Columbia University Biomedical Informatics

Degree Programs

The department of Biomedical Informatics at Columbia University offers a variety of training opportunities to meet different needs:

Program	Prerequisite	Duration	Part-Time Study	Financial Support
MA	BA	1-4 years	YES	Self
PhD	BA	4-6 years	NO	Columbia or NLM
MD/PhD	BA	7-8 years	NO	Columbia or NLM
Post-doctoral fellowship (degree-granting)	Doctorate	2-3 years	NO	Columbia or NLM
Post-doctoral fellowship (non-degree)	Doctorate	2-3 years	NO	Columbia or NLM

Notes:

MA: This is the only program that can be completed on either a part-time or full-time basis on campus. No classes are available on-line. It prepares students for practical, hands-on careers in informatics. Master's candidates are self-funded. Many work part-time in the local community once enrolled. For international students, the ability to work while pursuing the degree may depend upon VISA status. MA students constitute approximately 30% of the student body.
PhD: This is a fully funded 4-5 year program for international and US students that is part of the Coordinated Doctoral Programs in the Biomedical Sciences. The PhD program can be pursued only on a full-time basis at Columbia. PhD students make up approximately 55% of our DBMI student body.
Post-doctoral Fellowship (degree-granting): This program is intended for postdoctoral trainees with a health professional doctorate or a PhD in another field. All fellows in this program earn a degree in addition to their full-time research experience. Duration is 2-3 years when the fellowship leads to an MA degree, and four or more years when a PhD is being sought. Postdoctoral M.A. students constitute approximately 15% of our student body.
Post-doctoral Fellowship (non-degree): This program offers research training exclusively for individuals who have an earned PhD (or equivalent) in biomedical informatics or a closely related field (such as computer science, psychology, cognitive science, biomedical engineering).

The field of Biomedical Informatics is very broad. Students can choose to focus on one of the four following tracks, which study the application of information technology and its impact on health and disease from the molecular level to whole populations:

Bioinformatics - the structure and function of cells and cell components; genomics; proteomics
Clinical Informatics - the delivery of patient care, nursing, and dentistry; electronic medical records; systems to improve the quality of health care and reduce cost
Public Health Informatics - the health of populations; systems to educate providers and patients; medical research systems. Special funding slots available through NLM

A somewhat outdated description of the program is available in an article published in the 2002 Yearbook of the International Biomedical Informatics Association (IMIA). There is additional information about requirements for admission, and an application to the program can be completed on-line. The department offers a rich curriculum for biomedical informatics students in the MA, PhD and postdoctoral programs, as well as students in other departments. A number of links and presentations provide additional education on informatics. Check the Academic Calendar for dates and times of departmental activities, the current course schedule, and the Biomedical Informatics FAQ.

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