phd health informatics programs

Health Sciences Informatics, PhD

School of medicine.

The Ph.D. in Health Sciences Informatics offers the opportunity to participate in ground-breaking research projects in clinical informatics and data science at one of the world’s finest biomedical research institutions. In keeping with the traditions of the Johns Hopkins University and the Johns Hopkins Hospital, the Ph.D. program seeks excellence and commitment in its students to further the prevention and management of disease through the continued exploration and development of health informatics, health IT, and data science. Resources include a highly collaborative clinical faculty committed to research at the patient, provider, and system levels. The admissions process will be highly selective and finely calibrated to complement the expertise of faculty mentors.    

Areas of research:

• Clinical Decision Support
• Global Health Informatics
• Health Information Exchange (HIE)
• Human Computer Interaction
• Multi-Center Real World Data
• Patient Quality & Safety
• Population Health Analytics
• Precision Medicine Analytics
• Standard Terminologies
• Telemedicine
• Translational Bioinformatics

Individuals wishing to prepare themselves for careers as independent researchers in health sciences informatics, with applications experience in informatics across the entire health/healthcare life cycle, should apply for admission to the doctoral program.

Admission Criteria

Applicants with the following types of degrees and qualifications will be considered:

• BA or BS, with relevant technical and quantitative competencies and a record of scientific accomplishment as an undergraduate; 
• BA or BS, with relevant technical and quantitative competencies and a minimum of five years professional experience in a relevant field (e.g., biomedical research, data science, public health, etc.); or
• MA, MS, MPH, MLIS, MD, PhD, or other terminal degree, with relevant technical and quantitative competencies

Relevant fields include: medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, nursing, ancillary clinical sciences, public health, librarianship, biomedical science, bioengineering and pharmaceutical sciences, and computer and information science. An undergraduate minor or major in information or computer science is highly desirable.

The application is made available online through Johns Hopkins School of Medicine's website . Please note that paper applications are no longer accepted. The supporting documents listed below must be received by the SOM admissions office by December 15 of the following year. Applications will not be reviewed until they are complete and we have all supporting letters and documentation.

• Curriculum Vitae (including list of peer-reviewed publications and scientific presentations)
• Three Letters of Recommendation
• Statement of Purpose
• Official Transcripts from undergraduate and any graduate studies
• Certification of terminal degree
• You are also encouraged to submit a portfolio of published research, writing samples, and/or samples of website or system development

Please track submission of supporting documentation through the SLATE admissions portal.

If you have questions about your qualifications for this program, please contact [email protected]

Program Requirements

The PhD curriculum will be highly customized based on the student's background and needs. Specific courses and milestones will be developed in partnership with the student's advisor and the PhD Program Director.

The proposed curriculum is founded on four high-level principles:

• Achieving a balance between theory and research, and between breadth and depth of knowledge
• Creating a curriculum around student needs, background, and goals
• Teaching and research excellence
• Modeling professional behavior locally and nationally.

Individualized curriculum plans will be developed to build proficiencies in the following areas:

• Foundations of biomedical informatics: e.g., lifecycle of information systems, decision support
• Information and computer science: e.g., software engineering, programming languages, design and analysis of algorithms, data structures.
• Research methodology: research design, epidemiology, and systems evaluation; mathematics for computer science (discrete mathematics, probability theory), mathematical statistics, applied statistics, mathematics for statistics (linear algebra, sampling theory, statistical inference theory, probability); ethnographic methods.
• Implementation sciences: methods from the social sciences (e.g., organizational behavior and management, evaluation, ethics, health policy, communication, cognitive learning sciences, psychology, and sociological knowledge and methods), health economics, evidence-based practice, safety, quality.
• Specific informatics domains: clinical informatics, public health informatics, analytics
• Practical experience: experience in informatics research, experience with health information technology.

Basic Requirements & Credit Distribution

• 15 "core" quarter credits (5 courses)
• 8 quarter credits of Student Seminar & Grand Rounds
• 60 elective quarter credits
• 6 quarter credits practicum/research rotation
• 36 mentored research quarter credits (12 in year 1, 24 in year 2)
• Research Ethics

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• Knowledge Center
• ACI Journal

Doctorate in Health Informatics

McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics is the first school in the nation to offer an advanced, practice degree in health informatics. The Doctorate in Health Informatics (DHI) provides unique curriculum that was custom-built for executive-level professionals seeking a terminal, applied degree in the field of health informatics.

The program is best suited for individuals who have at least three (3) years of informatics experience at the management or supervisory level. An applicant who lacks substantial informatics in her or his background must at least have advanced IT work experience.

The DHI is a 63-semester credit hour program for students who already hold a master’s degree in health informatics, or a related field. Students without a master’s degree in health informatics, or a related field, can enter the program with a bachelor’s degree. However, those students must complete 33 semester credit hours of didactic coursework before starting the DHI curriculum.

