The Health Informatics capstone project is a culmination of knowledge, skills, and experiences acquired throughout the program. The goal of the Health Informatics capstone project is for students to obtain real-life experience and translate newly acquired academic knowledge into an informatics-related research project.
Students will work with a selected faculty mentor, project sponsor, and other stakeholders on the capstone project team to develop a feasible, implementable intervention or applicable solution to solve a real-world problem or address a significant challenge in the field of health care. Students will create an original project idea or will work on an aspect of an existing project being undertaken by a department, lab, program, or other relevant area of the UTSW institution. Projects can also be completed outside of UTSW as approved by the course directors.
Leveraging the project plans, students will initiate and implement the project. Students will employ planning, data analytics, evaluation, testing, and other project management methodologies in the creation and execution of the capstone project. Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze complex health care data, design effective informatics solutions, and communicate findings or recommendations effectively in the form of a manuscript ready for publication in a scientific journal. At the conclusion of the final semester, students will submit the finalized manuscript and present their results to faculty and fellow students
Upon successful completion of the course, students will:
- Design and execute a real-world informatics capstone project
- Build project management skills to plan and manage timelines
- Develop methods of communication to work effectively with diverse stakeholders
- Increase skill sets in data analysis and evaluation
- Expand knowledge of writing techniques according to manuscript format guidelines
- Gain experience and confidence in public speaking
The MSHI capstone project serves as a valuable opportunity for students to demonstrate their mastery of informatics concepts and techniques while making a meaningful contribution to the field of health care.