Preparing a Robust Public Health Informatics Workforce: An Academic-Industry Partnership

To realize the potential of complex public health databases and in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical to prepare a robust workforce skilled in applying information technology to advance public health. This paper presents a model of program-specific formative evaluation that leveraged qualitative analysis of interview data to develop an efficient tracking survey administered yearly to student interns. Evaluation data shaped ongoing program improvement and yielded data showing improved student satisfaction over time in the Public Health Informatics & Technology (PHIT) program at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). Student satisfaction with the program increased on three factors: 1) achievement of internship goals (p < .001); quality of supervision (p < .05); and helpfulness of the training process (p < .05). UCI PHIT successfully integrated training in both informatics and public health through industry-hosted internships. Continuous program evaluation played a key role in the internship’s sustained success.

Michelle Ke, B.A. – UCI PHIT Evaluation Specialist, Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, University of California, Irvine; Margaret Schneider, Ph.D. – UCI PHIT Evaluation Director, Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, University of California, Irvine; Tim Bruckner, Ph.D. – UCI PHIT Public Health Co-Director, Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, University of California, Irvine; Kai Zheng, Ph.D. – UCI PHIT Program Director/PI, Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Sciences, University of California, Irvine