An international health/medical informatics programs database

Area of Science:

• Health and Medical Informatics
• Educational Program Development
• Global Health Education

Background:

• The International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) Working Group on Education and Training in Medical Informatics has been instrumental since 1991.
• Guidance on policy and purpose for health/medical informatics education has been a key focus.
• Previous discussions have informed the development of educational resources.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a comprehensive, worldwide database of health and medical informatics programs.
• To define the essential attributes and structure for cataloging these educational programs.
• To build upon existing international collaboration in medical informatics education.

Main Methods:

• Database establishment by the University of Maryland at Baltimore.
• Leveraging guidance from the IMIA Working Group on Education and Training in Medical Informatics.
• Incorporating suggestions from the 1992 Heidelberg/Heilbronn Working Conference on Health/Medical Informatics education.

Main Results:

• A foundational database of global health and medical informatics programs has been initiated.
• Key considerations for database intent, structure, and attributes have been identified.
• International collaboration has shaped the development of this educational resource.

Conclusions:

• The creation of a centralized, global database is crucial for understanding health and medical informatics education.
• Standardized attributes and structure will enhance the utility and accessibility of program information.
• Ongoing international cooperation is vital for advancing medical informatics education worldwide.