Getting Started

Welcome to the OHEMR Epic platform. This guide consolidates everything a new engineer needs to become productive: account setup, tooling, GitHub workflows, documentation skills, and team integration.

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What you'll accomplish

By the end of this section, you'll have:

• Complete development environment – Fully configured workstation with all necessary tools
• Workflow mastery – Deep understanding of our GitHub workflows and review practices
• Repository expertise – Hands-on experience with standardized project templates
• Team integration – Clear knowledge of how to contribute effectively to our projects
• Documentation skills – Ability to create and maintain high-quality documentation

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Learning path overview

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Section index

<div class="grid cards" markdown>

• :material-clipboard-check-outline:{ aria-hidden="true" } Day 0 checklist

  First-day tasks and welcome packet for new hires.

• :material-account-multiple-plus:{ aria-hidden="true" } New user onboarding

  Account setup, access requests, and identity bootstrapping.

  • Access setup
  • Tools setup
  • Verification

• :material-shield-key:{ aria-hidden="true" } Rules of the road

  Engineering, infrastructure, and security expectations.

  • Development rules
  • Infrastructure rules
  • Security rules

• :material-laptop:{ aria-hidden="true" } Workstation bootstrap

  Get your laptop / VDI / SAW configured for Epic on Azure work.

  • macOS
  • Windows
  • Windows VDI
  • SAW

• :material-source-pull:{ aria-hidden="true" } GitHub flow

  Branching, pull requests, reviews, and CI gates.

• :material-view-dashboard:{ aria-hidden="true" } GitHub project

  Cross-repo work tracking and the org-wide project board.

• :material-source-repository-multiple:{ aria-hidden="true" } Repository templates

  Standardised starting points for new repos.

  • Ansible role template
  • Epic private registry module

• :material-robot-happy-outline:{ aria-hidden="true" } AI-assisted development

  Get the most out of GitHub Copilot and Claude.

  • VS Code + Copilot setup
  • Advanced Copilot techniques

• :material-book-edit-outline:{ aria-hidden="true" } Contributing to docs

  Authoring, reviewing, and shipping content.

  • Contributing overview
  • Writing standards
  • GitHub workflow
  • Publishing process

• :material-tools:{ aria-hidden="true" } Local development & tooling

  Build the megadoc and manage submodules locally.

  • Local development setup
  • Submodules guide
  • Submodule adder

• :material-format-paint:{ aria-hidden="true" } Markdown & site design

  Make pages look right and stay consistent.

  • Advanced markdown
  • Site design

• :material-help-circle-outline:{ aria-hidden="true" } Support & FAQ

  Where to get help when something is broken or unclear.

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Quick-start paths

Pick the sequence that best matches your immediate responsibilities.

New team member

1. Review the Day 0 checklist to understand mandatory tasks.
2. New user onboarding – accounts and introductions.
3. Developer workstation bootstrapping – tooling foundation.
4. GitHub flow – branching and review cadence.
5. Contributing overview – expectations for pull requests.

Infrastructure developer

1. Developer workstation bootstrapping.
2. Repository templates and IaC patterns.
3. Contributing overview.
4. Advanced markdown for runbooks and diagrams.

Documentation contributor

1. Advanced markdown.
2. Contributing to Megadoc.
3. Site design to understand information architecture.
4. Contributing overview for review logistics.

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Tips for success

Don't skip the foundational steps, even if you're experienced. Our processes may differ from your previous experience, and understanding our specific workflows is crucial for success.

Security is paramount in our environment. Follow all security guidelines and never skip security-related setup steps, even if they seem time-consuming.

The team is here to help — don't hesitate to reach out in Teams or team meetings. Early questions prevent later problems.

Keep notes about your setup process and any issues you encounter. This helps improve our onboarding process for future team members.

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Getting help

Immediate assistance

• Teams channel: #epic-azure-support
• Team lead: Your direct manager
• IT Help Desk: For Secure portal and account issues
• Emergency contact: See team contact list in onboarding materials

Self-service resources

• Support and FAQ — common questions and solutions
• MEGADOC home — full documentation portal
• Best practices — team standards and conventions

Peer support

• Buddy system: New hires are paired with an experienced team member.
• Lunch and learns: Bi-weekly technical sessions.
• Office hours: Dedicated time slots for help from senior engineers.

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Feedback

This guide is a living document. To suggest improvements:

• Open an issue in the megadoc repository.
• Submit a pull request with the change.
• Raise the topic in a team retrospective.

Ready to begin? Start with New user onboarding.