The new Digital Health and Technology concentration gives UConn students firsthand
With digital health increasingly a part of everyday life for many people, whether through telehealth appointments, fitness trackers, or electronic health records, medical organizations are increasingly seeking professionals who understand the changing landscape of patient care and the technologies reshaping healthcare delivery.
Recognizing this growing employment demand, the Department of Allied Health Sciences (AHS) in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Re, introduced a Digital Health and Technology concentration to prepare students for career success inthe rapidly changing healthcare environment
Launched in fall 2026, the Digital Health and Technology pathway acknowledges the rising digital technologies that are being used to deliver more efficient, accessible and personalized medical services. The concentration explores emerging health technologies aimed at improving the quality of care and health outcomes, such as the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in medical diagnostics, augmented and virtual reality (VR), and medical software. The challenges healthcare systems and patients face with digital technology are also addressed, including cybersecurity, patient confidentiality, and electronic health records.
“We looked at industry trends, stakeholder feedback, and where healthcare is headed when developing this concentration,” says Paula Kalksma McDowell, instructor in residence from AHS. “We want to ensure students are gaining the skills that employers are looking for, so that they’ll be prepared for the future of healthcare.”
The concentration does more than discuss technologies in the classroom, courses give students opportunities to explore them firsthand.
Receiving a CAHNR Teaching Enhancement Grant, a competitive award designed to implement the College’s strategic vision and support the Life-Transformative Education learning for students.
“What we have done is put into the curriculum these health tech kits,” says McDowell. “We wanted students to gain those tech skills and feel comfortable with these digital technologies.”
The health kits let students engage with a variety of technology, including AI, VR, and wearable health-monitoring devices to explore their application to patient care and health promotion.
For AHS student Saarah Tapkirwala ’27 (CAHNR), a VR activity explored building relationships between healthcare providers and their patients with a deeper understanding of personal experiences and perspectives.
“We got to play with VR, which was very exciting,” Tapkirwala says. “I learned about empathy within the healthcare system and how VR could help you become more empathetic toward people’s lifestyles.”
Another activity introduces students to AI applications in medicine with how algorithms can be trained to identify abnormalities in medical images to identify cancer.
“This was really fascinating because this AI technology can detect these tumors growing within patients before the human eye can even see it,” says Nicholas Bashara ’27 (CAHNR). “This is a big step for medical development.”
Students also visited Innovate Labs, where they built heart rate monitors to learn the principles behind wearable healthcare technologies.
“It gave us the background of how these pieces of machinery actually work and how to create it,” Bashara says.
Bashara explains that the technology-focused coursework gave him a better understanding of innovation and the healthcare system, and looking ahead to the future of digital health technology.
McDowell says the concentration was designed for students who want to work in entry level careers in healthcare technology, health informatics, healthcare administration, digital health program management, and other related fields upon graduation. It is also for students who wish to pursue graduate programs in health promotion, public health, data science, and other disciplines.
“Healthcare will continue to evolve, and technology will be a major part of that evolution,” says McDowell. “Our goal is to ensure students have the knowledge, experience, and confidence to help shape what comes next.”
This work relates to CAHNR’s Strategic Vision area focused on Enhancing Health and Well-Being Locally, Nationally, and Globally.
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