UCF’s School of Global Health Management and Informatics recently received the Golden Brick Award for its innovative partnership with Orlando Health.
UCF’s School of Global Health Management and Informatics was recently recognized with a Golden Brick Award from Downtown Orlando Partnership for its groundbreaking collaboration with Orlando Health. The award highlights the school’s innovative approach to workforce readiness in healthcare through a partnership that gives students hands-on training with Epic — one of the most widely used electronic health record (EHR) systems in the country.
Epic training is typically restricted to employees of healthcare organizations, but the partnership provides health management and informatics students with early exposure to the system via simulated modules designed by Orlando Health’s information technology and clinical engineering teams. These modules mirror real-world tasks and systems, allowing students to build practical skills in navigating health records, lab results and more — skills that are essential in today’s healthcare environment.
The collaboration has already proven successful in having garnered strong student engagement and support from industry professionals. By making Epic training accessible to students, UCF and Orlando Health are not only preparing them for competitive careers in health informatics, but they’re also pioneering a model for healthcare partnerships that drive progress and innovation.
Kendall Cortelyou, professor and director of the School of Global Health Management and Informatics, says the partnership represents the kind of real-world learning students need to succeed in today’s healthcare landscape.
“By providing access to training through carefully designed simulation modules, we’re not just teaching our students about health informatics — we’re giving them hands-on experiences with the tools they’ll use in everyday careers,” Cortelyou says. “This collaboration bridges the gap between academic learning and professional practica, ensuring our graduates are not only knowledgeable but immediately valuable to healthcare organizations.”
Ross Wolf, professor and associate provost for UCF Downtown, says UCF Downtown was built to foster exactly this kind of partnership between education and industry.
“The School of Global Health Management and Informatics deserves tremendous credit for pursuing this partnership with Orlando Health, recognizing early on the value it would bring to students and their academic program,” Wolf says. “This hands-on learning experience enriches a student’s education, expands their knowledge, and ensures they’re ready to meet the demands of a fast-growing and ever-changing industry like healthcare. We’re proud to see this work honored with a Golden Brick Award, which reflects the innovation and commitment that drives the faculty, staff and students at our UCF Downtown campus every day.”