Clinical Informatics Fellowship
Funded by:
Supported by:
Background
About the Clinical Informatics Fellowship Program
The Clinical Informatics Fellowship (CIF) is Australia’s national fellowship pathway for clinicians who want to build recognised expertise in digital health. It is governed and issued by AIDH, supported by the Digital Health Cooperative Research Centre (DHCRC) and funded by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (DoHDA).
The CIF is designed for early to mid-career clinical informaticians — those with at least three years’ experience working in informatics — who want a structured, nationally recognised credential that validates their skills and advances their careers.
The program is built on a five-component model, combining formal education, mentoring, industry engagement, a supervised project, and a final assessment. Together, these components are designed to develop clinicians who can lead digital transformation in Australia’s health and care sectors — and be recognised for it.
The CIF is underpinned by the Australian Health Informatics Competency Framework (AHICF), ensuring the program meets a rigorous national standard.
What this project will deliver
Building the foundations of the CIF Program
AIDH, with support from the DHCRC and funding from DoHDA, is now in the next phase of developing the CIF — moving from consultation and design into the documentation and structures needed to launch the program.
This phase of work will deliver:
- The rules and criteria of the program – Working with an Advisory Committee, AIDH will develop and validate the detailed criteria for each part of the CIF.
- Administrative policies and processes – The behind-the-scenes frameworks that will make the program run smoothly.
- An implementation-ready program – By the close of this project, the CIF will have all the core documentation, criteria, and strategies in place to welcome its first cohort of candidates.
Previous work
Stakeholder Engagement Report (2022–2023)
The CIF Program has been years in the making. Between 2022 and 2023, AIDH and DHCRC undertook extensive consultation with clinicians, healthcare leaders, universities, clinical colleges, and international experts to co-design the fellowship model.
That process produced the Clinical Informatics Fellowship Stakeholder Engagement Report – a comprehensive account of what was heard, what was agreed, and what still needs to be resolved.
Key findings from the report include: broad support for the five-component model; strong agreement that the program should be competency-based and practice-focused rather than exam-driven; and clear recommendations that assessment design should involve a professional educationalist to ensure it reflects modern, evidence-based approaches.
The report is publicly available and provides important context for the current phase of work.
Meet our Advisory Committee
The calibre of applications for the Advisory Committee was incredibly high with almost 50 applications from the community and over 770 years of combined experience. The Advisory Committee will provide expert guidance to the project team on how the program should be designed, including:
- The program’s vision and structure
- How eligibility, projects and assessments are defined and evaluated
- Key documentation that will guide the program’s first participants
Clair Sullivan - Educationalist
Professor of Digital Health, The University of Queensland
Clair is driven to contribute to shaping the Fellowship’s vision, governance and operational structure so that it is fit for purpose and positioned for long‑term success. Through her work across clinical practice, digital health research, education and national workforce initiatives, she brings a broad, system level perspective that connects policy, academia and real-world implementation.
Helen Almond - Educationalist
Associate Professor Head of School (Nursing), Institute of Health and Management
Helen has been dedicated to professionalising the health workforce and preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals for technology-enabled practice. Her expertise spans nursing education, digital health, informatics, governance, and advanced clinical practice. Through research, leadership, and mentorship, Helen is dedicated to advancing digital capability and creating innovative models of care and education.
Monica Trujillo – Clinical Informatician
Chief Health & Risk Officer, Telstra Health
Monica is committed to defining a future-ready CIF which recognises what’s already here, while creating accessible pathways for those emerging. She lives this every day, leading a team of clinical informaticians at Australia’s largest digital health provider, and will bring that perspective to getting the design right. She is a previous Board member and FAIDH.
Anthony Barberi – Clinical Informatician
NHS Non-Executive Director, North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
Anthony is excited to contribute to the development of a clear pathway for the clinical informatics profession to ensure growth and stability. As a clinician who became a Clinical Informatics Medical Officer and progressed to CCIO across complex multi-site health services, he understands intimately what it takes to develop CI capability in organisations where the role is either undefined or chronically under-resourced.
Rae Donovan – Clinical Informatician
A/Chief Clinical Information Officer, eHealth Queensland
Rae is passionate about building capability and a skilled clinician informatics workforce which is defined, scalable and has a recognised pathway for clinicians to develop and be supported as informaticians across Australia. She has deep experience in embedding clinical leadership into digital transformation, ensuring workforce readiness keeps pace with innovation, and enabling clinicians to confidently and safely adopt new models of care.
Shaun Francis – AIDH Representative
General Manager – Virtual and Digital Health, Royal Flying Doctor Service
Shaun is passionate about supporting existing and emerging clinical leaders engaging in clinical informatics and digital health and is a strong advocate for a fit-for-purpose program to achieve this. He is a leader and mentor within digital health, with particular experience in virtual contexts and rural and remote Australia.
Expression of Interest: Future Candidates
Clinical informaticians — clinicians who work at the intersection of healthcare and digital technology — play a critical role in the safe and effective use of health information systems. Despite this, there is currently no formal pathway in Australia to recognise and credential this expertise. The CIF will change that. Once complete, the program will offer a nationally recognised credential, credibility within clinical colleges, and a structured pathway for career development in this growing field.
Interested in being a candidate for the CIF?
Complete the form HERE to add your email to our mailing list so you’re the first to know when applications are released.
About the Digital Health Cooperative Research Centre (DHCRC)
The Digital Health Cooperative Research Centre (DHCRC) is a national research and innovation body that brings together Australia’s health and aged care sectors, universities, and industry to accelerate the use of data and digital technology across the health systems, with the goal of improving health outcomes and increasing efficiency in care delivery. An organisation funded through the Commonwealth Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Program, the DHCRC invests in research and development to support a strong digital health industry and improve patient outcomes and experience.
The DHCRC has been a key supporter of the CIF Program since its announcement in 2022.
About the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
The Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing is responsible for developing the national policies, programs, and investments that shape Australia’s health and aged care system. Its Digital Health Blueprint 2023–2033 outlines the Australian Government’s ten-year vision for digital health capabilities to deliver a more person-centred, connected, and sustainable health system for Australians.
The Department’s engagement in and funding of this next stage of the CIF Program reflects its commitment to building a skilled digital health workforce capable of leading that transformation.
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