Training Requirements for Research in BMI
The BMI program mission statement opens with a statement of intent to train the next generation of researchers in biomedical informatics. But beyond the obvious training in the science and technology in biomedical informatics, what are the skills which separate the skilled scientist from a promising recruit? To make scientific progress, we must train students to target novel problems with significant societal value in biomedicine and develop innovative methods in biomedical informatics.
Courses
In order to recognize significant and novel problems, students must have deep exposure and understanding of the scholarly community and literature not only in biomedical informatics but in related disciplines, such as, biomedicine, statistics and computer science. The BMI training program class requirements are designed to give students a foundation, not just in biomedical informatics but in these related areas as well. The courses provide the proficiency needed to understand the scholarly literature in biomedicine and computer science with the eventual goal that students may achieve independent progress at the interface between these two disciplines. To gain exposure to the current literature, students must formally enroll in at least two units of relevant seminar courses and are expected to attend a seminar series regularly even if not formally enrolled.
Research Rotations for First Year Academic MS and PhD students
Research rotations are critical for students in choosing their research lab or project. In addition, rotations broaden a student's research experience and familiarize students with ongoing research projects. Rotation possibilities and experiences are discussed quarterly with the Academic Advisor, or more frequently if desired. Rotations are set up by discussion of the student directly with the faculty member of interest. A handout of rotation sites is distributed during New Student Orientation and can also be found here. Rotations are typically one quarter in length, but the student can arrange more, shorter rotations. Rotations longer than one quarter are strongly discouraged, as the primary purpose of the rotation is to find a suitable thesis lab, not to obtain publication quality results. Students should choose their lab and Research Advisor by the end of their fifth quarter in the program (i.e. typically the end of the fall quarter of second year). Academic MS students should select their research project by the spring quarter or before. If the rotation advisor is not a primary BMI executive committee member, the student should engage a qualified and interested co-advisor (see policy on co-advisors) as early as possible. By default, the academic advisor is the co-advisor during rotations.
Teamwork
Biomedical Informatics is an interdisciplinary field where novel problems arise from biomedicine but solutions spring from mathematical models and knowledge representations and computer science. Practitioners must be able to work with colleagues with diverse specializations. The interdisciplinary nature of the field emphasizes the high importance of communication and teamwork. BMI students must learn to value and incorporate the expertise of those outside of the BMI domain. We require BMI students to participate in at least two research rotations and to enroll in biomedin 212 Introduction to Biomedical Informatics Research Methodology to gain exposure to working with new teams and projects in the field.
Communications
The most remarkable achievements will pass unnoticed if the results cannot be understood. Progress in biomedical informatics needs to be communicated to the biomedical, and computer science communities. However, the specialized backgrounds of each of the audiences imposes high need for clarity and conciseness in all communications, oral and written. The BMI program places high priority on the development of excellent communications skills. Students must demonstrate high proficiency in oral and written communications as part of the requirements for graduation for any of the BMI degrees.
Scholarly Merit
Candidates for the PhD are expected to demonstrate understanding of the literature by identifying meaningful problems in biomedicine and innovation with the development of a novel biomedical informatics solutions to these problems.
