Learn to Code / Course 1

Physician-Developer Foundations

Move from technical curiosity to a small, durable project with version control and structured data.

beginner 27 minutes 4 lessons
Who this is for
Physicians with little or no programming experience.
Course outcome
Create, version, and explain a small project that solves one problem you understand.

The first course establishes a working habit. It begins with a small build, gives that work a durable history, and introduces the structured data beneath modern clinical software.

Course Outcomes

What you will learn

  • Choose a first project small enough to finish.
  • Explain the difference between Git and GitHub.
  • Create a repository with a useful README and meaningful commits.
  • Read and write the basic JSON structures used by APIs.

Before You Begin

Prerequisites

No technical prerequisite is required. Begin with a bounded problem and enough time to finish the first lesson.

Ordered Syllabus

Complete the lessons in sequence.

Each article remains at its original URL. Its position here supplies the learning context.

  1. 01 Lesson 1 / beginner / 6 min Your First Build Choose a low-stakes project that is small enough to exist before clinical urgency enlarges it. Explain why identity follows repeated building practice. Read lesson
  2. 02 Lesson 2 / beginner / 6 min Protect the Work with Version Control Understand what Git records, what GitHub adds, and why recoverable history matters. Distinguish Git from GitHub. Read lesson
  3. 03 Lesson 3 / beginner / 7 min Your First Week on GitHub Turn repository setup into a seven-day working habit tied to one real problem. Write a README that defines the problem before the implementation. Read lesson
  4. 04 Lesson 4 / beginner / 8 min Structure the Data with JSON Learn the key-value structure beneath APIs, FHIR resources, and reliable AI outputs. Read objects, arrays, keys, and values in a JSON document. Read lesson