Biomedical Informatics - Communications Skills Requirements
Strong communications skills, both written and oral, are essential in an interdisciplinary field. The development of collaborations and identification of meanful problems is dependent on scientific interchanges which crosses disciplinary boundaries. The trainee must be able to communicate clearly, concisely and the appropriate level for the background of the audience. Therefore, the Biomedical Informatics (BMI) Program integrates completion of extensive written and oral requirements as part of progress towards the degree.
Trainees must demonstrate strong communications skills in class, as part of the qualification to advancement to candidacy and completion of the requirements for the dissertation and graduation. Formal opportunities to develop these skills are described in greater detail in the sections devoted to oral and written communication skills, the requirement for the student presentations and the TA-ship.
The BMI program supports more general opportunities for students to develop their communication skills, present their work and advance their career. These opportunities include the Student Researchome (an informal venue for students to discuss their work), the Tsar or Tsarina position (the student representative to the Biomedical Informatics Executive Committee), the student-run Biomedical Computation At Stanford conference.
Students are encouraged to participate in the forums listed above.
