(Courtesy of Touro College) Touro College will offer a post-bachelor’s certificate in cybersecurity beginning this fall, Touro President Dr. Alan Kadish announced today. The program will be presented online and is accessible to students across the U.S. These programs are part of the newly-launched graduate division, Touro College Illinois.
“Touro College and University System has a substantial footprint in the medical and health care education space, and the cybersecurity program will offer a concentration in health care. As technology takes over more and more of daily life, the world of cybersecurity for healthcare is rapidly expanding,” said Patricia Salkin, Touro College provost.
Patient records that were once collected by hand are now entered digitally, instantly added to a network and synced with insurance information, medical history and other crucial data. Keeping all that data secure is crucial—not only for HIPAA compliance, but also for patient confidence and improved doctor efficiency.
With opportunities that range from safely integrating high-tech medical devices and equipment to tracking network attacks and stopping hackers, careers in cybersecurity for the medical industry vary widely.
“Cybersecurity for healthcare is a career path that is on the cutting edge of technology and offers job security for the future,” said Dr. Zev Eleff, vice provost of Touro College Illinois.
Network security, risk assessment and management and medical device security are all growing fields in cybersecurity for healthcare.
A career in network security for healthcare involves all aspects of protecting a network and the information it contains. Healthcare records are subject to strict privacy laws, and all the information collected and kept by doctors, hospitals, insurance providers and anyone else who provides medical services must be securely protected. Since most healthcare records are managed digitally and stored on networks, the security of healthcare systems and servers is crucial.
Healthcare risk assessment and management professionals work in tandem with network security experts to identify critical data and systems in the overall healthcare infrastructure. Then, they assess risk and identify potential security concerns or system vulnerabilities, offering their expertise on how to mitigate those risks and reduce the likelihood of a potential network attack.
While many jobs in cybersecurity for healthcare involve protecting patient data and securing networks, Internet of Things (IoT) and medical device security offer different types of opportunities. These roles involve maintaining security for products like radiation machines, MRIs, CT scanners, insulin pumps and pacemakers—and safely integrating them into the healthcare landscape.
Fall application to Touro College Illinois is open and financial aid is available to those who qualify. Students can complete the cybersecurity certificate in six months. To learn more about how to get trained for these exciting careers or to apply, contact Illinois.touro.edu