This practice doctorate provides informatics leaders with the advanced education required to translate evidence from original research, evaluate current practices, and utilize critical thinking to accelerate the adoption of best informatics practices in clinical and healthcare organizations. Because the program is geared towards working professionals, instruction for the DHI is in a hybrid environment with more than 50% of the coursework taught online. Students will be required to make visits to the McWilliams’ campus each semester to meet with their classmates, instructors and advisors.

Rather than write a dissertation for the culminating project, the DHI program requires a large-scale translational project that students must complete in a healthcare organization.

Program Type: Doctoral Program Format: Online Program Website Share

The PhD in Personal Health Informatics at Northeastern University prepares students to lead research and development of new person- and patient-facing technologies that will transform healthcare delivery within the U.S. and around the world.

The program combines a strong foundation in human-computer interface technology and experimental design in health sciences with a research program focused on exploring how technology designed with a patient- or person-facing perspective might transform healthcare delivery. It brings together students who have a strong health science background and a desire to develop innovative technologies with students who have strong technical backgrounds and a passion for using technology for disruptive innovation in the health care industry.

In addition to focusing on technology to support healthcare, wellness, and coping with chronic conditions, the program provides a strong foundation in health science and experimental methodology in the health sciences, with practical experience gained during the program by immersion in one or more of Boston’s outstanding medical research institutions. Highly trained professionals with the skills and knowledge and experience to lead transdisciplinary teams in the design and validation of new health technologies are increasingly in demand in academia, industry, government, and non-profit public health organizations.

• Admitted PhD students are guaranteed full tuition scholarship and are supported with stipends or fellowships for the first five years of their program
• Joint program between the Khoury College of Computer Sciences and the Bouvé College of Health Sciences
• Unique program perspective focusing on consumer/patient facing technologies
• Program faculty are working on projects in consumer informatics, clinical informatics, behavioral informatics, and assistive technologies
• PhD students must complete and defend a dissertation that involves original research in personal health informatics
• The program focuses on Personal Health Informatics studying the healthcare system and wellness systems and supporting technologies from the patient or consumer perspective. The emphasis is on technologies that can be proven to enhance care in medical and non-medical settings, throughout all life stages and for sick, well, and specially-challenged populations of people.
• The program includes a usability evaluation practicum requirement, where all students are immersed in a healthcare context studying needs from the patient’s and consumer’s perspective and develop skills in ethnography and design.
• The program immerses all students in a one-year transdisciplinary experiential learning team project course, where core concepts are put into practice to prepare students for independent research that spans technical and health domains.

Personal Health Informatics stands to play a key role in the future of medicine. Many health systems worldwide today are focused on “sickcare,” rather than prevention and wellness. They are costly and slow to adapt to changing needs and demographics, and they are under enormous financial strain. In developing countries, large populations are served with few caregivers and often with limited resources and communication systems. Interest in consumer- and patient-facing interfaces is exploding, with industry and academia taking advantage of advances in consumer-electronics to develop novel health technologies using the Internet (e.g., personal health records), mobile devices, advanced sensors, and sophisticated computing techniques such as pattern recognition, machine learning, data mining, dialogue understanding, and advanced visualization. Northeastern’s PHI program will educate researchers who will lead this emerging industry and transform the way healthcare is delivered and wellness is managed in the U.S and worldwide.

Application Materials

• Online application and fee
• Unofficial undergraduate/graduate transcripts (you can submit official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended at the time of admission)
• Statement of purpose that should include career goals and expected outcomes and benefits from the program
• Recent professional resume listing detailed position responsibilities
• Three confidential letters of recommendation
• GRE Test Scores Optional for 2022-23
• Degree earned or in progress at an U.S. institution
• Degree earned or in progress at an institution where English is the only medium of instruction
• Official exam scores from either the TOEFL iBT, IELTS, or  PTE exam
• Applicants seeking enrollment prior to the Fall 2023 term should apply through this  link .

Application

Applicants must submit the online application and all required admission materials no later than the stated deadlines to be considered for admission. Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis.

Applicants are reviewed annually for acceptance to the Fall Term:

• December 15: Priority deadline

Applicants seeking enrollment prior to the Fall 2023 term should apply at the link under application materials below.

• Program Website

Request Information for PhD in Personal Health Informatics

PhD in Biomedical Informatics

The PhD program in Biomedical Informatics is part of the   Coordinated Doctoral Programs in Biomedical Sciences . Students are trained to employ a scientific approach to information in health care and biomedicine. Students may only enroll full-time, as required by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). The first two years are generally devoted to coursework and research. Subsequent years focus on independent research that culminates in a dissertation. 

Our PhD students come from top universities in the country and around the world. The group is dynamic and engaged, breaking new ground in informatics research as evidenced by their strong publication records. Our students are highly collaborative, frequently assisting on each other’s projects, sharing ideas, and supporting each other.

