Pitt’s Health Informatics (HI) program offers an array of courses that vary from technology-oriented to clinical sciences, but there is one course that noticeably stands out as different from the rest. In the first semester of the HI program, we took a course called “Leadership” that was unique from any other course at Pitt. This leadership course was taught by Dr. Kimberly Peterson, who is a professor of multiple Health Informatics courses, including our Clinical Sciences in HIM course.
The leadership course approaches the idea of leadership in a new, engaging way and provides a warm, welcoming environment in which the HI student can relax. Most of our assignments consisted of weekly self-reflections that allowed us to analyze our own qualities and leadership skills without feeling pressured to find the right answer to a question.
Before I started taking HI courses, I found myself feeling intimidated by what the course load could look like and if I would be able to handle it. Our leadership course landing in the first semester of the program provided me with the confidence and positive reassurance that I could succeed in a HI or HIM position in the future. Our professor always made class both fun and thought-provoking by prompting us to think about what effective leadership looks like. Each week, I left class in a good mood and feeling more secure in my individual strengths.
Our leadership course provided all of us with better self-reflection, communication and leadership skills that we will be able to apply to all of our future courses, internships and job positions. Not only was it extremely beneficial, but it was something that I looked forward to every week and one of my favorite courses that I have taken at Pitt!
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Written by: Jessica Scipione
Student, SHRS BSHI Class of 2023
*These images were taken prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.