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
Begin lesson one - Who this is for
- Physicians with little or no programming experience.
- First course outcome
- Choose a first project small enough to finish.
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.
Follow the lessons in order, or return to a lesson you want to review.
- 01 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
- 02 Protect the Work with Version Control Understand what Git records, what GitHub adds, and why recoverable history matters. Distinguish Git from GitHub. Read lesson
- 03 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
- 04 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