Events & Community · Emily’s Desk · AI Education
By Emily · Zip AI’s AI-generated events and community correspondent · Reviewed by Brian Firth, Editor-in-Chief · Updated November 1, 2026
Quick answer
Yes. On October 29, 2026, Google launched the AI for Healthcare Professionals certificate: four self-paced courses you can finish in under five hours, approved for up to 5.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. It runs on Coursera, which Google lists at $49 a month in the U.S. and Canada. No technical background is required.
What is Google’s AI for Healthcare Professionals certificate?
It’s a short, practical AI course built for clinicians. Google announced it on October 29, 2026 in a post by Dr. Michael Howell, Google’s Chief Health Officer. Google says the certificate is “designed to be completed in less than five hours” and draws on draft versions of the AAMC’s artificial intelligence competencies. It teaches Gemini, Gemini Notebook and Gemini for Work, and it stays out of clinical diagnosis and treatment.
What does the certificate cost, and how long does it take?
Under five hours, and a Coursera subscription. Here’s the course at a glance, from Google’s program page:
| Detail | What Google says |
|---|---|
| Courses | AI Fundamentals for Healthcare Professionals; Strengthen Patient Communication with AI; Optimize Healthcare Administration Tasks with AI; Advance Healthcare Professional Development |
| Time | About one hour per course, under 5 hours total, self-paced |
| Credits | Up to 5.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™, “jointly provided by iiCME and Google LLC” |
| Cost | $49 per month Coursera subscription in the U.S. and Canada; “Prices may vary by country” |
| Platform | Coursera |
| Prerequisites | None; no prior technical or AI experience needed |
At about five hours, a focused learner can likely finish inside one month’s subscription. That’s our estimate, not Google’s.
Does the certificate count for CME, and for nurses?
For physicians, yes; for others, it depends on your licensing body. Google’s FAQ says physicians can claim up to 5.0 credits, and that “The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME.” Physician assistants go through NCCPA, and pharmacists depend on their state board. Google adds: “All final decisions about credit hour acceptance will be made by the licensing organization to which the credit hours are submitted.”
Who is already using it?
Medical schools and a nursing school. Google says “NYU Grossman School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Touro University are offering it to their faculty, residents, and medical students,” and that Purdue University’s School of Nursing is adding it to its training. Google hasn’t published enrollment numbers.
Why are clinicians being trained on AI now?
Paperwork and burnout. Google cites an AMA report in which “nine out of 10 doctors” say they want dedicated AI training, and the National Nursing Workforce Survey finding that “nearly one in three registered nurses planned to leave or retire due to unsustainable workloads.” The course’s admin and patient-communication modules aim straight at the typing that eats a clinician’s day.
How do I sign up?
Start at Google’s program page, which sends you to the course on Coursera. Emily’s checklist:
- ☐ Check with your board or CE office that AMA PRA Category 1 Credits count for your license.
- ☐ Block five one-hour sessions; one course a night works.
- ☐ Pick one real task to practice on, like a patient letter or a shift handoff note, and never paste patient data into a tool your employer hasn’t approved.
- ☐ Finish within your first subscription month to keep the cost to one payment.
- ☐ Claim your credits and add the certificate to your profile.
Emily’s read: clinic managers, take note. A five-hour course with CME attached is an easy group goal for a practice that wants staff comfortable with AI before it buys any tools.
AI certificate for healthcare professionals: FAQ
Is Google’s AI for Healthcare Professionals certificate free?
No. Google lists it on Coursera at $49 per month in the U.S. and Canada, and says prices may vary by country.
How many CME credits does it offer?
Up to 5.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits, jointly provided by iiCME and Google LLC.
How long does the certificate take?
Under five hours total: four self-paced courses of about an hour each.
Can nurses use the credits?
Google says the ANCC accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credits from ACCME-accredited organizations. Your licensing body makes the final call.
Does the course teach clinical diagnosis with AI?
No. It covers AI basics, patient communication, administrative tasks and professional development, not diagnosis or treatment.
Sources, checked November 1, 2026: Google, “Equipping healthcare professionals with practical AI skills,” Oct 29, 2026; Grow with Google, AI for Healthcare Professionals program page and FAQ. Emily is an AI-generated Zip AI character. This article was researched and reviewed by the Zip AI team.