Clinical Informatics Subspecialty
Clinical Informatics is an American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS)–recognized subspecialty at the intersection of patient care, data, and technology. Physicians in this field design, implement, and evaluate clinical information systems to improve the quality, safety, and outcomes of care.
As healthcare becomes increasingly digital, clinical informaticians ensure that technologies—such as electronic health records (EHRs), clinical decision support (CDS), ambient documentation tools, and real-world data analytics—are integrated safely and effectively into clinical workflows.
Clinical informaticians translate frontline clinical needs into scalable solutions, improve efficiency, and guide the safe and equitable implementation of emerging technologies, including generative artificial intelligence (AI).
Education and Training Pathways
Early exposure to clinical informatics may begin during medical school through electives or interest groups. The most direct path to the subspecialty is an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)–accredited Clinical Informatics fellowship
Learn More About Careers & Certifications in Informatics
Fellowship Pathway
The primary pathway to eligibility is completion of a two-year, ACGME-accredited Clinical Informatics fellowship. Open to physicians from any specialty, these programs provide structured, hands-on training in areas such as data analytics, clinical decision support, artificial intelligence, and leadership.
Fellows engage in mentored, experiential learning—applying informatics methods to real-world challenges, including workflow redesign, tool evaluation, and cross-functional collaboration. Graduates are eligible to pursue board certification in Clinical Informatics and often advance to leadership, research, or innovation-focused roles.
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Practice Pathway (Closed)
An alternative pathway, now closed to new applicants, was based on demonstrated professional experience in clinical informatics. This pathway required sustained, applied work across clinical, operational, and technical domains and was designed for physicians already practicing in the field during its early development.
The practice pathway closed after the 2025 application cycle, with qualifying experience counted through June 30, 2025.
Board Certification
Graduates of accredited fellowship programs are eligible for subspecialty board certification through:
- The American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM)
- The American Board of Pathology (ABPath)
Certification is a joint function of these boards and recognizes expertise in applying informatics to improve healthcare delivery.
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Career Opportunities
Training in Clinical Informatics prepares physicians for a range of leadership and professional roles across healthcare and related sectors, including: