Strengthening Biomedical Informatics in UME: Twelve tips and the experience at the Faculty of Medicine of the National Autonomous University of Mexico

Abstract

Biomedical Informatics (BMI) has had an exponential growth and its inclusion in UME is a reality. Its development in a medical school is a dynamic process that responds to educational and technological perspectives. The purposes of this document are: 1) to describe the experience of the Department of Biomedical Informatics (DIB) at the Faculty of Medicine of the National Autonomous University of Mexico since 2016, and 2) to present twelve tips to strengthen BMI in an UME program.So that students can acquire and develop BMI competencies, a DIB needs to: evaluate the school organization; apply an educational management style based in a culture of change; integrate an interdisciplinary teaching team; invite students to be novice teachers; lead the faculty development; promote continuous teacher development; form a learning community; update the academic program; consider new paradigms and technologies to improve the educational process; use online learning; identify and assess BMI competencies; and bring the students closer to applied BMI through research, technology development, innovation and entrepreneurship.If a school wishes to include BMI it needs a wide perspective, as this field is essential to deal with the digital era and the healthcare challenges of the future. As educators, we should get involved with BMI and learn about it, because we have the social responsibility to train competent professionals who will adapt their practice to scientific and technological changes, and to solve emerging health problems.