The Ultimate Guide to Getting Started in the Clinical Informatics Subspecialty

1. What Clinical Informatics Is and Why You Need to Get Into It
2. Applying for the Exam
3. The Exam

1. What Clinical Informatics Is and Why You Need to Get Into It

What is Clinical Informatics?

AMIA

Clinical informaticians use their knowledge of patient care combined with their understanding of informatics concepts, methods, and tools to:

• assess information and knowledge needs of health care professionals and patients,
• characterize, evaluate, and refine clinical processes,
• develop, implement, and refine clinical decision support systems, and
• lead or participate in the procurement, customization, development, implementation, management, evaluation, and continuous improvement of clinical information systems".

Why Should I Become a Clinical Informaticist?

.

• A more practical work-life balance with option to practiceClinical informatics work follows a more typical 9-5 workday. Many clinical informaticists have the option to take clinical day(s) every week.
• Clinical informatics work follows a more typical 9-5 workday. Many clinical informaticists have the option to take clinical day(s) every week.
• A similar or even higher salary depending on what kind of position you take
  According to the 10th annual AMDIS-Gartner survey on CMIOs, the average salary of a CMIO in 2013 was $326,000.
• According to the 10th annual AMDIS-Gartner survey on CMIOs, the average salary of a CMIO in 2013 was $326,000.
• The ability to impact more people at once
  Working with patients one on one can be extremely rewarding. However, implementing a new clinical information system that improves patient outcomes can impact hundreds, if not thousands of patients.
• Working with patients one on one can be extremely rewarding. However, implementing a new clinical information system that improves patient outcomes can impact hundreds, if not thousands of patients.
• Working with new technologyIf you've ever complained about your EHR (who hasn't), you can now use your tech skills to take matters into your own hands and transform the systems you so despise into something that works better for you, your colleagues, and their patients.
• If you've ever complained about your EHR (who hasn't), you can now use your tech skills to take matters into your own hands and transform the systems you so despise into something that works better for you, your colleagues, and their patients.
• Re-engineer workflows for efficient health care
  You know that some of your processes are completely inefficient. Almost laughably so. Have you ever just wanted to tear them down and start from scratch? Clinical informatics encourages this and teaches you how to do this. Buh-bye duplicate work and bottlenecks.
• You know that some of your processes are completely inefficient. Almost laughably so. Have you ever just wanted to tear them down and start from scratch? Clinical informatics encourages this and teaches you how to do this. Buh-bye duplicate work and bottlenecks.

How Does Clinical Informatics Differ from Biomedical Informatics?

Biomedical informatics

Clinical informatics

What is the Clinical Informatics Subspecialty?

What Kind of Career Options Does a Clinical Informaticist Have?

• Chief Medical Information Officers (CMIO)
• Chief Medical Officers (CMO)
• Chief Information Officers (CIO)
• Chief Executive Officers (CEO)
• Researchers
• Vendor representatives
• Consultants
• Professors
• Fellowship directors
• and anything else where a leader is needed to integrate medicine with IT

2. Applying for the Exam

What Do I Need to Do To Apply to Become a Clinical Informaticist?

• an MD or DO from an acceptable medical school
• a valid medical license
• an existing board certification recognized by ABMS
• either 24 months in an informatics fellowship or three years of experience in informatics

1. A completed and paid application
2. Photocopies of your current medical license(s)/license renewal(s) that show expiration date. 
3. If applicable - A photocopy of transcripts for applicable informatics or graduate coursework
4. If applicable - A photocopy of fellowship curriculum
5. Verification for each clinical informatics activity listed in your application
6. One Reference Letter  Your reference must answer the following questions. See here for the format.
   How long have you known the applicant and in what capacity?What is the most recent period of time in which you have had direct contact
   with the applicant?Please describe the performance of the applicant, including clinical abilities if
   applicable.Please describe the professional conduct and ethics of the applicant?List any additional comments/information you may have below.Reference letter writer's contact information, specialty and # of years in specialty.
7. How long have you known the applicant and in what capacity?
8. What is the most recent period of time in which you have had direct contact
   with the applicant?
9. Please describe the performance of the applicant, including clinical abilities if
   applicable.
10. Please describe the professional conduct and ethics of the applicant?
11. List any additional comments/information you may have below.
12. Reference letter writer's contact information, specialty and # of years in specialty.
13. A copy of your Curriculum Vitae

requirements for eligibility here

What Should My Timeline Look Like?

How Do I Determine if I'm Eligible?

requirements

emphasis ours

Three years of practice in Clinical Informatics is required. Practice time must be at least 25% of a Full-Time  Equivalent (FTE) to be considered. Practice time need not be continuous, however, all practice time must  have occurred in the five-year interval immediately preceding application for certification.

Practice must consist of broad-based professional activity with significant Clinical Informatics responsibility. Documentation of Clinical Informatics research and teaching activities may also be submitted for review.

Verification is required that the equivalent of at least 3 years of an individual's professional time has been devoted to the practice of clinical informatics during the five years prior to application for the examination.  A person or persons who are knowledgeable about the applicant’s practice, such as the chief of staff, the applicable department chair, the director of a related Clinical Informatics training program, or the director of the clinical informatics program in the related institution must complete the verification. Completion of the verification by a partner or practice associate is not acceptable. The verification form will be available at the time of application.

contact AMIA

contact ABPM

If I'm Not Eligible, What Can I Do?

list 

How Much Does It Cost?

• $555 application fee (non-refundable)
• $1,750 examination fee
• Late fees range from $400-$1,600 depending on how late you are
• Other fees: $25 for bank returned checks, $50 for late exam cancellations

expect to shell out at least $2,305 for certification

ABPM website.

How Do I Complete My Application?

online application

ABPath website

3. The Exam

What is Covered on the Clinical Informatics Subspecialty Board Exam?

these books

this reading list

• Fundamentals in Informatics
• Leadership and Management
• Clinical Decision Making and Workflow Re-Engineering
• Clinical Information Systems

our mindmap

What is the Test Like?

Questions are Distributed As Follows

The Fundamentals of Informatics

Leading and Managing Change

Health Information Systems

Clinical Decision Making & Process Improvement

SHOW UP EARLY

MULTIPLE

PICTURE ID

How Can I Start Studying for the Exam?

Self-study: 

AMIA Board Review

$1,495

$449, 

$2K++??

InformaticsPro:

Exam Review Book

$299

$499 

What Should I Do Once I Pass the Exam?

Where Can I Find More Resources?

Resources