Program Overview

Doctorate in Health Informatics (DHI) Program

The Doctorate in Health Informatics (DHI) program is a terminal degree designed for professionals seeking advanced education in health informatics. The program is geared towards individuals with executive or management-level healthcare experience.

Program Description and Goals

The DHI program aims to provide informatics leaders with the advanced education required to translate evidence from original research, evaluate current practices, and utilize critical thinking to accelerate the adoption of best practices in clinical and healthcare organizations. The program goals are to help students:

• Assume leadership positions throughout the healthcare industry having integrated health informatics with organizational leadership and ethics.
• Design, implement, and evaluate health information technology quality improvement projects in healthcare systems.
• Implement evidence-based practice to improve human health.
• Employ effective communication and collaboration skills to identify and implement best practices in healthcare delivery.

Admission Process

The applicant should present a completed application and official documentation of the following:

1. A completed online GradCAS application with a $38 application fee
2. Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
3. A baccalaureate or higher degree (master's degree preferred)
4. No minimum GPA requirement; the majority of successful applicants have a GPA of 3.0 or greater
5. A resume or curriculum vitae (as appropriate)
6. Goal Statement – follow template instructions on the website
7. Proposed area of interest for translational practice project
8. A Letter of Support from the healthcare organization willing to facilitate the translational practice project
9. Three letters of reference from supervisors or colleagues
10. Interview with the McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics Admissions, Progression and Graduation (APG) Committee by invitation only

Requirements for Applicants with International Coursework

• The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Testing System (IELTS) with a minimum acceptable score
• Official transcripts and a course-by-course education evaluation of all transcripts from all universities attended outside the United States
• Evaluations from Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE) or World Education Services (WES) only

Application Deadline

• Fall admission: March 1

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit for equivalent graduate courses taken elsewhere may be awarded and used to meet degree requirements. The maximum number of transferable semester credit hours is 21 for the DHI program.

Academic Requirements

Students without a master's degree in health informatics or a related field must complete 33 semester credit hours of didactic coursework before starting the DHI curriculum. Students who hold a master's degree in informatics can immediately start the 63-semester credit hour program.

Curriculum

The DHI program requires a minimum of 63 semester credit hours to earn the degree, for applicants with a master's degree. This includes 30 semester credit hours of required courses and 33 semester credit hours of coursework focused on translational project advisement, implementation, and evaluation.

Course List

Required Courses

Translational Project Courses

Progression Gates and Milestones

The DHI Progression Gates or Milestones are required tasks and assignments that must be completed in a satisfactory manner during each specified semester.

Core Progression Gates and Milestones

DHI students are expected to meet the following requirements each semester:

• Attend all DHI Residency Seminars
• Complete all Canvas-based Progression Gate Assessments
• Meet course requirements and maintain satisfactory academic standing
• Complete all prerequisite courses prior to advancement
• Have a clearly defined Translational Project with organizational approval
• Complete all requirements mandated by the UTHealth Houston Committee For the Protection of Human Subjects

Academic Advising

DHI students must work closely with their Academic Advisor regarding any issues related to the completion of Progression Gates and Milestones.

Translational Project Requirement

To remain in good standing, DHI students must maintain a defined Translational Project throughout their time in the program.

Qualifying Exam

The qualifying exam consists of demonstration of competency with both domain-specific knowledge and breadth of knowledge across the discipline.

General Structure of the Exam

1. Topics for the exam will include materials covered in the Required Courses and materials selected within a specific domain.
2. Students will complete a written exam including both domain general and domain specific questions.
3. In addition to the written exam, students will prepare their translational project proposal and deliver a public presentation of the translational project proposal.
4. Following the written exam and public presentation, the student, Advising Committee, and DHI Qualifying Exam Committee will take part in a closed question and answer session.

Grading

The Advising Committee and DHI Qualifying Exam Committee will assign one of the following grades to the overall qualifying exam:

1. Pass unconditionally
2. Pass conditionally
3. Fail with option to retake
4. Fail without option to retake

Translational Project

The DHI culminates with a translational project and a project evaluation report. The translational project requires:

1. Section 1: Introduction
2. Section 2: Evidence-Based Practice Review
3. Section 3: Methodology (Setting and Project Design)
4. Section 4: Results
5. Section 5: Discussion
6. Section 6: Study Limitations
7. Section 7: Conclusions
8. References
9. About Appendices (as needed)

After completing the translational project, the student must present the findings. The presentation must be presented at an oral session that is open to the public.