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Susan H. Fenton, Ph.D., RHIA, FAHIMA
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
UTHealth School of Biomedical Informatics
UT Health Science Center at Houston
I have two primary motivations for teaching. First is the satisfaction that comes from knowing that I have helped someone acquire new knowledge or useful skills, particularly those related to critical thinking and problem solving. Students can then apply these skills to address the ever-changing problems our field must address now and in the future. Second is the significant need for trained informaticians across all aspects of healthcare. I want consummate informatics professionals working in the institutions where my loved ones receive their care. Together, these motivate me to perform my very best as a teacher.
Susan H. Fenton, PhD, RHIA, FAHIMA, joined the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Biomedical Informatics (SBMI) as an Assistant Professor in June of 2013 and was promoted to Associate Dean of Academic Affairs on September 1, 2014. Dr. Fenton teaches research methods and applied data management among other topics. Under her leadership, the master’s in applied biomedical informatics was recently accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM) educational programs. Dr. Fenton has served as PI for various grants, with more than $7 million in total grant funding. She led the development of the nation’s first practice doctorate in health informatics which will enroll 12 students at SBMI in Fall 2019. In 2018, SBMI initiated a dual degree in medicine and master’s in biomedical informatics with the McGovern Medical School in Houston and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Medical School. Dr. Fenton has worked in the health informatics and information management fields for 30 years, as a researcher, practice leader, and academician. Among other honors, Fenton is a 2019 recipient of The University of Texas Regent’s Outstanding Teacher Award, the 2012 AHIMA Triumph Award for Research and the 2019 Legacy Award from the Texas Health Information Management Association. She holds a PhD in Health Services Research from the Texas A&M School of Rural Public Health, an MBA from the University of Houston, and a BS in Health Information Management from UTMB Galveston.
