Mohawk College has announced the establishment of its first stand-alone degree program, the new Bachelor of Digital Health (Honours).
The new four-year degree combines computer science, health and business studies to give students the skills and experience to design and develop IT healthcare solutions. Students who graduate from this program will be prepared for employment in a range of healthcare settings, where their knowledge and skills will be used to improve health system efficiency.
"Mohawk College is proud to commit even more intensely in the digital health sector, offering students a comprehensive grounding in the knowledge and skills they need to deliver IT services in a wide variety of healthcare settings," said Mohawk College President and CEO Ron McKerlie, speaking to digital healthcare specialists during the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resource (FHIR) North virtual conference. "As this field of healthcare continues to grow and develop, Mohawk College Digital Health graduates will be among the leaders who will shape the digital health landscape."
The Bachelor of Digital Health degree is a natural extension of the college's involvement in the digital health sector in Canada and internationally. Mohawk College has been regarded as a leader in digital health training and research for more than a decade, through its mHealth & eHealth Development and Innovation Centre (MEDIC).
Mohawk's Digital Health (Honours) students will develop a deep understanding of digital health principles in the Canadian healthcare system, with a special focus on patient safety, personalized health delivery, self-management and behaviour modification. In the fourth year of the program, students will be involved in a final-year applied research capstone project.
"As digital and sensor technology expands, the number of healthcare applications will continue to increase. Remote digital monitoring will provide medical professionals with faster, better information to improve the patient experience. And wearable technology will improve workplace health and safety," said David Santi, Dean of Engineering Technology at Mohawk. "Our Digital Health students will be at the forefront of those developments, as they support Canada's healthcare sector during this period of revolutionary change."
In addition to the Honours Degree, Mohawk College has also established a Digital Health, Ontario College Graduate Certificate. The certificate program will appeal to working professionals who hold credentials in the fields of health, business and technology. Completed in one year or less, the certificate program provides extensive hands-on learning opportunities in business, health and technology using Mohawk's advanced digital health labs.
Application to the Bachelor of Digital Health (Honours) and the Digital Health, Ontario College Graduate Certificate are now open, with the first students beginning their studies in September 2021.
