The University of Texas Permian Basin was recently awarded a collaborative grant with The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston for $286,000.
A news release detailed that the funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC).
The grant is part of the Public Health Informatics & Technology Workforce Development Program (PHIT). UT Permian Basin will receive $286,000 of UTHealth Houston’s $10 million grant to support public health informatics workforce development over four years between October 2021 and September 2025.
The program aims to strengthen U.S. public health information technology (IT) efforts, improve COVID-19 data collection, and increase representation of underrepresented communities within the public health IT workforce, the release said.
Educators from multiple institutions, including UTPB, will collaborate to train students using an interdisciplinary approach in public health informatics and technology. Students will also participate in sponsored internships with public health and clinical organizations.
“ We are very excited to have been awarded the GET PHIT grant. This funding will promote collaboration across six academic programs from three colleges, including College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business, and College of Health Sciences and Human Performance,” Associate Vice President for Research and Dean of Graduate Studies, Dr. Raj Dakshinamurthy said in the release.
“ The grant programming will include advanced topic lecture courses, undergraduate and graduate credentialing, certificate programs, standalone tracks, student recruitment, and professional training opportunities.”
Students will also have opportunities to attend summer boot camps delivered face-to-face and online, participate in modules integrated into the existing undergraduate curriculum, and earn post-baccalaureate certificates and master’s degrees. In addition, the collaborative opportunities will enhance the UTPB Career Services Center’s ability to provide sponsored internships in public health and clinical organizations with UT-Health. The GET PHIT program will work with its many public health, community and other partners to ensure that UTPB students participate in meaningful internships, the release said.
