A national survey of clinical informatics educational opportunities in United States medical schools.

Abstract

To assess prevalence, characteristics, and institutional predictors of clinical informatics (CI) education and student organizations in US allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) medical schools. We reviewed 222 US medical schools from the 2024 Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) and American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) databases. Using predefined criteria, we identified CI-related courses and student groups and abstracted institutional characteristics including affiliated CI fellowships. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression identified predictors. Of 222 schools, 30.2% offered at least one CI course and 23.0% had a student group. In bivariate analyses, MD programs and institutions with CI fellowships were significantly more likely to offer courses (both P < 0.001). In multivariable analyses, MD program type was the strongest predictor (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=6.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.22-22.41), followed by CI fellowship presence (aOR = 3.36), private school status (aOR = 2.08), and class size (aOR = 1.01). All 51 student groups were at MD institutions, and urban setting was associated with group presence (P = 0.034). The association with CI fellowships suggests a relationship between graduate and undergraduate medical education institutions. The association with MD programs could be influenced by differing curricular demands and flexibility. The association with urban settings may reflect the role of local innovation ecosystems. CI educational opportunities vary across US medical schools, concentrated at MD programs and institutions with GME-level infrastructure. These findings establish a baseline for CI opportunities and highlight the need to understand whether institutional differences translate to measurable competency gaps.