Our Data Science Fellowship offers the unique opportunity to support Vizient’s Comparative Data and Performance Improvement strategic plan with a focus on leveraging data and technology to produce meaningful insights and drive improvement.
Fellows will have the opportunity to dive deeper into this new frontier where data science, informatics and performance improvement intersect in healthcare. They’ll engage in quantitative analysis and collaborative efforts with internal stakeholders and members and use data analysis to help quality and clinical staff develop strategies to improve performance and drive innovation.
The Data Science Fellowship role
Fellows will collaborate with internal Vizient staff/leaders and external stakeholders, including Vizient clients. Fellows are responsible for data science or medical informatics projects across the clinical, operational, supply chain, pharmacy and healthcare strategy domains.
Fellows who are on the data science team will get opportunities to facilitate in developing data science approaches, such as machine-learning models to improve understanding or predict healthcare outcomes.
The fellowship focuses on experiential learning that involves a capstone project completed over the course of the year that is optional. Fellows will work with their executive mentor to find projects matched to their interests and goals. This opportunity offers pragmatic, hands-on experience supplemented with didactic sessions to ensure broad perspective on health informatics and data science. Fellows will also have an opportunity to rotate to other teams, if they wish to do so, and it is entirely optional.
Our fellowship value
Vizient created this unique Fellowship in 2020 to complement the current Healthcare Analytics Fellowship and to attract individuals with a passion for healthcare informatics and data science.
Vizient recognizes the increasingly important role informatics and data science play both within our business and the industry at large. We look forward to growing these capabilities so we can leverage data insights and drive innovation in healthcare.
A strong educational component is built into the Fellowship program and includes:
- A yearlong capstone project (proposal and final presentation)
- Speaker Series (organized by current fellows)
- Interviews with Vizient leaders
- Rotations throughout the organization
Learn more
Applicants may apply to one or both of the following fellowships. Please note if you apply to both, you will be expected to interview with each respective team separately.
Qualifications:
For data science fellows:
- Relevant degree preferred: Master’s degree in data science, statistics, medical or health informatics, or related field highly desired.
- No previous work experience required.
- Demonstrated technical skills, including strong proficiency with database design involving SQL, and with programming languages such as Python, R, or SAS required.
- Demonstrated proficiency in quantitative skills including statistical inference such as Bayesian inference, machine learning application of mathematics for data analysis, and machine learning model development required.
- Graduate course and project work, or substantial experience in health care data or a technical field preferred.
- Experience with health care data, such as Electronic Health Records/Electronic Medical Records (EHR/EMR) data, and health care data standards preferred.
- Strong communication and project management skills preferred.
- Willingness to travel.
Location / Office Requirements
Informatics and Data Science fellows must relocate to Chicago and come into the office three times a week to make the most out of the experience.
Application requirements:
- Resume
- Project Portfolio (requested prior to first-round interview)
The application process for the 2026-2027 Data Science Fellowship application is now open.
Eric Hixson, Data Science Preceptor and Data Science Mentor
Eric Hixson PhD, MBA is the VP Spend Management Data Science & Methodology at Vizient and has 25+years’ experience implementing business intelligence and data science solutions, predictive analytics strategy, data warehousing, and health services delivery. Currently, he is responsible for leading strategic, value generating data science initiatives across Vizient.
Experience in previous healthcare provider roles included designing, implementing and championing advanced analytics and artificial intelligence solutions; advising analytics strategy and best practices; implementing enterprise-scale analytic applications; research; stakeholder engagement and communication; mentoring students and colleagues; and end-user education and professional curriculum development.
Dr. Hixson graduated from Case Western Reserve University and completed his PhD in Epidemiology and Biostatistics with a focus on Health Services Research. He received his MBA in Health Administration from Cleveland State University.