applying to bmi

The Biomedical Informatics Training Program offers a combined course of study in bioinformatics and medical informatics. Students may choose to specialize in either area.

Graduate Education in Biomedical Informatics

There are four graduate degrees in the Biomedical Informatics Training Program: Ph.D., Professional M.S., Academic M.S., and the Co-terminal degree for Stanford undergraduates. Detailed information about each of these programs is included in the Admissions and Curriculum sections of this web site.

Please note the following 2007 application deadlines for 2008-2009:

The BMI program is designed to be flexible, and students tailor their courses of study to suit their interests. In addition, note that other Stanford departments offer bioinformatics education. They include the departments of Computer Science, Genetics and others, and students may choose to focus on bioinformatics within the context of those programs. Students who seek graduate work in biology emphasizing computation and who wish to use computational methods in their pursuit of research questions in the natural sciences will be better suited for Stanford's graduate programs in the biosciences, including departments such as Genetics, Structural Biology, and Developmental Biology. The program in Biomedical Informatics emphasizes research to develop and apply novel computational methods that can advance biomedicine. Students receive training in the investigation of new approaches to conceptual modeling and to development of new algorithms that address challenging problems in the biological sciences and clinical medicine.

Pre-requisites. Applicants should have a strong background in calculus, computer programming, statistics, linear algebra, biology, and physiology. Students without this background would have difficulty succeeding in the BMI graduate program. Please refer to the Stanford Bulletin for Stanford course descriptions.

1. Calculus (e.g. Math 51, 52, 53-equivalent to at least two).
Students without a working knowledge of calculus will be unable to take required courses in probability and statistics.
Mathematical and Computational Science course listings

2. Computer Programming (e.g. CS 106A,B).
Most courses in computer science required for the BMI degree assume a working knowledge of Java. Students without proficiency in Java or C programming will face significant difficulty finding suitable research projects.
Computer Science course listings

3. Basic statistics or linear algebra and probability theory (e.g. Stats 60, Math 103, 113, HRP 259). This background is assumed by the courses required for the BMI degree in probability and statistics, and knowledge of these concepts is necessary for basic work in any research laboratory.
Statistics course listings

4. Biology or Physiology (e.g. Biosciences 112 (Human Physiology) or Biosciences 41, 42, or 43 (Principles of Biology) and the corresponding laboratories, Biosci 44, X, Y). Given that part of the foundation of bioinformatics is in the biological sciences, students without basic knowledge of biomedicine will face significant difficulty finding suitable research projects.
Biological Sciences course listings

Undergraduate Education in Biomedical Informatics

The Biomedical Computation Major, which is offered by the School of Engineering at Stanford, provides students with a solid understanding of the biological sciences, the computational sciences, and biomedical computation. The program’s four core study areas are:

1. Informatics
2. Simulations
3. Molecular and cellular biology
4. Organs and organismal biology

Students in this program first learn the fundamentals of the field, and then focus on a specific area of their choice. For example, students choosing the cellular and simulation tracks might focus on drug design or genetic responses to drugs, while those choosing the organs and simulation track might examine tissue modeling.

Non-Degree Programs

The Biomedical Informatics Training Program also offers professional education in Bioinformatics or Clinical Informatics. We offer the following courses which are designed for work-study.

  • Short courses in either Bioinformatics or Medical Informatics
  • Graduate-level Certificates in Bioinformatics or Clinical Informatics

More information about the short courses or the Certificates.

We also offer a part-time Masters degree in Biomedical Informatics designed for those who wish to remain fully employed while studying towards their MS.

All of the professional education or continuing studies programs are offered via the Internet. Contact the Stanford Center for Professional Development (SCPD) if you are interested in registering for online classes. Academic institutions may license the course through SCPD.

Scholarly Concentration for Medical Students

The Biomedical Informatics Scholarly Concentration provides medical students with faculty-mentored scholarly experiences and structured curricula in areas of individual interest. This component of the M.D. curriculum is required for all M.D. candidates, and develops critical thinking skills in evaluation of new data, and hands-on experience with the methods by which new scholarly information is generated. The Scholarly Area in Biomedical Informatics provides the modern quantitative skills needed to analyze data in any field of biomedicine. It may be paired with any of the other Concentrations or medical students may choose BMI as their Concentration as well. Please contact Atul Butte, Director of the Biomedical Informatics Scholarly Area if you have questions (abutte@stanford.edu).