Taylor Horne is an assistant professor and clinical education coordinator for the University of Pittsburgh undergraduate and graduate Health Informatics (HI) programs. Horne has completed both of these programs herself and is currently a doctoral candidate in the Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Science program at SHRS, with a concentration in health informatics.
Read on to learn more about Horne’s experience as both a student and a faculty member in the Department of Health Information Management.
From Student to Faculty
When I entered the Health Information Management program at Pitt, I was not planning on earning a master’s degree. I certainly was not planning on pursuing a PhD. That vision developed because of the professors in the Health Informatics program who trained me.
They did more than teach content. They modeled clarity, discipline, leadership and intellectual generosity. They challenged me, believed in me and invested in me. Over time, I realized I did not want to leave. Watching how they shaped students’ careers changed my own trajectory.
Their impact on me was so significant that it became a personal mission. If I could create that kind of influence for even one student, that would be a career well spent. The only way I knew how to give back was to follow the same path and commit myself to teaching, mentoring and leading with intention.
Now, having the privilege to work alongside the very faculty who once trained me is something I do not take lightly. It is both humbling and motivating. Every day, I hope to live up to the example they set.
In my role as assistant professor, I teach across both the undergraduate and graduate programs. My classroom is where technical skill meets professional identity. Students learn not just how health care systems function, but how to improve them.
Teaching Style
My teaching style is highly student-centered, practical and mentorship driven. I focus on making complex health informatics concepts approachable by connecting them to real world applications, current technologies and the many different career paths students can pursue. Learning should feel collaborative rather than one directional, so I encourage students to ask questions, challenge ideas and share different perspectives.
What we consider best practice today may look very different tomorrow, which is why I emphasize curiosity and adaptability. I also see myself as both a teacher and a lifelong student. That mindset of continuous learning is something I try to model and encourage in my classroom.
If a student does not understand something, I view it as helpful feedback on how I can explain the concept more clearly. My goal is not just for students to pass a class, but to leave with confidence in their abilities, strong critical thinking skills and a clear understanding of how their knowledge can be applied to meaningful careers in health informatics.
Clinical Education
A major focus of my role as a clinical educator is preparing students for the workforce and helping them secure high quality internship experiences. I actively build relationships with health care systems, technology companies, research groups and industry professionals to expand internship opportunities for our students. I work closely with students to understand their interests, strengths and career goals, and then connect them with organizations where they can gain meaningful, hands-on experience.
I also bring recruiters and industry professionals into the program so students can build connections early and learn directly from people working in the field. Through my LinkedIn network and a professional group I manage called the Health Informatics Network Exchange, I regularly share internship and job opportunities and connect students with organizations seeking talent. I frequently post internship openings and career opportunities throughout the year, and I host resume workshops and interview preparation sessions while also reviewing student resumes to help them present their skills effectively.
One of the most unique aspects of our program is the strength of our alumni network. A number of them actively take on our students as interns because they want to give back to the program that helped launch their own careers. That culture of mentorship and support creates a powerful pipeline where students are not only learning in the classroom but are also being welcomed into the field by professionals who once stood exactly where they are now.
My goal is to ensure students graduate not only with strong academic knowledge, but with real experience, professional confidence and a network of connections that help launch their careers in health informatics.
Interest in HI
I have always been passionate about health care. From the very beginning of my undergraduate education, I knew I wanted to work in a field that improved lives. What I did not know was how far that path would take me.
I entered this field because I realized that health care is powered by information, and not just data, but rather, information that drives decisions.
Early in my career in oncology data, I saw firsthand how documentation quality, coding accuracy and structured reporting influence patient care, funding, compliance and research. Small errors ripple outward, but so do well-designed systems.
Health informatics became my way of improving health care at scale. It allows me to work at the intersection of technology, ethics, leadership and impact.
Now, as a doctoral candidate and faculty member, my focus has expanded to the responsible translation of artificial intelligence into clinical practice and improving clarity in patient communication. Technology should not overwhelm; it should illuminate.
What Sets Pitt HI Apart
Pitt prepares students to operate at multiple levels—technical, operational and strategic.
Our curriculum integrates AI, reimbursement, quality management, health systems, analytics and experiential learning in a way that reflects how health care truly functions. Students graduate to become not just employable, but adaptable.
Technical skill is powerful. But communication, courage and strategic thinking are what differentiate leaders. Health informatics is one of the most versatile and future facing fields in health care. It touches every department, every patient interaction and every strategic decision.
My work centers on helping students and professionals recognize that they are not just supporting health care systems, they are shaping them. That is where real influence begins.
Research Interests
My research focuses on artificial intelligence in health care, explainable AI and improving patient-facing communication using emerging technologies.
I am particularly interested in how AI can increase transparency and readability in complex health care processes. When patients better understand their care, outcomes improve.
I also serve as the educational lead for the HexAI Research Laboratory, led by Health Informatics Assistant Professor Ahmad Tafti, which focuses on how explainable AI can assist in health care research.
Other Roles
I am proud to also be affiliated with the SHRS Center for Interprofessional Studies, whose mission is to prepare students to collaborate across professions to improve individual and population health outcomes.
Interprofessional education matters deeply to me because health care improvement does not happen in isolation. Informatics professionals must speak the language of clinicians, administrators, researchers and policy leaders. My work encourages HI students to see themselves not as back end technicians, but as strategic partners in team-based care.
Working among other health disciplines sharpens perspective. It forces clarity and produces better solutions.
The Strength of Family
Left: Taylor Horne’s mother and Horne’s son Bennett. Right: Horne with Bennett on Halloween.
There is also someone outside of academia who has shaped this path just as profoundly: my mom.
Through every stage of my education, especially during the long and demanding nights of doctoral training, she has never stopped believing in me. She never questioned whether I could do it. She simply reminded me that I would. Her support has been steady, unwavering, and deeply personal.
Now, becoming a mother to my son, Bennett, has added an entirely new layer of meaning to everything I do. He reminds me daily why perseverance matters, why integrity matters, and why the systems we build today will shape the world he grows up in tomorrow. In many ways, he has strengthened my commitment to this work even more.
Behind every milestone in my academic career is the quiet strength of someone who refused to let me doubt myself.
If my work reflects resilience, discipline or belief in others, it is because I was first surrounded by people who modeled those qualities for me.
That, more than any title or degree, is what truly defines my journey.
