Health Information Technology Club

There are two membership drives each year. In the fall semester membership applications will be accepted from September 1 through November 1. In the winter semester, membership applications will be accepted from January 1 through March 1.

Payment of the $15.00 dues provides you with student membership to the Schoolcraft College Health Information Technology Club as well as student membership in the Southeastern Michigan Health Information Management Association (SEMHIMA). $5 goes into the HIT Club account and $10 is sent to SEMHIMA to cover your regional membership. As a student member you will receive e-mail communications of Club and professional association activities that you may choose to participate in.

SEMHIMA is the regional HIM association. Students are encouraged to attend local meetings that are usually held at area hospitals and colleges. These are low-cost events that provide continuing education to credentialed members and are great “eye-openers” for students. Often student volunteers are requested to man the registration desks, help with handouts, meals, set-up, clean-up, etc. These are great networking experiences as you’ll meet people that are working in the trenches of HIM as well as their managers. SEMHIMA publishes a quarterly newsletter and maintains a website. Job opportunities are shared via these avenues and students are kept up-to-date on HIM happenings in the southeastern Michigan region.

Membership dues are collected annually.

Club funds are used to support events such as the annual Student/Alumni Dinner held in the fall, the Graduation Luncheon in the winter and other events throughout the school year. Supplies are also purchased to maintain the HIT Club bulletin board that is located in the Radcliff 400 hall. Money may also be used to support special social service projects (i.e. holiday families, Ronald McDonald House, Red Wagon) and a donation to the Pat Rubio Foundation Scholarship Fund is usually made each year. Various fundraising projects are held in the fall and winter semesters.

Yes.  Since many scholarships and awards are based on points (and/or participation), being a Club member and SEMHIMA member may give you the edge to be on the receiving end. Additional considerations are often given to students that are in a Club leadership role.  Students are encouraged to run for a board position during the elections that occur in February/March. Scholarship opportunities will be shared by our Program Coordinator on an ongoing basis. Most scholarships are relatively easy to apply for. There will be an application to complete for each scholarship and other supporting documents such as references or an essay may be required. Schoolcraft students have been very fortunate to receive Schoolcraft Foundation scholarships, SEMHIMA, MHIMA and AHIMA scholarships.

You can pick and choose your level of involvement and commitment. Members are not required to participate in all of the events; however, we’d like to see you get the most out of your membership by attending and supporting Club functions. Each year the activities vary based on membership interests.

The number of events and/or meetings can vary from semester-to-semester. Board meetings are open to all and generally take place three times a semester. The Board wants to hear from the membership regarding wants and needs and will attempt to schedule accordingly. Sessions on using technology, resume writing, interviewing, test anxiety, etc. have been offered in the past. Recent graduates or students working in the field may also give presentations on their journey in the field.

Contact a board member or one of the faculty advisors and they will be happy to talk with you about your interests and skill sets to find a good “fit” for you within Club planning and activities! Volunteers are always welcomed!

Unfortunately HIM professional memberships can be very confusing. AHIMA membership is separate from SEMHIMA and the HIT Club. The AHIMA student member dues are $45.00 per year. AHIMA membership also includes membership to your Component State Association (CSA) which would be the Michigan Health Information Management Association (another 2-for-1)! Many scholarships do require you to be an AHIMA/MHIMA member on top of your regional association (SEMHIMA). See www.ahima.org for online membership.

Absolutely! The Schoolcraft Career Services Department encourages students to include their Student Club membership in the Education section of their resume. An additional category for Professional Memberships may be included for SEMHIMA and AHIMA/MHIMA if you join AHIMA as well (remember….separate application and dues).

You will hear the HIT program mantra: “Network, network, network”. Look to your left – you may be staring at your future co-worker. Look to your right – you might be looking at your future boss. Your class instructor may be the one who informs you of the open position that you will fill. The HIT Club is the channel through which positions are posted, hires are made, lunches are consumed over shop talk and friendships are cemented. More than just a social gig, the HIT Club can be integral to your first placement and lifelong career success!

The Club usually sells spirit-wear in the fall and during the winter semesters. The logos/design have been created by Club members. T-shirts, hoodies, zip-hoodies, jogging pants, etc. have been sold in the past. Students and faculty love them and they are reasonably priced!

Faculty Academic Scholarship

There will be a Faculty Academic Scholarship awarded for both the Coding Certificate Program as well as the Health Information Technology Program. You must take the following steps in order to be considered for the scholarship.

1. Visit www.schoolcraft.edu/scholarshipsearch.
2. Sign in using the same username and password as Blackboard or your Schoolcraft e-mail.
3. Complete the general online scholarship application.
4. Once completed, submit your online general scholarship application by clicking the Finish and Continue button. 
5. Locate the department that you wish to complete an application for from the list provided. (i.e. Coding and/or Health Information Technology).
6. Click on the apply button.
7. Complete the additional criteria provided for the Faculty scholarships. For the Coding and HIT Faculty Scholarships. You must have 12 credit hours at Schoolcraft prior to the Fall semester and a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
8. For the Coding and HIT scholarships there are additional steps. 
   1. Compose a letter that includes 1) current extracurricular activities relating to your program (i.e. attendance or assistance at professional HIM meetings, volunteerism, HIT club membership/leadership, work); 2) the need for the scholarship and 3) your reason for selecting coding or HIM as a career.
   2. Upload your letter.
9. Once completed, submit the department scholarship application by clicking the Finish and Continue button. 

If you have questions, please contact the Office of Financial Aid by phone at 734-462-4433 or via email at [email protected].

• Schoolcraft Career Services
• Health Information Careers
• American Health Information Management Association, Career Assist
• Healthcare Information and Management Systems (HIMSS) Job Mine
• Healthcare Jobs
• Simply Hired