Preparing a technologically savvy public health workforce: an academic-industry partnership

Background To realize the potential of using information technology (IT) and data to inform public health, it is critical that the US dedicates resources to preparing a robust workforce skilled in leveraging IT, informatics, and data science towards the advancement of public health. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, several innovative educational partnerships have emerged to fulfill this mission. In this paper, we present indicators of the successful implementation of an academic-industry partnership. Methods Students enrolled in the Public Health Informatics & Technology (PHIT) program completed surveys and interviews during and immediately following participation in a paid Health Informatics internship embedded within the program. Data were summarized annually and used to refine implementation of the PHIT internship. Results PHIT internships were hosted primarily by non-profit (53%) and health IT (22%) organizations. Over 4 years, 149 students complete