Master of Biomedical Informatics

Prospective applicants interested in applying for Fall 2020 should see Application Information.

The Department of Biomedical Informatics at Harvard Medical School offers a Master of Biomedical Informatics (MBI) degree for students who aim for a biomedical career that requires strong data science skills. Students have the opportunity to learn from experts from throughout the Harvard community. Graduates will have an excellent understanding of the fundamentals of the field of biomedical informatics and will be proficient in applying a broad range of approaches, methods, and techniques in their chosen careers.

Two routes are offered:

Traditional Master’s Program (48 credits)

For students with a Bachelor’s degree
Aimed at graduates with strong quantitative skills who are looking for careers in academia, healthcare, or industry

Accelerated Master’s Program (36 credits)

For students with a Doctoral degree or enrolled in an MD program
Aimed at postdocs with a biomedical degree who recognize the relevance of informatics and data science to their research
MDs who are interested in qualifying for the subspecialty in clinical informatics
Medical students who would like to explore the importance of informatics in the practice of medicine

Both routes provide an intellectual framework for the systematic and sound use of quantitative methods to increase agility with such methods in their respective domains. The program includes a range of foundational courses in quantitative and biomedical subjects, as well as courses in emerging areas such as precision medicine, data science, and data visualization. All students complete a capstone research project with a Harvard faculty member.

Mission

The practice of clinical care and biomedical investigation each constitute complex enterprises that are increasingly dependent on the mastery of enormous data streams. There is increasing urgency to leverage the rapid advances in genomic science, the near ubiquity of health information technology, and new methods for managing and analyzing large data sets to accelerate biomedical discovery and improve the delivery of health care. Our goal is to equip our students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences needed to engage meaningfully in the field of biomedical informatics.