Course description

This course is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the intersection between technology and healthcare, offering students an immersive learning experience into the current and future landscape of medical practice and research. This course aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate and contribute to the rapidly evolving field of healthcare technology. The curriculum is structured into six distinct modules, each focusing on a different aspect of technology's impact on or correlation with healthcare.

The first module delves into Digital Health, Telehealth, and Telemedicine, exploring how digital technologies are transforming patient care, enabling remote consultations, and improving accessibility to healthcare services. This foundation sets the stage for the subsequent modules, where students will gain a deeper understanding of technology's role in healthcare.

Introduction to Artificial Intelligence, the second module, provides a primer on AI concepts, tools, and applications in healthcare. Students will learn the history of AI, its core areas of research and some of its more impressive applications.

The third module, Advancements in Healthcare Data, Emerging Sources, and Sensor Technologies, examines the explosion of healthcare data from electronic health records, wearables, and other sensor technologies. It discusses the implications of this data deluge for patient care, research, and privacy concerns.

Machine Learning and Healthcare Applications, the fourth module, dives deeper into machine learning techniques, focusing on their applications in predictive analytics, disease prediction, and health monitoring, highlighting real-world use cases and the ethical considerations involved.

The fifth module about Trustworthy and Explainable AI module addresses the critical need for AI systems to be transparent, understandable, and ethically responsible, ensuring that healthcare professionals can trust and effectively integrate AI into clinical practice.

Finally, the course concludes with Engagement of Patients & HCPs in Decentralized Clinical Trials, exploring how digital tools and platforms are revolutionizing the conduct of clinical trials, making them more patient-centric and efficient.

The modules will be available through the edX platform. The edX platform, established by Harvard University and MIT in 2012, stands as a premier online learning destination, offering a diverse array of university-level courses across various disciplines, including computer science, engineering, humanities, and more. It democratizes access to quality education from prestigious institutions worldwide, enabling learners everywhere to pursue knowledge, professional development, and academic credentials. Courses range from free access for personal enrichment to fee-based certifications, MicroMasters, and online degrees, blending video lectures, interactive quizzes, and community forums to foster a dynamic, engaging learning environment. Following its acquisition by 2U, Inc., edX continues to expand its mission, reaching millions with its commitment to accessible, high-quality education. The MOOC will also become available through the Biomedical Research and Education Special Unit (https://bresu.auth.gr/en/home/), which is an initiative of School of Medicine of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in promoting biomedical research and education (https://bresu.auth.gr/en/education/) based on interdisciplinary approaches that include medicine, biology, genetics, molecular biology, pharmacology and bioinformatics.