement in Health IT from Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Topics include workflow and requirements analysis, project management, IT implementation, leadership, teamwork, regulations, standards, usability, knowledge representation, information architecture, clinical decision support, patient engagement, clinical analytics, AI, healthcare interoperability, security, and privacy. Supplemental lectures address potential knowledge gaps in computer science or health care.

The curriculum is taught by a wealth of faculty experts, seasoned professionals, and alumni. Self-guided materials are combined with team assignments, with teams selected to maximize professional diversity. All work is centered on real-world problems in the field and applicability to careers in HIT. Students participate in once-a-month full-day virtual classes, and independently complete online learning modules and assessments as well as assignments. Teams work together to review course work and complete problem-based assignments to hone their collaboration and communication skills. 

How To Apply
Eligible candidates must have at least a bachelor’s degree and training or experience in a related field (healthcare, public health, healthcare policy, health IT, IT, computer science, etc.).  You will need to upload a personal statement, your resumé or CV, contact information for two recommenders, and transcript(s) from any postsecondary institution where credits were earned towards a degree. Admission for the 2024-25 cohort has now closed; please check back on this page in February 2025 for information on the 2025-26 cohort.