Accelerated Master of Biomedical Informatics Program
The practice of clinical care and biomedical investigation are complex enterprises that increasingly depend on the mastery of enormous data streams. The national Precision Medicine initiative recognizes the urgency of leveraging advances in genomic science, the rise 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.
The data now available to researchers, healthcare providers, and patients include genomic data, electronic health record data, measurements from the environment, consumer-driven “quantified self” data, and the social web, among other sources of data. There have been successes in mining this wealth of information. However, most clinicians, researchers, and patients find themselves overwhelmed by these data or unaware of their import.
It is widely acknowledged that there are not enough qualified individuals to meet the demands of the current biomedical research and practice environment. There is a crucial, and currently largely unmet, need for trained individuals who are able to integrate, interpret, and act upon the large-scale, high-throughput, and complex data that are generated in the course of biomedical research and the practice of medicine.
Our primary goal in offering this Master of Biomedical Informatics degree is to contribute to the cadre of highly trained independent and successful researchers in the field of biomedical informatics. Our goal is to equip our students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences needed to engage meaningfully in this field.
Program Eligibility and Prerequisites
To apply to the Accelerated Master of Biomedical Informatics program, applicants must have received a PhD, MD, or comparable doctoral degree from an accredited domestic or foreign institution. Eligible doctoral degrees include, but are not limited to, the following: DDS, DMD, DO, DVM, OD, DPM, ScD, EngD, DrPH, DNSc, PharmD, DSW, and PsyD. Medical students who are enrolled in a clinically based doctoral degree and hold a Bachelor's degree who are looking to take a research year are also eligible to apply.
At the time of application, applicants must demonstrate, either through coursework, practical training, or other relevant experience, the following:
- Understanding of statistical concepts such as probability and statistical inference.
- Knowledge of computer science concepts.
Our most competitive applicants typically demonstrate working knowledge of R or Python, or another programming language. However, this is not a requirement at the time of application.
By the time of program start, applicants must be equipped with:
- A basic working knowledge of Python and/or R programming.
- This includes, but is not limited to, familiarity with data structures and types, designing algorithms to solve problems, and the ability to write functions, read and write data, and create plots with limited consultation of reference material.
A mandatory self-assessment will be sent to admitted students in April 2023 to identify areas in which they need to improve their programming skills before the start of the program in September 2023. A list of recommended online courses and other resources will be shared as well.
International Student Requirements
International student applicants for whom English is not their native language must demonstrate English Language Proficiency by meeting one of the following requirements:
- Hold a Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctoral degree from an accredited institution where English is the language of instruction.
- Obtain a score of 103 or higher on the TOEFL exam.
- Obtain a score of 7.5 or higher on the IELTS exam
- Obtain a score of 125 or higher on the Duolingo English Test
These are the minimum language proficiency requirements that must be demonstrated at the time of application. Applicants who submit an application without meeting these requirements will not have their application reviewed and will be denied admission.