The first University of Ulster students to receive Professional Certificates in Health Informatics have been recognised at a special award ceremony.
A total of 23 post-graduate students from the School of Computing and Mathematics achieved the professional qualification while completing their academic studies in Health Informatics.
Course Director, Dr Dewar Finlay, said: “With the ever-increasing presence of IT systems in health and social care, health informatics has become a discipline in its own right.
“For this reason, health informatics education is an important consideration for those working it the healthcare sector.”
“The joint Post-graduate and Professional Certificate aims to provide healthcare professionals with up-to-date knowledge of computing as well as the ability to identify and apply new and emerging techniques in every day practice.
“We have worked closely with the Health and Social Care ICT Training Group to combine delivery of the Post-graduate and Professional Certificates.
“The University of Ulster has a very well established track record in health informatics research and the course offers an excellent opportunity to disseminate this expertise to healthcare professionals.”
Dr Paul McCullagh, Reader in Computing and Mathematics at Ulster, added: “This is an opportunity to demonstrate that our funded research projects in health informatics can provide impact in the local profession.
“Of course, research and teaching also benefits greatly by direct contact with healthcare informatics practitioners.
“As the health informatics profession strives for enhanced formal recognition through initiatives such as UKCHIP (United Kingdom Council for Health Informatics Professionals), the Professional certificate has proved to be a timely initiative.”
CAPTION:
Dr Dewar Finlay, Course director of the Post Graduate and Professional Certificates in Health Informatics, pictured with Michael Rigby, Emeritus Professor of Health Information Strategy at Keele University, who represents the Recognition and Monitoring Panel of the Northern Ireland HSC ICT Training Committee."