CREATE Training Program in Medical Informatics: Preparing Canada's Workforce for Health Data of Tomorrow

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Digital health is transforming the way Canadians access health care, altering clinical workflows while providing unique opportunities for computing sciences to revolutionize health and operational decision making. While G7 governments were set to focus on this topic in 2020, specifically on the Centrality of Digital Health Collaboration to Progress, the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has made clear the critical need to understand the significance of data and its interpretation for decision making. As Canada and the world tackle questions ranging from high level policies on population and resources to day-to-day predictive analysis of patient outcomes, skilled workforce preparedness in informatics and computing sciences with necessary context in health data and its application is vital. The silver lining of the current pandemic may lie in resources that Canada is investing to prepare our collective response, critically aided by data. While AI and informatics show great promise in rapid analysis of next-generation large scale data, future workers will require highly specialized training due to the unique nature of health data. Information and Communications Technology Council of Canada projects demand for >300K skilled workers with expertise in computational sciences by 2023. Of those, >120K will contribute to health and biotechnology, one of six innovation areas of the future economy. To forge successful careers in the new job market, HQP in our CREATE program will not only learn state of the art in computing and informatics, but also develop a depth and breadth of understanding of the health data context and a flexibility in approach that allows them to stay current in such a rapidly changing setting. We partner with key stakeholders in medical informatics, and complement technical training with innovations in problem solving, experiential learning and professional growth. To solidify Canada's competitive advantage in the global space, we contribute to concerted efforts to train computer scientists with multidisciplinary experience and by engaging diverse groups including women, Black and Indigenous communities, internationally-educated professionals, those transitioning careers, and persons with disabilities.