Continual training and professional development opportunities
Dr. Rob’s Video Transcript
Professional development is the term that’s used by many careers like medicine, education, or law that says you need continuing education to keep up your credentials. Things keep changing, and you need to keep advancing or you’ll be left behind, and your patients or your clients won’t get as much.
The same applies here with digital health navigators.
I think there is an opportunity on the digital side, on the health side, and on the communication skill side to work on those three things as you advance your professional development.
Look for conferences or grand rounds or things at your local hospital. Ask your employer to identify and put on professional development sessions for you.
Get included, if you can, with nursing or medical continuing medical education. It might open your eyes to other careers.
Also, here on this Force for Health Digital Health e-Navigator program, we’ll have ongoing grand rounds and office hours for you to drop in as we review topics with doctors like myself who’ve worked with digital and community health aide navigators. We’ll also involve others like yourself, technologists, scientists, or social workers to help with topics you want help with.
Put in the feed, “Teach me about this,” “Teach me about that,” and we’ll put together the appropriate programs for you to log into at no cost as part of what we’re doing.
Also, your continuing education can happen in the feed with your colleagues, where you can share your best practices of what worked and what didn’t work, and help each other out by sharing and serving your fellow digital navigator community with what you’ve learned as you earn their respect by sharing your thoughts.
Be a force for health.
Learn It
Telehealth is constantly evolving, so Digital Navigators must stay current with new tools, platforms, and best practices. Ongoing training ensures navigators remain effective and knowledgeable. Professional development may include conferences, webinars, online certifications, or workshops offered by telehealth providers. Staying up to date helps navigators understand emerging technologies, accessibility improvements, privacy requirements, and user needs—allowing them to deliver high-quality support and adapt to changes in the healthcare landscape.
Live It
Explore at least one professional development opportunity each month. Attend a webinar on a telehealth topic, complete an online module, or review updates from your organization’s telehealth partners. Join virtual conferences or training events to see how other programs operate. Keep a personal learning log where you record new skills, tools, or insights. Share what you learn with your team to strengthen overall program quality.
Share It
Create a short resource list titled “Professional Development Opportunities for Digital Navigators.” Include webinars, certification programs, online communities, or conferences related to telehealth, digital literacy, accessibility, and health technology. Share it with classmates or your Force for Health feed. Encourage peers to commit to ongoing learning so they can continue improving the services they provide and support their communities with up-to-date knowledge.
