Micro-Credentials
AI Literacy and Responsible Use for Public Health Professionals
The AI Literacy and Responsible Use for Public Health Professionals digital badge is part of the UB AI and Data Science Gateway micro-credential program. This badge provides practical, accessible training for professionals working in or supporting public health. Participants will explore how artificial intelligence works, its strengths and limitations, and how to apply it to real-world public health roles and tasks.
Through demonstrations of tools such as ChatGPT and Claude, participants will learn to evaluate AI-generated information, understand privacy and data security considerations, and recognize when AI is appropriate for a particular task. The badge introduces our novel TRUST framework, providing participants with a systematic approach to evaluating and using AI responsibly and effectively. Rather than focusing solely on today's technologies, the TRUST framework equips participants with transferable skills to critically assess and responsibly adopt emerging AI tools in the future, while considering accuracy, bias, privacy, ethics, organizational policies, and human oversight.
Who is Eligible?
This digital badge is designed for professionals and students working in, supporting, or preparing for careers in public health and related fields. Participants may come from government, healthcare, nonprofit, community, academic, or research settings. The program is appropriate for individuals across a wide range of roles and experience levels. No prior technical or programming experience is required.
Reserve your Spot for the December 2026 Cohort
Join a cohort-based learning experience, where participants move through the program together with the same schedule and milestones.
2026 Cohort: Starts December 1, 2026 (limited enrollment; waitlist available)
2027 Cohort: Starts February 1, 2027 (registration opens January 4, 2027)
Competency Skills
- Career and Self-Development
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Ethical Reasoning
- Professionalism
- Technology
Additional and Specialized Skills
- AI Literacy
- AI in Public Health
- Generative AI Tools
- Prompt Engineering
- AI Evaluation and Accuracy
- AI Ethics and Bias
- Data Privacy and Security
- Responsible AI Use (TRUST Framework)
Credit Options: Not for credit
Time to Completion: < 10 hrs (~6 hours of material + estimated 4 hour for generation of badge artifact)
Instruction Method: Online
FAQ
No! This digital badge is completely free. It is being offered as a pilot through the State University of New York (SUNY) Innovative Instruction Technology Grants (IITG) program, an initiative supporting innovative, accessible, and technology-enhanced approaches to teaching and learning.
The program is fully online, asynchronous, and self-paced, with approximately 10 hours of coursework, including recorded lectures, learning activities, and a final applied project (artifact). Participants have an eight-week window to complete the program on their own schedule.
The program is offered in two cohorts, beginning December 1, 2026, and February 1, 2027. Space is limited in each cohort, and a waitlist will be available once a cohort reaches capacity.
Anyone working in, supporting, or preparing for a career in public health! This includes healthcare professionals, researchers, students, administrators, support staff, and professionals in government, nonprofit, and community organizations. The course is designed to be accessible and relevant across a wide range of public health roles.
No prior AI knowledge, technical expertise, or programming experience is required. The course introduces AI fundamentals, practical applications, strengths, and limitations. Those already familiar with AI tools will benefit from learning more about how they work and how to evaluate their use critically.
The program introduces our novel TRUST framework, a structured approach to evaluating and using AI responsibly and effectively. Participants will learn to assess AI tools and applications in terms of their capabilities, limitations, accuracy, privacy, and ethical implications. The framework provides transferable skills for evaluating both current and emerging AI technologies.
The course will demonstrate AI applications across public health roles and tasks, but it will not provide job-specific technical training. Instead, participants will develop a foundation for identifying appropriate AI applications, evaluating potential risks, and considering employer policies and procedures when exploring AI use in their workplace.
The course will introduce how AI is used in areas such as medical imaging and healthcare data analysis, but it will not teach participants to develop or implement advanced AI systems. Its goal is to establish a shared understanding and vocabulary that public health professionals can use to engage with AI technologies.
No. All required activities will use free AI tools or free versions of commercially available platforms. Participants will learn about differences among tools, including their capabilities, costs, privacy settings, and limitations.
The final artifact is a practical project in which participants apply what they have learned to a public health topic or challenge of their choosing. It might involve evaluating an AI tool, developing an AI-assisted workflow, or exploring how AI could support a specific public health task.
The artifact allows participants to demonstrate their understanding of responsible AI use, including application of the TRUST framework. Successful completion of the artifact is part of earning the digital micro-credential badge, providing tangible evidence of skills that participants can apply to their professional or academic interests.
Projects must use publicly available, non-sensitive information or appropriate hypothetical scenarios.
Yes! Although the program is self-paced, instructors will be available to answer questions, provide guidance, and support participants throughout their learning experience.
Upon completion of the program, students will be awarded a UB–issued digital badge through Credly and the program will be noted on your academic transcript. Credly is a platform for creating, issuing and managing digital badges. If you have questions about using Credly please contact the Office of Micro-Credentials.
How to Apply
Students interested in applying for the micro-credential in AI Literacy and Responsible Use for Public Health Professionals may enroll now. Spots are limited. Waiting list will be available.
For questions about this badge or the broader UB AI and Data Science Gateway micro-credential program, contact the program coordinator, Rachael Hageman Blair.