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Informatics Researcher |
Career OverviewThe role of an informatics researcher includes understanding and applying research designs and application in developing better and more efficient ways of entering, retrieving and using medical informatics to help with patient diagnosis. An informatics researcher has a key role in developing new data collection methods and assisting with finding the appropriate data to collect for various projects and research grants.
An informatics researcher may also help determine what group of individuals should be used to collect data from. There may be groups that participate in the study that are patients, family members, non-medical staff or medical professionals. Often the informatics researcher looks at the variations in responses to sets of questions from the various groups and then compares results in meaningful ways.
An informatics researcher must be an effective communicator, both in written and oral format. They should have a clear understanding of research design and how to develop accurate and correct questions for surveys and research projects. Ability to work in a team environment and with those familiar with research and those not as familiar is essential. Excellent computer skills and knowledge of databases and software programs available for research is very important.
Understanding medical procedures is also critical for designing effective research projects. Most informatics researcher have a medical background and experience working with patients in some capacity. Knowledge of hospital, state and federal regulations regarding medical procedures and policies as well as data collection and confidentiality is a must for an informatics researcher.
Usually informatics researchers work a standard workweek, although some travel and evening or weekend hours may be required for specific research projects.
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Career RequirementsMost informatics researcher positions require a Masters or PhD in bio or medical informatics, biostatistics or a related field. Experience in working in hospital or healthcare facilities is an asset.
Experience with working with various data collection programs including SQL programming, Oracle or other various database and word processing programs is a prerequisite for the job.
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Job OutlookInformatics is a relatively new field and continues to develop and expand as the roles are more clearly defined. As new applications are found for medical and biomedical informatics the demand for researchers will increase. It is estimated that the demand for informatics workers will increase faster than all other aspects of the medical sector.
The United States Department of Labor indicates that this trend for increased demand in the informatics field will continue for several years, at least until the year 2014.
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Career TrackAn informatics researcher has several options for advancement in their career. It is possible to specialize in one area of informatics research and design such as oncology, geriatrics or cardiac specialties.
In addition many informatics researchers move into management positions including Informatics program designers, managers and directors. Management positions such as chief information officers are also possible advancement positions for informatics researchers.
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CompensationAn experienced informatics researcher can anticipate earnings of between $52,000 and $70,000 per year. Those informatics researchers with more experience or specialization will earn towards the higher end of the scale whereas those that have less experience or are working on smaller projects may earn slightly less.
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Informatics Researcher Jobs |
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