High School
In high school, take classes in general computer science, data analytics, database management, software development, artificial intelligence, and other information technology–related subjects. You’ll need to be able to give presentations and write reports to explain your findings and recommendations, so be sure to take English, writing, and speech classes. Other recommended courses include health, mathematics, science (especially anatomy and physiology), business, and social studies.
Postsecondary Education
A minimum of a bachelor’s degree is required to enter this field. Some employers require a master’s degree—especially for higher-level, specialized health data analysis positions. Analysts typically have degrees in health information management and technology (preferred), health information management, mathematics, statistics, biostatistics, or data science. Students augment their classroom training by completing internships, cooperative education experiences, or practicums at companies, government agencies, or other organizations that employ health data analysts.
An increasing number of tech companies, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations offer apprenticeships in data analytics, data science, and related fields. For example, the IBM Apprenticeship Program offers more than 25 registered apprenticeship roles including data science, cybersecurity, and software development. Visit https://www.ibm.com/careers/career-opportunities to learn more.
The U.S. military offers training in data science/analytics, computer science, and related fields. Visit TodaysMilitary.com for more information.
Certification
Many colleges and universities offer certificates in data analytics, data science, data science/analytics and artificial intelligence, and related fields. For example, Purdue University (in collaboration with IBM) offers a professional certificate program in data analytics. Visit https://purdue.edu for more information on this and other programs. Software development companies and online learning platforms (OLPs) also offer certificate programs.
Other Education or Training
Health data analysts must continue to learn throughout their careers in order to stay competitive on the job. Continuing education opportunities are provided by associations, information technology (IT) companies such as IBM, and for-profit and nonprofit OLPs (such as Coursera, edX, and Udacity). For example, the American Health Information Management Association offers classes such as Foundations of Healthcare Data Analytics, Actionable Data Analytics Insights, and Introduction to HIPAA Privacy and Security. The Association for Computing Machinery offers more than 1,000 online courses on topics such as Big Data, data mining, data visualization, data warehousing, data management, and business skills. The American Mathematical Society, American Statistical Association, Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, DAMA International, Data Science Association, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, IEEE Computer Society, INFORMS, Women in Analytics, and TDWI also offer continuing education opportunities. Contact these organizations to learn more.
- Accountants
- Adult Day Care Coordinators
- Agricultural Consultants
- Arbitrators
- Auditors
- Automotive Dealership Owners
- Bank Examiners
- Billing Clerks
- Biochemical Engineers
- Biochemists
- Bioinformatics Specialists
- Biologists
- Biomedical Engineers
- Biomedical Equipment Technicians
- Biotechnology Patent Lawyers
- Biotechnology Production Workers
- Biotechnology Research Assistants
- Bookkeeping and Accounting Clerks
- Budget Analysts
- Business Continuity Planners
- Business Development Managers and Directors
- Business Intelligence Analysts
- Business Managers
- Buyers
- Cancer Registrars
- Cardiologists
- Chemical Engineers
- Chemical Technicians
- Chemists
- Chief Customer Officers
- Chief Executive Officers
- Chief Financial Officers
- Chief Information Officers
- Chief Information Security Officers
- Chief Restructuring Officers
- Chief Revenue Officers
- Chief Robotics Officer
- Chief Sustainability Officers
- Chief Trust Officers
- Client Services Managers
- Clinic Managers
- Clinical Data Managers
- Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners
- Clinical Research Coordinators
- Collection Workers
- Community Health Program Coordinators
- Compliance Managers
- Contact Tracers
- Continuous Improvement Managers
- Corporate Climate Strategists
- Corporate Community Relations Directors
- Corporate Lawyers
- Corporate Librarians
- Cost Estimators
- CRISPR Scientists
- Cultural Advisers
- Customer Service Directors
- Customer Service Representatives
- Customer Success Managers
- Customs Brokers
- Data Entry Clerks
- Data Scientists
- Decision Scientists
- Digital Workplace Experience Engineers
- Directors of Corporate Sponsorship
- Directors of Security
- Directors of Telehealth
- Document Management Specialists
- Drug Developers
- Economists
- Energy Consultants
- Entrepreneurs
- Environmental Consultants
- Ethical Sourcing Officer
- Event Planners
- Executive Recruiters
- Fashion Models' Agents
- Financial Analysts
- Financial Consultants
- Financial Quantitative Analysts
- Forensic Accountants and Auditors
- Franchise Owners
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators, and Analysts
- Futurists
- Genetic Engineers
- Genetic Scientists
- Geriatric Care Managers
- Geriatric Social Workers
- Health Advocates
- Health Care Consultants
- Health Care Insurance Navigators
- Health Care Managers
- Health Club Owners and Managers
- HIV/AIDS Counselors and Case Managers
- Hospitalists
- Human Resources Consultants
- Human Resources Managers
- Indoor Environmental Health Specialists
- Informatics Nurse Specialists
- Information Security Analysts
- Information Technology Consultants
- Information Technology Infrastructure Engineers
- Information Technology Security Consultants
- Internet Consultants
- Internet Executives
- Internet Marketing and Advertising Consultants
- Internet Store Managers and Entrepreneurs
- Internet Transaction Specialists
- Labor Union Business Agents
- Laboratory Technicians and Technologists
- Laboratory Testing Technicians
- Learning Innovations Designers
- Legal Operations Specialists
- Life Coaches
- Loss Prevention Managers
- Management Analysts and Consultants
- Manufacturing Engineers
- Manufacturing Production Technicians
- Manufacturing Supervisors
- Market Research Analysts
- Marketing Consultants
- Medical Ethicists
- Medical Record Technicians
- Medical Screeners
- Medical Secretaries
- Medical Transcriptionists
- Molecular and Cellular Biologists
- Music Agents and Scouts
- Music Venue Owners and Managers
- Nurse Managers
- Nursing Home Administrators
- Office Administrators
- Payroll Directors
- Pharmaceutical Industry Workers
- Pharmacists
- Pharmacologists
- Pharmacy Technicians
- Physicians
- Political Consultants
- Press Secretaries
- Product Designers
- Product Development Directors
- Product Management Directors
- Product Managers
- Professional Organizers
- Project Managers
- Proposal Managers
- Purchasing Agents
- Receptionists
- Registered Nurses
- Regulatory Affairs Managers
- Regulatory Affairs Specialists
- Rehabilitation Counselors
- Remote Health Care Engineers
- Sales Engineers
- Sales Managers
- Sales Representatives
- Secretaries
- Security Consultants
- Security Guards
- Senior Care Pharmacists
- Social Workers
- Space Tourism Managers
- Statisticians
- Stenographers
- Strategy Managers
- Tax Managers
- Temporary Workers
- Toxicologists
- Traffic Managers
- Transplant Coordinators
- Typists and Word Processors
- Workplace Diversity Experts