STORY

Training a Diverse Workforce of Health Informatics Experts in North Carolina

March 14, 2018

United Health Foundation and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are working together to train a whole new generation of health informatics workers.

Creating a 21st century health workforce that is ready to meet the health care needs of the nation is a priority for United Health Foundation. Investing in education is critical to maximize innovation in health care. And that will help people live healthier lives and help make the health system work better for everyone.

A recent report from the National Academy of Sciences shows that while minority groups comprise 28.5 percent of the national population, they represent only 9.1 percent of college-educated Americans in science and engineering occupations. That’s why United Health Foundation recently announced a new partnership with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to expand access to health care data and informatics educational and professional development resources through the University’s Carolina Health Informatics Program. Training will focus on minority undergraduate students considering health informatics careers, as well as working professionals needing to advance their health informatics skills.

“Our university is committed to tackling tough problems and training the next generation of diverse leaders,” said Chancellor Carol L. Folt. “We are grateful for United Health Foundation’s support and partnership to expand educational and training resources in the health care technology and analytics field. This partnership means more students, especially minority students from across our state, will have the opportunity to tackle tough challenges in our health care system.”