The online education format is embraced by most higher learning institutions as a viable option for students with great potential to contribute to any number of professional and technological fields. But quality still counts when choosing a degree program, and the best way to ensure quality is to pursue an online education from an accredited, recognized college of medicine.
USF Health carries the same ambitious and innovative approaches on its traditional campus into the virtual classroom.
Since 1965, USF has been regionally accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award degrees in the baccalaureate, master, specialist and doctoral levels.* Regional accreditation is the highest standard for universities in the United States.
Its USF Health medical program, led by the Morsani College of Medicine, has been transformed from a community medical school into a statewide and national leader in research, education and clinical practices. The college has led USF’s aggressive drive to achieve the fastest growth of federally-sponsored research in the nation, and its work through one of the world’s largest freestanding Alzheimer’s centers, the USF Diabetes Center and other Interdisciplinary signature programs advance science and clinical research while looking for ways to bridge the two.
The college has also developed strategic partnerships with leading hospitals in the Tampa Bay region and beyond. Two new outpatient medical centers, the Carol and Frank Morsani Center for Advanced Healthcare and the South Tampa Center for Advanced Healthcare, offer “one-stop patient care services with health visits, tests and results all coordinated at one location.
Fully accredited by the Liaison Committee for Medical Education, Morsani College of Medicine awards doctorates in Medicine and other degrees through its School of Biomedical Sciences, School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences and Athletic Training Education Program. Specially designed curriculums are available, including the SELECT MD program, which focuses on emotional intelligence and leadership development, as well as combined degree and honors research programs.
To meet the growing demand for a workforce skilled in science and technology, the college awards a wide range of master’s degrees and graduate certificates in such emerging fields as biotechnology, bioinformatics, and metabolic and nutritional medicine.
As is appropriate for a health care field borne out of technology, both a Master’s Degree in Health Informatics Graduate Certificate in Health Informatics are provided by Morsani College of Medicine as the nation’s only 100% online programs of their kind offered through a medical college. The curriculums were developed to respond to the burgeoning demand for professionals in this field, and the online format was chosen to allow busy individuals already working in health care to pursue advanced accreditations. The advantage of an online medical school can be drawn from its prestige and convenience.
In addition to providing flexibility in scheduling, there are other advantages to getting such education online:
- No commute time: The stress, time and expenses related to driving in traffic, finding a parking spot and getting to class punctually are eliminated.
- Teaching by industry leaders: To stay on top of a competitive market, colleges know that online programs must be taught by top instructors in order to deliver the content that students need to excel in their field.
- Cost savings: Online learning saves money in campus fees and incidental costs. The ability to keep one’s job while studying also provides for better quality of life.
- Networking: Far from hindering one’s ability to connect with other students and professional experts, most online programs provide robust access to advice and support through chat rooms, instructor-led forums, video conferencing, social networking and more. These can lead to contacts one may keep years into the future.
- Skill-building through hands-on technology: With online courses administered through technology, students become familiar with many tools and processes they might not otherwise have been exposed to. It can give them a competitive edge in particularly tech-savvy markets like health informatics.
People who have earned an advanced degree or certificate generally express great pride in themselves. Meanwhile, many IT professionals who are experiencing burnout in other industry work can find a renewed sense of purpose in the health care field.
Combining these motivating factors with the benefits of online education in health informatics and the prestige of a top-rated medical school, it appears those who have skills and interest in technology and want to make a difference in the lives of others would do well to consider an advanced degree or graduate-level certificate in health informatics from USF’s Morsani College of Medicine.
*The University of South Florida (USF) is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, specialist and doctorate degrees.
Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of the University of South Florida.
