Salzburg launches AI master’s course for healthcare workers

Salzburg University of Applied Sciences has launched a master’s programme in artificial intelligence for healthcare, ORF reports. The two-year course began on Thursday with seven students, and the university plans to admit up to 35 students a year in future.

The programme was announced in June, leaving little time to recruit its first cohort, said Cornelia Schneider, head of the university’s IT department. She said demand for staff with relevant skills would grow as healthcare becomes more digital and faces pressure to work more efficiently.

The English-language course is aimed at healthcare professionals with at least two years of work experience. It is designed to give students without extensive technical backgrounds a practical grounding in AI, said course director Werner Kaltner-Pomwenger. Graduates are expected to serve as a link between technology and medical practice.

The four-semester programme is run jointly by Salzburg University of Applied Sciences and Paracelsus Medical University. The applied sciences university teaches the technical foundations, while clinical and practical training takes place at the medical university and Salzburg University Hospital. Alongside developing AI models, the course focuses on integrating them into real healthcare services.

Christian Pirich, medical director of the Salzburg State Clinics, said AI could help with diagnosis and reduce administrative work, including documentation by doctors and nursing staff. The aim, he said, is to free up more time for patient care. Any use of AI should prioritise patient benefit, including better treatment and greater safety, he added.

AI is already being used in areas including radiology, early stroke detection and dermatology. Paracelsus Medical University rector Annemarie Weißenbacher said there was also potential in nursing science and pharmacy, including checking drug interactions and dosages. She stressed that health data must be used safely. Data protection is a particular focus of the new programme.