The program consists of core courses that are required of every student and provide a foundation in general biomedical informatics methods, techniques and theories, while electives enable students to apply these methods to one or more areas of specialization in bioinformatics, translational, clinical informatics, clinical research informatics, or public health informatics. In addition, students conduct research, assist in teaching (if PhD or postdoctoral trainees), and attend colloquia.

Degree Requirements

​ Courses : A minimum of 60 points of Columbia University graduate (4000 level or above) coursework, 6 residence units, consisting of:

• Research each term (BINF G6001, BINF G9001)
• 5 core classes
• 2 domain (specialization) courses
• 3 educational objectives courses
• 1 ethics course (spring term of first year)
• serving as a TA for 2 classes (or 1 class for MD-PhD students)
• 1 research seminar each term

Students must complete a minimum of 60 points of Columbia University instruction at the 4000 level or higher, address any admission deficiencies, and complete DBMI degree requirements. In years three and above, research is the primary focus of the student’s degree program, and the number of hours spent on research increases with each year in the program. Students enroll in BINF G6001 fall and spring terms as follows: a) 6 points each term year one, 9 points each term year two, 12 points each term years three and above. Students enroll in BINF G9001 in lieu of BINF G6001 the term following successful completion of the Oral II/Depth Exam. In their final term of enrollment, students will also register for BINF G9999 Doctoral Dissertation for 0 points. Students should pursue five goals when conducting research, and the grade earned in the required research classes (BINF G6001, BINF G9001) will reflect how well the student has achieved these goals: 1) understand the nature of informatics research 2) master intellectual and technical skills necessary for research 3) read and apply the scientific literature, 4) develop skill in scientific writing 5) demonstrate a responsible working attitude.

Ethics:  PhD students are required to enroll in CMBS G4010 Responsible Conduct of Research and Related Policy Issues in their second term in the program.

Teaching Assistantship: Students are required to serve as teaching assistants (TAs) for two courses in the department. In order to earn credit for TA responsibilities, students need to register for two points of BINF G8010 MPhil Teaching Experience each semester in which they serve as a TA. Students and faculty are solicited in spring term for their top 3 preferences. The Training Committee assigns TAs based on faculty and student preferences and departmental needs. The assignments will be communicated to students and faculty by the Graduate Program Manager. PhD students are required to TA two courses. Two-year postdoctoral research fellows TA one course; three-year postdoctoral research fellows TA two courses. MD-PhD students TA one course.

Seminar: PhD students are required to enroll in the weekly DBMI seminar. PhD students in the bio track are required to enroll in the DBMI seminar in their first year in the program, and may substitute the Systems Biology seminar in year 2 and beyond.

Residence Units: PhD students accrue 6 residence units for the degree. They are enrolled in the appropriate residence unit category by the GSAS Office of Graduate Affairs every fall and spring term.

Milestones: There are four milestones for PhD students:

• Breadth Exam
• Dissertation Proposal
• Dissertation Defense

Academic progress is tracked each semester by the students and their academic advisors (see Forms page for semester forms)

Research Rotations With the exception of MD-PhD students whose research rotation occurs between years 1 and 2 of medical school, all PhD students rotate in two different research labs their first year. Research rotations begin by the end of the change of program (add/drop) period of each term. The second research rotation begins the first day of classes of spring term. Projects should be completed prior to the start of the subsequent term. The permanent research advisor is chosen by May 15 of the first year. The Training Committee grants final approval of research rotations and permanent research advisor selections. Work with the permanent research advisor commences the next business day following the last day of final exams. A third summer rotation is possible with the Committee’s permission.

For first year students rotating with different research advisors, the Fall term dates for the first research rotation of BINF G6001 are the second week of September through the MLK, Jr. Holiday. For Spring term, the dates are the day following the MLK, Jr. holiday (the first day of classes) until the last date of final examinations ( see the online University academic calendar ) .  Work with the permanent research advisor commences the next business day following the last day of final exams.

Rotation Research Advisor Prior to the start of the Fall and Spring semesters, first-year PhD students should contact the faculty with whom they are considering doing a rotation to request an appointment. Selection of a research rotation advisor must be official by the end of the drop/add period of each semester. Students should discuss expectations for the rotation as well as a finite project to be completed by the end of the term of the rotation with the research advisor. This prevents projects continuing into the next semester which impacts the output of the new research rotation. The project should not depend on applying for a new IRB as this will delay the research into the subsequent semester, which is ill-advised. The Training Committee grants final approval of research advisors.

Register for research credit and a letter grade (6 points in fall and spring of first year, 9 points in fall and spring of second year, 12 points in fall and spring all subsequent years).

Publications PhD students and postdoctoral fellows are expected to make submissions to publications and conferences each year. The frequency and appropriateness of these submissions are decided by the research advisor. No student or fellow may submit work to any publication or conference without the expressed prior approval of their research advisor. Prior to submission, the research advisor must review final versions of all papers and abstracts submitted to journals, conferences, books or other publications. This policy applies to all publications, regardless of authorship, that deal with work that has been done at DBMI, Columbia University, or any affiliated institution(s).

