The program is the nation’s first advanced practice degree in health informatics. The DHI includes unique curriculum built for professionals seeking a terminal degree in the field of health informatics. .
The degree is geared towards professionals with documented executive or management-level healthcare experience. This practice doctorate program provides 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 degree is geared towards professionals with documented executive or management-level healthcare experience. This practice doctorate program provides 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:
The applicant should present a completed application and official documentation of the following:
Fall admission - March 1
Transfer credit for equivalent graduate courses taken elsewhere may be awarded and used to meet degree requirements if their equivalency to a McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics degree program course is approved through a Petition for Equivalency Credit (PEC). The maximum number of transferable semester credit hours is 21 for the DHI program. Contact the Office of Academic Affairs for information.
Courses that are accepted at McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics, through a dual or joint degree program, can only be transferred in if the grade earned in the course is a “B” or higher. Courses for which grades of less than “B” were earned will not be accepted for transfer. Courses must have been completed within the last five years to qualify. See “Five (5)-Year Rule” on page 20.
Students who are presenting course work from universities or colleges outside the United States to meet admission or graduation requirements are referred to the section on International Applicants in this catalog for a listing of additional requirements.
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.
A part-time student has up to ten years (30 semesters) from the time of entry to complete the required course work. Continuous enrollment is required unless approval is obtained. Each course with a BMI prefix in the Biomedical Informatics degree plan is a graduate level, professional course and must be passed with a grade of “B” or better. Students must earn a grade of “B” or higher in all dual degree program courses, unless the course is graded on a Pass or Fail basis in which a grade of “Pass” must be earned. If a dual degree student earns less than a “B” in any required course, it must be retaken to continue in the program. A grade of “B” or higher must be earned on the second attempt to prevent dismissal from the program. The minimum grade point average (GPA) required for graduation is 3.0 on all BMI courses.
Each student will develop a degree plan with written approval of their academic advisor. A signed degree plan (https://sbmi.uth.edu/current-students/curriculum/) will be filed each academic year that includes the required and/or elective courses as specified for the student’s DHI program.
Computer Requirement
Every student is required to have reliable access to a computer that meets the minimum requirements. Students are encouraged to purchase a laptop that meets the minimum UTHealth Houston requirements. Computer requirements are listed on the website (https://sbmi.uth.edu/current-students/student-handbook/computer-requirements.htm) and are subject to change.
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 and evaluation and fellowship. Courses marked with a * have a $100 Course Fee. Courses marked with a ** have a $50 Course Fee.
30 semester credit hours in required courses from SBMI catalog
33 semester credit hours required towards completion of the translational project
For those entering the program with only a bachelor’s degree, the program requires the completion of 96 semester credit hours of SBMI coursework. This includes 63 semester credit hours of required courses and 33 semester credit hours of coursework focused on translational project advisement and evaluation and fellowship.
63 semester credit hours in required courses from SBMI catalog
33 semester credit hours required towards completion of the translational project
The DHI Progression Gates or Milestones are required tasks and assignments that must be completed, in a satisfactory manner, during each specified semester. Said Progression Gates are outlined in the DHI Progression Gates Canvas course. These Progression Gates include required attendance at all on campus DHI Visits/Seminars that take place in Houston or virtually, as needed.
Failure to complete ANY Progression Gate can result in a student being referred to McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics Admissions, Progression & Graduate Committee for student review and potential disciplinary action. Students must resolve all outstanding milestones by the end of the next semester or they will be unable to enroll going forward.
All DHI Students must work with their Academic Advisor regarding any issues regarding Progression Gate completion.
The goals of the DHI qualifying exam are:
Students should prepare for a comprehensive qualifying exam within the semester upon completion of the second summer semester or after completion of their 33rd semester credit hour. The plan for the qualifying exam will be developed in conjunction with the academic advisor.
The qualifying exam consists of demonstration of competency with both:
Domain-Specific Knowledge
Demonstration knowledge, understanding, and proficiency in domain specific content and methodology. One of the purposes is to challenge students to discover relevant literature and deepen their knowledge of interests within this track.
Breadth of Knowledge across the discipline
Demonstrate breadth of knowledge across health sciences disciplines through questions that require synthesis of knowledge from core areas.
Submission deadlines related to materials related for the qualifying exam (e.g. reading list, project proposal to committee) will follow a set timeline following the student’s declaration of intent. All components of the qualifying exam must be attempted within 30 days.
The qualifying exam dossier will contain the following items:
Grading
The Advising Committee and DHI Qualifying Exam Committee will assign one of the following grades to the overall qualifying exam:
A student must be successful on each element of the qualifying exam to achieve pass unconditionally. The Advising Committee decision, together with the DHI Qualifying Exam Committee decision, will determine the specific requirements for options of a conditional pass or options to retake (e.g. retake the written and the oral, oral only, remediate with additional coursework.)
If given the option to retake, students will be allowed to retake any specified portion of the exam once. Efforts to retake the progression sequence must be completed within 12 weeks. Failure to progress after this point will result in dismissal from the program.
Upon successful completion of all components of the Qualifying Exam, the DHI student will have advanced to Candidacy for the Doctorate in Health Informatics.
The DHI culminates with a translational project and a project evaluation report. Students in the program will work on didactic courses and translational project work simultaneously. Students identify a project and primary advisor during the first semester of study and invite two additional committee members during the second semester.
The Project Advisement course is taken as the student works with an advisor and committee to prepare the project plan. At the end of the student’s first year, a tentative timeline for the completion of the DHI program and translational project must be submitted.
The translational project requires:
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. Translational project documents authored by degree candidates are available to interested members of the general public upon request. After the presentation, the translational project committee votes to pass or fail the student. If the student passes and all other degree requirements are met, the translational project committee makes its recommendation for the degree to be awarded
Students who have exceeded their time to degree deadline or a milestone deadline for the qualifying exam or project defense may petition APG for an extension. The Petition to Extend Time Boundary for Qualifying Exam or Translational Practice Project Defense form can be found under the Current Student section of the school website.
For further curriculum information, please contact:
McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth Houston
Office of Academic Affairs
7000 Fannin Street Suite 650
Houston, Texas 77030
Telephone: (713) 500-3591
Email: [email protected]