GET PHIT Project exceeds goal as it approaches final year
Since it launched in 2021, the Gaining Equity in Training for Public Health Informatics and Technology (GET PHIT) Consortium Project has focused on advancing public health informatics workforce development and education for students learning across the state of Texas. As GET PHIT prepares for its fourth and final year, a major project goal has already been accomplished as the original goal of training at least 1,900 students was recently achieved. This milestone was reached a year ahead of schedule.
The project is funded by a nearly $10 million grant from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). GET PHIT is led by McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth Houston and UTHealth Houston’s School of Public Health. The project has flourished thanks to its consortium partners; Huston-Tillotson University, Prairie View A&M University, Texas A&M International University, Texas Tech University Health Science Center, University of Texas at Arlington, University of Texas at El Paso, University of Texas at Tyler, University of Texas Permian Basin, and University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
“Reaching our grant target number for student training in public health informatics marks a significant milestone in our mission to equip the next generation of professionals with the critical skills needed to advance public health,” noted Kimberly Baker, DrPH, MPH, assistant dean of practice and assistant professor at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health. “This achievement not only reflects our commitment to education but also strengthens the workforce that will drive innovation and improve health outcomes in communities worldwide.”
The various trainings GET PHIT students have engaged in include on campus and virtual bootcamps, Professional Development courses, and curriculum delivered at the consortium institutions. In addition to these trainings, GET PHIT has also provided paid internships since the summer of 2022. These enriching, one-semester experiences are open to students studying at universities within the consortium. As of the summer 2024 semester, 262 students have participated in internships. The GET PHIT project team aims to reach 138 more students with three semesters remaining as the original goal was to have at least 400 internships completed.
“I am very proud that the GET PHIT project reached the training goal a year earlier than anticipated,” stated Susan Fenton, PhD, RHIA, ACHIP, FAHIMA, FAMIA, professor and vice dean for education at McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics. “As we look forward to year four for the project, I know we will continue to yield exemplary results and reach our internship goal. This is all thanks to the hard work of the UTHealth Houston team and our nine partnering institutions.”
With GET PHIT slated to conclude in September of 2025, attaining early success bodes well as the project looks ahead to its final year. In September of this year, GET PHIT will hosts its second annual summit in Arlington, TX. This event encourages GET PHIT students, academic institutions, and internship sites to come together to network and learn about the ongoing work and impact of this state-wide initiative.
To learn more about the success of the GET PHIT program, visit https://www.uth.edu/get-phit/.
published: 08/14/2024