Funding More information about funding sources and fellowships is available in the Student Funding page .​

PhD in Personal Health Informatics

The PhD in Personal Health Informatics (PHI) is a joint program between the Khoury College of Computer Sciences and Bouvé College of Health Sciences . It combines interdisciplinary curriculum with rigorous research opportunities, including collaborations with industry partners, medical institutions, community organizations, and other partners throughout Boston’s robust health, technology, and personal health sectors.

The program focuses on innovations that improve care from the patient’s perspective, setting us apart from medical and health informatics degrees that focus primarily on the impact of provider-facing systems. These personal health technologies are used by non-health professionals both in and out of clinical settings and in various life stages of illness and wellness. We are committed to educating future leaders who will transform health care and empower individuals to lead healthy, engaged, and high-quality lives.

• Explore plan of study
• View program requirements
• How to apply
• Request info

PhD students at Khoury College gain deep knowledge and invaluable experience—preparing them for a career in academia as well as research.

Learning Outcomes

This program seeks to produce graduates who are capable of leading and performing independent, new research projects related to personal health informatics and who are well prepared to enter into a number of potential career paths, including industrial research positions, government consultants, or postdoctoral or junior faculty positions in academic institutions in either technology programs or schools of health science, public health, or medicine.

Degree Outcomes

The dissertation committee evaluates whether the student has produced a significant contribution to personal health informatics research. The process used by the dissertation committee is based on an assessment of the goals and objectives described in the written PhD proposal. Student success can also be measured in the number and quality of publications generated by the research.

Improving Effectiveness

Publication venues will provide a means to assess the quality of the program, as well as the research projects. External research funding and incoming student quality will be used to measure program strength. In addition, graduates will be asked for feedback concerning their training and program preparation.

Our flagship campus in Boston is just minutes away from esteemed universities, exciting start-ups, and leaders in tech, finance, health care, and more.

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Doctorate in Health Informatics Online

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Updated July 12, 2023

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Degree Options and Potential Careers

Pursuing a Ph.D. in health informatics online takes commitment and dedication, but the hard work often pays off with career opportunities. As the  healthcare field continues to grow  and advance technologically, the workforce also expands. Consequently, healthcare is the  second most popular bachelor's program  and the third most popular master's program. This creates more demand for college-level healthcare teachers.

When you earn a doctorate in health informatics online, however, opportunities extend into many other areas. Graduates can explore the medical management profession , pursue  computer and information research , or apply their skills to a management analyst role in a variety of industries. This guide explores doctorate in health informatics online programs in more detail, highlighting what they entail and what career opportunities they can result in.

Should I Earn an Online Ph.D. in Health Informatics?

While students have personal motives for pursuing a Ph.D. in health informatics online, here are some of the more common reasons:

Growing collegiate student body

With the influx of students pursuing bachelor's and master's degrees in healthcare and health informatics, the need for instructors increases. A Ph.D. in health informatics online gives graduates the skills and qualifications to earn teaching positions and prepares them for the field's technological evolution.

Technological developments in healthcare

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the adoption of electronic records and advanced information technology systems in healthcare calls for managers with information technology and informatics expertise. Because of that, many healthcare professionals pursue doctorates to gain specialized technology skills and position themselves for management careers.

Broadly applicable skills

Advanced training in informatics, like that in a doctoral program, provides students with the ability to use technology to solve complex problems, monitor large-scale data groups, and improve decision-making processes. While important to healthcare, these skills also apply to a variety of other careers and industries, like business, manufacturing, logistics, and research.

Helping Others

At the core of all healthcare careers is the desire to help people. Health informatics professionals with doctorates can create change and truly impact the healthcare system overall. Through their research, design, or decision-making, graduates of these programs serve their communities and the world through their work.

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What Can I Do With an Online Ph.D. in Health Informatics?

After earning a Ph.D. in health informatics online, graduates can pursue a variety of industries. Many doctoral program graduates pursue careers in academia, working as professors and performing scholarly research. Similarly, graduates can pursue research positions. While researchers typically work at universities, they can also work at government institutions, medical institutions, and private or nonprofit organizations.

In the healthcare industry, doctoral graduates tend to occupy the highest positions.  According to the BLS , advancement to top-level executive positions typically requires a master's degree, with doctorates offering additional qualifications. That applies to hospitals, health centers, research institutions, and clinics.

Graduates may also seek out consulting or analyst positions -- roles that allow them to move between locations, helping other organizations make better decisions and solve problems. This type of opportunity may come from outside the healthcare world, as the technical skills acquired in a healthcare informatics doctoral program can also aid in business and manufacturing. The following list looks at some of the best options available.

Career Profiles

Postsecondary teacher.

