Gainesville native Peter Kizza, Ph.D., is using his prestige as a graduate of the first cohort in the world to earn a doctorate degree in health informatics to advance his career.
Kizza, a 2008 Eastside High School graduate, said he graduated with his doctorate degree last year from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston as part of a cohort that included eight others. He earned his undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Florida and a master’s degree in health informatics from the University of Central Florida in Orlando.
Having his doctorate degree in health informatics gives him a leg up in the relatively new and competitive industry, Kizza said.
“I can obtain networking opportunities and jobs that most can’t due to my experience with the program,” Kizza said.
As an information technology and electronic health records manager for the Aegis Medical Group, he oversees the company’s entire electronic health records system and helps with IT products and solutions, Kizza said.
“I have techs that report to me with EHR questions,” Kizza said, adding that he has also started working as an adjunct professor at UT Health and is doing guest lectures, serving on committees and helping guide students.
The Aegis Medical Group is a growing primary care group located in Florida with 26 clinics mainly in the Orlando area, with others in Tampa, Ocala and other areas, Kizza said.
Kizza said he is the first Black man in the world to graduate with a doctorate degree in health informatics.
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An electronic health record (EHR) is the systematized collection of patient and population electronically stored health information in a digital format. These records can be shared across different healthcare settings. Records are shared through network-connected, enterprise-wide information systems or other information networks and exchanges. EHRs may include a range of data, including demographics, medical history, medication and allergies, immunization status, laboratory test results, radiology images, vital signs, personal statistics like age and weight and billing information, Kizza said.
People can start out in the field by getting and undergraduate degree in information technology (IT) or healthcare discipline, then getting a certificate in health informatics to work in the field, Kizza said.
The entry-level starting average salary is about $50,000, but with a master’s degree and experience, a person can expect a base salary of $100,000 annually, Kizza said.
“Peter Kizza came to our program as a young professional who had recently earned his master’s degree in informatics,” said Angela Ross, director of the doctorate in health informatics program at UT Health Houston. Ross also served as Kizza’s primary adviser and committee chair while he was in the program.
Kizza was working as an information systems specialist and was eager to expand his informatics knowledge and use those skills to make positive changes within his organization when he applied into the cohort, Ross said.
“His background made him the ideal candidate for our DHI program,” Ross said.
“I want to eventually become a director of electronic medical records, a CIO,” Kizza said. “I like providing information and knowledge I have learned about this field and want to give it back to the community and have them informed about the field. My father was also a professor for over 30 years, which might be the reason I want to educate students.”
Kizza started GatorIT in November 2022. GatorIT provides IT support remotely or on-site and application support at even cheaper rates than programs companies currently use, like hardware, firewalls and phone lines. For more information about GatorIT, visit www.gator-it.co.
“I want to continue learning about healthcare and technology since it is still a very new field and help improve people’s lives with healthcare technology,” Kizza said.
His family has played a key role in his success and accomplishments, Kizza said.
“I want to thank my family, especially my late father, Dr. Peter Nkedi-Kizza, and my mother, Dr. Rosie Kizza, for getting me to where I am today, and my sisters, Dr. Jennifer Kizza-Brown and Vanessa Kizza-George, my brother-in-law Dr. Donald Kizza-Brown, for always giving support during my doctorate program,” Kizza said. “I would also like to thank my committee : Dr. Angela Ross, Dr. Debora Simmons, Dr. Tiffany Champagne-Langabeer, and a special thanks to Dr. Kimberly Smith.”
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