Our Informatics and Data Science Fellowship offers the unique opportunity to support Vizient’s Comparative Data and Performance Improvement strategic plan with a focus on leveraging data and technology to produce meaningful insights and drive improvement.
Fellows will have the opportunity to dive deeper into this new frontier where data science, informatics and performance improvement intersect in healthcare. They’ll engage in quantitative analysis and collaborative efforts with internal stakeholders and members and use data analysis to help quality and clinical staff develop strategies to improve performance and drive innovation.
The Informatics and Data Science Fellowship role
Fellows will collaborate with internal Vizient staff/leaders and external stakeholders, including Vizient clients. Depending on the team, fellows are responsible for data science or medical informatics projects across the clinical, operational, supply chain, pharmacy and healthcare strategy domains.
- Fellows who are on the informatics team will get to work on projects that focus on technical topics to advance Vizient offerings in areas of healthcare data standards, interoperability, infrastructure (e.g. APIs) and data apps.
- Fellows who are on the data science team will get opportunities to facilitate in developing data science approaches, such as machine-learning models to improve understanding or predict healthcare outcomes.
In both teams, the fellowship focuses on experiential learning that involves a capstone project completed over the course of the year that is optional. Fellows will work with their executive mentor to find projects matched to their interests and goals. This opportunity offers pragmatic, hands-on experience supplemented with didactic sessions to ensure broad perspective on health informatics and data science. Fellows will also have an opportunity to rotate to other teams, if they wish to do so, and it is entirely optional.
Our fellowship value
Vizient created this unique Fellowship in 2020 to complement the current Healthcare Analytics Fellowship and to attract individuals with a passion for healthcare informatics and data science.
Vizient recognizes the increasingly important role informatics and data science play both within our business and the industry at large. We look forward to growing these capabilities so we can leverage data insights and drive innovation in healthcare.
A strong educational component is built into the Fellowship program and includes:
- A yearlong capstone project (proposal and final presentation)
- Speaker Series (organized by current fellows)
- Interviews with Vizient leaders
- Rotations throughout the organization
Learn more
Applicants may apply to one or both of the following fellowships. Please note if you apply to both, you will be expected to interview with each respective team separately.
Qualifications:
For data science fellows:
- Demonstrates strong competence with programming (preferably Python, R, or SAS) and other IT skills (SQL, knowledge with database application design)
- Demonstrates experience in utilizing quantitative skills (e.g. statistical inference such as Bayesian inference, application of mathematics, etc.) for data analysis and machine learning model development
- Demonstrates familiarity and practical experience with Generative AI models and LLMs (Large Language Models) frameworks.
- Demonstrates solid understanding of machine learning operations.
- Demonstrates strong interest in healthcare domain (experience in working with healthcare data such as EMR/EHR data and some knowledge in healthcare terminologies preferred)
For informatics fellows:
- Demonstrated technical skills, including strong proficiency with programming languages such as Python, SQL, R, or similar scripting languages required
- Strong communication and project management skills preferred.
- Experience with health care data (e.g. medical terminologies), health care data standards (e.g. HL7, FHIR, etc.), interoperability, or other informatics skills preferred
Location / Office Requirements
Informatics and Data Science fellows must relocate to Chicago and come into the office three times a week to make the most out of the experience.
Application requirements:
- Resume
- Project Portfolio (requested prior to first-round interview)
The application cycle for the 2025-2026 Data Science Fellowship Application is now open.
Data Science Fellowship Application Link
We are not currently accepting applicants for the Informatics Fellowship this cycle.
Eric Hixson, Data Science Preceptor
Eric Hixson PhD, MBA is the VP Spend Management Data Science & Methodology at Vizient and has 25+years’ experience implementing business intelligence and data science solutions, predictive analytics strategy, data warehousing, and health services delivery. Currently, he is responsible for leading strategic, value generating data science initiatives across Vizient.
Experience in previous healthcare provider roles included designing, implementing and championing advanced analytics and artificial intelligence solutions; advising analytics strategy and best practices; implementing enterprise-scale analytic applications; research; stakeholder engagement and communication; mentoring students and colleagues; and end-user education and professional curriculum development.
Dr. Hixson graduated from Case Western Reserve University and completed his PhD in Epidemiology and Biostatistics with a focus on Health Services Research. He received his MBA in Health Administration from Cleveland State University.
Dr. Shannon Sims, Informatics Preceptor
Shannon Sims, MD, PhD, is SVP of Emerging Markets at Vizient. Dr. Sims leads Vizient’s efforts to identify partnerships and acquisitions in the digital health space, drive growth in new markets for Vizient, and foster innovation in Vizient products and services.
Dr. Sims has a wide range of experience in informatics, quality, and analytics, including leadership roles at provider, vendor, and service organizations. Dr. Sims previously held leadership roles at academic medical centers as a VP & Chief Analytics Officer and Associate CMIO.
Dr. Sims graduated from Rush University Medical College and completed an internship in internal medicine at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. He was a Robert Wood Johnson Fellow in public health informatics at the University of Utah, where he received his PhD in biomedical informatics.