These teachers instruct and train the students in colleges and universities, conduct research, and publish scholarly work. Postsecondary teachers typically instruct in their fields of expertise. Most teaching positions at the postsecondary level require candidates with doctorates, and some may need additional licensure or certifications.

Medical Manager

Medical managers  oversee clinics, departments, and facilities in the healthcare field. They do administrative work and ensure everyone follows relevant laws, policies, and procedures. While this career features varying requirements, many upper-level positions, like  medical directors in large institutions , need a doctorate for consideration.

Medical Scientist

Medical scientists research, test, and run clinical trials to help improve care delivery, health outcomes, medicine, and medical care devices. While most professionals in this field have doctorates, many also have medical degrees. Health informatics doctorate holders, however, can work with medical devices, do public health research, or explore quantitative and analytical models of data collection.

Management Analyst

Management analysts  assess organizational processes and advise on ways of improving. This may include evaluating day-to-day functions, finances, logistics, or the marketplace. While many employers prefer candidates with master's degrees as a minimum, doctoral degree holders may gain access to management, senior-level, or partner positions in the organization.

Health Informatics Specialist

Health informatics specialists  manage the information systems in their organizations. They may design and implement improved systems or evaluate current systems for inefficiencies. While many professionals in this field begin with a bachelor's degree, those with doctorates often enjoy substantial salary increases  and management positions.

Health Informatics Ph.D. Program Overview

Every online Ph.D. program in health informatics features its own unique curriculum, and students benefit from flexibility and freedom in how they complete the degree. Yet, many of the programs share elements, and students should know what to expect from a doctorate in health informatics online program. The following information identifies some of the typical application requirements, offered courses, and outcomes available to graduates.

Application Requirements and Admission Criteria

Admission requirements for doctoral programs vary considerably, but students can expect to see some of the following criteria. Nearly all applicants need a master's degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA, and some programs have prerequisites, like computer programming, statistics, and health sciences. Many doctoral programs also require GRE scores, especially for the quantitative score.

Applicants also need strong letters of recommendation and a personal statement that addresses the candidate's connection to or interest in the field or highlights intended research. While program advisors may not expect a full research plan, they often want to see what students are interested in and how that aligns with the department's goals.

Every program features a unique curriculum, but there are some common elements. Curricula often divide into sections, including core, research, clinical, and elective courses. Some programs also offer general education courses. While the following information covers a health informatics doctorate generally, students should note that some programs emphasize independent research while others feature more coursework or clinical practice.

Core courses cover topics related to the major. This includes healthcare courses, technology courses, and advanced mathematics. Depending on the program, the core section typically makes up about 35% of credit requirements. Electives also make up about 35%, but electives at the doctorate level include specialization, interdisciplinary, and complementary courses. Students use these credits to do research or branch out professionally after graduation.

The clinical and research sections make up the remaining 30% of the program, though that can vary depending on the degree. Students pursuing academia often perform more research while writing a dissertation or completing a research project whereas those pursuing a career outside academia may dedicate more time to gaining clinical experience. Below are some of the standard courses students in these programs might encounter.

• Translational Bioinformatics In this course, students analyze biological data with the goal of improving human health, care delivery, prognostics, and diagnostics. The course trains learners to use this information to create clinical strategies that other medical professionals can apply.
• Healthcare Databases Students learn how to operate health information systems and design databases to record information and solve healthcare problems.
• Healthcare Analytics This course offers training in the use of healthcare information to provide improved healthcare processes. Students learn to design analytical models that generate informative insights from data.
• Clinical Software Engineering In this course, students learn what successful clinical software needs and what the field lacks or requires. They also learn how to design and create this software.
• Advanced Research Methodology At the doctorate level, learners must conduct intensive research, and many students continue that during their careers. This course teaches students a variety of research methods, including the ethics and challenges that go along with it.
• Project Management This course covers the management of complex projects, including employee and volunteer training, resource allocation, and performance evaluation. Students may also learn motivation and leadership techniques.

Program Outcomes

While completing a Ph.D. in health informatics online, students gain a set of skills and competencies that set them in good stead moving forward. The advanced medical and healthcare foundation gives graduates a solid footing to manoeuvre through the healthcare system. They also gain the management skills and qualifications to pursue executive positions.

As the industry becomes more reliant on technology, finding professionals and managers with the ability to operate and oversee these advanced systems and devices is paramount. Healthcare informatics graduates gain these skills, which also translate into a variety of other industries, affording graduates more choice and flexibility in their career paths.

Finally, doctorate students generally gain excellent research, problem-solving, and analytical skills. While these abilities apply to a variety of career paths, they particularly stand out in health informatics, where much of the day-to-day work relies heavily on analysis. With an informatics Ph.D., graduates set themselves up for success.

