Jacob Hubbuch, MD ’22, grew up in London, Ky., dreaming of a career in medicine. Now a fourth-year surgical resident at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, he’s helping shape something new: a generation of physicians fluent in both clinical care and technology.
Dr. Hubbuch recently became the first trainee at UK HealthCare to complete the Physician Builder program, advanced training that teaches clinicians how to design workflows, optimize the electronic health record (EHR), and build tools that make care safer, faster and more efficient. The course, offered by Epic, includes a mix of online learning, live instruction and hands-on system design, giving physicians a deeper understanding of how information moves through the EHR and how smart changes can improve daily clinical practice.
Dr. Hubbuch’s interest in improving patient care started before he ever considered informatics. As a high school student, he shadowed an OB-GYN and was captivated by the energy of the operating room. “I’ve always been very task-oriented, and I get a lot of satisfaction from doing something tangible that directly benefits patients,” he said.
Surgery’s hands-on nature — and its expectation of continuous improvement — felt like a natural fit. As his residency progressed, he realized he could improve not just what happens in the OR, but the systems that shape care delivery.
“Understanding the EHR, how information flows through a system, and how to modify order sets fit perfectly with quality improvement,” he said. “It gives me the ability to optimize workflows in a very concrete way.”
At UK, his achievement marks an important step toward building a community of clinician-developers. “He is our first learner and clinical informaticist to complete this rigorous training, and his achievement sets the foundation for what we hope will become a growing community of clinician-builders,” said Romil Chadha, MD, professor of internal medicine and chief medical information officer at UK HealthCare.
Physician Builder programs reflect a broader shift in health care, where the EHR is no longer just a documentation tool but a platform for improving efficiency, supporting clinical decisions and generating high-quality data.
“Physician Builders play a vital role in modern health care by bridging the gap between clinical practice and health IT,” said Joseph Bobadilla, MD, professor of surgery, assistant chief medical information officer (inpatient), and director of the clinical builder program. “They understand both the intricacies of patient care and the technical capabilities of EHRs, allowing them to streamline workflows, reduce burnout, and improve system usability. Their dual expertise makes them invaluable collaborators for IT teams and champions for their clinical peers.”
For Dr. Hubbuch, the appeal is straightforward: this work makes clinicians’ lives easier. “Even completing the first course, NoteCraft, can make an immediate impact,” he said. And to others considering informatics, he offers simple advice: “Don’t be afraid to learn something you have no background in — taking a detour to build a new skill set can be incredibly valuable.”
Blending surgery with informatics has expanded how he envisions his future. “This path has shown me how powerful it is to combine clinical training with systems-level improvements,” he said. “It’s broadened the ways I can contribute and given me a more holistic understanding of how patient care, technology and operations intersect.”
By diving into informatics early, Dr. Hubbuch represents what modern medicine is becoming — where surgeons and other clinicians aren’t just using the systems around them but helping build them.