Accreditation for Online Health Informatics Ph.D. Programs

Accreditation is one of the most important considerations when reviewing online Ph.D. programs in health informatics. Not only does accreditation verify that the school meets industry standards, but it also tells employers, funding agencies, and other schools that the applicant has the knowledge and skills that come with the degree.

At the institutional level, schools need regional accreditation from an approved accrediting agency . When it comes to programs, a variety of national accrediting agencies overlook the healthcare industry. This type of accreditation is beneficial but not always necessary. To ensure their programs received proper accreditation, students can search for schools in the  Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs .

Ph.D. in Health Informatics Online

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#1 Doctorate in Health Informatics Online

The University of Minnesota Twin Cities

• Minneapolis, MN
• Online + Campus

learners looking to secure an advanced career in health informatics should consider the University of Minnesota Twin Cities' health informatics doctoral program. The Minneapolis-based school supports online learning in its doctor of philosophy in health informatics. Students also gain skills and knowledge transferrable to careers beyond the academy, such as research or management positions.

The online program allows full-time and part-time study, accommodating working professionals and busy enrollees. A doctorate typically takes between 4–6 years to complete, though part-time enrollment may take longer. At the end of the program, candidates complete and defend a research-driven dissertation.

The University of Minnesota Twin Cities at a Glance:

Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota

School Type: Public

Admission Rate: 57%

Graduate Tuition In State: $17,580

Graduate Tuition Out of State: $27,204

Percent of Students Awarded Financial Aid: 81%

Average Amount of Aid Awarded: $9,544

Average Price After Aid: $17,279

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PhD in Health Sciences Informatics Program

The PhD is a campus based program only.

Directed by Hadi Kharrazi, MD, PhD, the program offers the opportunity to participate in ground breaking research projects in clinical informatics at one of the world’s finest medical schools. In keeping with the tradition of the Johns Hopkins University and the Johns Hopkins Hospital, the program seeks excellence and commitment in its students to further the prevention and management of disease through the continued exploration and development of health IT. Division resources include a highly collaborative clinical faculty committed to research at the patient, provider and system levels. The admissions process will be highly selective and finely calibrated to complement the expertise of faculty mentors.

Areas of research:

• Clinical Decision Support
• Global Health Informatics
• Health Information Exchange (HIE)
• Human Computer Interaction
• Multi-Center Real World Data
• Patient Quality & Safety
• Population Health Analytics
• Precision Medicine Analytics
• Standard Terminologies
• Telemedicine
• Translational Bioinformatics

Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative

As diverse PhD students at Johns Hopkins, Vivien Thomas scholars will receive the academic and financial support needed to ensure their success, including up to six years of full tuition support, a stipend, health insurance and other benefits, along with significant mentorship, research, professional development and community-building opportunities.

Click here to read more.

Application Requirements for the PhD in Health Sciences Informatics

Applicants with the following degrees and qualifications will be considered:

• BA or BS, or
• BA or BS, and a minimum of five years professional experience in a relevant field, or
• MA, MLS, MD or other PhD, with no further requirements.

"Relevant fields" include medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, nursing, ancillary clinical sciences, public health, librarianship, biomedical basic science, bioengineering and pharmaceutical sciences and computer and information science. An undergraduate minor or major in information or computer science is highly desirable.

The Application Process

Applications for the class entering in academic year 2024-2025 will be accepted starting in September 1, 2023 through December 15, 2023. (The application is made available through the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine here. )

Please note that paper applications are no longer accepted. The supporting documents listed below must be received by the SOM admissions office by December 15, 2023 . Applications will not be reviewed until they are complete and we have all supporting letters and documentation. 

• Curriculum vitae
• Three letters of recommendation
• Official transcript of school record
• Certification of terminal degree
• Statement of Purpose
• You may also submit a portfolio of published research, or samples of website or system development to support your application if you wish.

This program does not require the GRE.

Important Transcript Information

It is the policy of the School of Medicine Registrar that new students have a complete set of original transcripts on file prior to matriculation showing the degree awarded and date. An official transcript is one that is addressed to the Office of Graduate Student Affairs and sent directly from the granting institution to Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Office of Graduate Student Affairs, 1830 East Monument Street, Ste. 620, Baltimore, MD 21287. The transcript envelope must be sealed and stamped on arrival at the OGSA office. Transcripts addressed to the student can not be accepted even if they are sent to the OGSA address above.

Program Description

Individuals wishing to prepare themselves for careers as independent researchers in health sciences informatics, with applications experience in informatics across the entire health/healthcare life cycle, should apply for admission to the doctoral program. The following are specific requirements:

• A student should plan and successfully complete a coherent program of study including the core curriculum, Oral Examination, and additional requirements of the Research Master’s program. In addition, doctoral candidates are expected to take at least two more advanced courses. In the first year, two or three research rotations are strongly encouraged. The Master’s requirements, as well as the Oral Examination, should be completed by the end of the second year in the program. Doctoral students routinely will not be receiving a Masters degree on their way to the PhD; particular exceptions will be decided on a case-by-case basis. Doctoral students are generally advanced to PhD candidacy after passing the Oral Examination. A student’s academic advisor has primary responsibility for the adequacy of the program, which is regularly reviewed by the Doctoral Study Committee (DSC) of the Health Sciences Informatics (HSI) program.
• The student must have a minimum of two consecutive semesters (four quarters) of full time enrollment and resident on campus as a graduate student
• To remain in the PhD program, each student must receive no less than an B in core courses, must attain a grade point average (GPA) as outlined above, and must pass a comprehensive exam covering introductory level graduate material in any curriculum category in which he or she fails to attain a GPA of 3.0. The student must fulfill these requirements and apply for admission to candidacy for the PhD by the end of six quarters of study (excluding summers). In addition, reasonable progress in the student’s research activities is expected of all doctoral candidates.
• During the third year of training, generally in the Winter Quarter, each doctoral student is required to present a pre-proposal seminar that describes evolving research plans and allows program faculty to assure that the student is making good progress toward the definition of a doctoral dissertation topic. By the end of nine quarters (excluding summers), each student must orally present a thesis proposal to a dissertation committee that generally includes at least one member of the Graduate Study Committee of the Health Sciences Informatics program. The committee determines whether the student’s general knowledge of the field, and the details of the planned thesis, are sufficient to justify proceeding with the dissertation.
• As part of the training for the PhD, each student is required to be a teaching assistant for two courses approved by the DHSI Executive Committee; one should be completed in the first two years of study.
• The most important requirement for the PhD degree is the dissertation. Prior to the oral dissertation proposal and defense, each student must secure the agreement of a member of the program faculty to act as dissertation advisor. The University Preliminary Oral Exam (UPO) committee must consist of five faculty members, two of whom to be from outside the program, with the chair of the UPO committee coming from outside the program. The Thesis Committee comprises the principal advisor, who must be an active member of the HSI program faculty, and other, approved non HSI faculty members. Thesis committees must meet formally at least annually. Upon completion of the thesis research, each student must then prepare a formal written thesis, based on guidelines provide by the Doctor of Philosophy Board of the University.
• No oral examination is required upon completion of the dissertation. The oral defense of the dissertation proposal satisfies the University oral examination requirement.
• The student is expected to demonstrate the ability to present scholarly material orally and present his or her research in a lecture at a formal seminar, lecture, or scientific conference.
• The dissertation must be accepted by a reading committee composed of the principal dissertation advisor, a member of the program faculty, and a third member chosen from anywhere within the University. All University guidelines for thesis preparation and final graduation must be met.
• The Executive Committee documents that all Divisional or committee requirements have been met.

Program Handbook

Details about our program's policies are provided in our handbook here .

In addition, mentoring advising and resources are provided in this appendix .

An annual discussion and planning form is provided here for your reference.

Course Offerings

The proposed curriculum is founded on four high-level principles:

• Balance between theory and research, and between breadth and depth of knowledge: By providing a mix of research and practical experiences and a mix of curricular requirements.
• Student-oriented curriculum design: By creating the curriculum around student needs, background, and goals, and aiming at long-term competence using a combination of broadly-applicable methodological knowledge, and a strong emphasis on self-learning skills.
• Teaching and research excellence: By placing emphasis on student and teaching quality rather than quantity, by concentrating on targeted areas of biomedical informatics, and by close student guidance and supervision.
• Developing leadership: By modeling professional behavior locally and nationally.

The Health Sciences Informatics Doctoral Curriculum integrates knowledge and skills from:

• Foundations of biomedical informatics: Includes the lifecycle of information systems, decision support.
• Information and computer science: E.g. computer organization, computability, complexity, operating systems, networks, compilers and formal languages, data bases, software engineering, programming languages, design and analysis of algorithms, data structures.
• Research methodology: Includes research design, epidemiology, and systems evaluation; mathematics for computer science (discrete mathematics, probability theory), mathematical statistics, applied statistics, mathematics for statistics (linear algebra, sampling theory, statistical inference theory, probability).
• Implementation sciences: Methods from the social sciences (e.g., organizational behavior and management, evaluation, ethics, health policy, communication, cognitive learning sciences, psychology, and sociological knowledge and methods.) Health economics, evidence-based practice, safety, quality.
• Specific informatics domains: Clinical informatics, public health informatics.
• Practical experience: Experience in informatics research, experience with health information technology.

To achieve in-depth learning of the above knowledge and skills we adopt a student-oriented curriculum design, whereby we identify “teaching or learning processes,” that is, structured activities geared towards learning (i.e., courses/projects/assignments, seminars, examinations, defenses, theses, teaching requirements, directed study, research, service, internships). These processes were selected, adapted, or created in order to meet a set of pre-specified learning objectives that were identified by the faculty as being important for graduates to master.

The requirements are:

• 35 quarter credits/17.5 semester credits Core Courses (9 courses + research seminar 8 quarters)
• 48 quarter credits/24 semester credits Electives (may include optional practicum/research)
• 6 quarter credits/3 semester credits ME 250.855 practicum/ research rotation
• 36 quarter credits/18 semester credits ME 250.854 Mentored Research
• 125 TOTAL quarter credits/62.5 semester credits

Students are required to be trained in HIPAA and IRB submission, and to take the Course of Research Ethics.

IRB Compliance Training:

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/institutional_review_board/training_req…

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Do you want to learn how to use cutting-edge technologies

to help people better understand, manage, and improve their health? The health informatics track may be for you.

Through your studies, you will have an impact on the research community and the world by empowering people to manage their health outside of a clinical setting. You might examine:

• Population-based technologies, such as algorithms that use new data sources to better predict the spread of disease
• Patient-facing technologies, such as applications patients can use to manage and improve their own health
• Personalized medicine, which combines biology and chemistry to determine the best treatment for an individual based on their genome and other factors
• Infrastructure technologies, such as computation that preserves privacy or data mining of a large amount of health data

Learn about related research

The Health Informatics group designs, develops, and evaluates intelligent learning systems to empower people to better understand, manage, and improve their health.

Track Guide

Students who graduate from the Health Informatics programs in the School of Informatics and Computing at Indiana University understand how to combine cutting edge, innovative technologies with the latest in data analytics to design, implement, and evaluate technologies to help people better understand, manage, and improve their health. Students increase their impact in their research community and the world by empowering patients outside of the clinical setting where people live, work, and play.

The Health Informatics PhD program consists of a rigorous course sequence that introduces students to the fundamentals of design, implementation, data analytics, and evaluation. Students choose between a Design focused or Data-focused degree, selecting electives that fit their interests. Students tailor their degree with an emphasis on a particular health domain.

Primary Track Faculty

James Clawson

James Clawson’s research interests are in HCI, ubiquitous and wearable computing, and mobile health with a focus on designing and evaluating systems that support patient’s everyday engagement with their health and wellness. His recent work includes two yearlong in-the-wild deployments of mobile health technologies to support breast cancer patients as well as investigating the adoption, use, and abandonment of wearable health tracking technologies.

Dana Habeeb

Dana Habeeb is trained as an architect and urban designer. She brings a design perspective to her research in environmental planning and health. She investigates ways to engage and empower individuals to respond to current and future environmental problems by synthesizing research in climate change, public health, and environmental sensing.

Patrick Shih

Patrick Shih utilizes mixed methods approaches to tackle research problems in online and geographic communities. Specifically, my current research focuses on leveraging awareness of individual and community activities embedded in sensor technologies, smart devices, social media, and online forums in the design and construction of novel persuasive interfaces and civic engagement platforms that facilitate sustainable motivational and behavioral changes.

Katie Siek’s primary research interests are in human computer interaction, health informatics, and ubiquitous computing. More specifically, she is interested in how sociotechnical interventions affect personal health and well being. Her research is supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the National Science Foundation including a five-year NSF CAREER award. She has been awarded a CRA-W Borg Early Career Award and a Scottish Informatics and Computer Science Alliance Distinguished Visiting Fellowship.

Health Informatics Program Structure

Required courses.

The incoming PhD students in the Health Informatics track are a single cohort, but their courses will be tailored to their particular interests. There are a total of 90 credits in the Health Informatics PhD track. One recommended sequence for the first year of coursework is shown on the right.

All courses provided by faculty in the Health Informatics track, including the I609 and I709 Advanced Seminars, are open to and welcome students from other tracks and programs.

• I501: Introduction to Informatics
• I502: Human-Centered Research Methods in Informatics
• I527: Mobile & Pervasive Design
• I530: Field Deployments
• INFO I609 Seminar I in Informatics
• INFO I709 Seminar II in Informatics

NOTE: A student must take I609 and/or I709.

• INFO I790 Informatics Research Rotation (3 cr.)

NOTE: A student must complete two rotations of I790. A third rotation will not count for course credit.

• Theory and Methodology Requirement (12 cr.)

NOTE: Three courses are required and must be appropriate for a Ph.D. in Informatics.

• Minor (6-15 cr.)

NOTE: A student must complete an internal or external minor approved by the University Graduate School and the School. If a student selects an individualized minor, prior to taking courses, the University Graduate School must approve the proposed minor course list. There is no typical minor; however, students in the Health Informatics track often pursue a minor in Public Health, HCI/d, or Education.

• Electives (12-30 cr.)

NOTE: All electives must be approved by the student’s advisor and the Director of the Informatics Graduate Studies prior to enrolling in the course.

• INFO I890 Thesis Readings and Research.

Optional Courses

• I526 Applied Machine Learning
• I535 Privacy & Security of Health Information

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Information Science Ph.D. With a Concentration in Health Informatics

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We're so glad you're interested in UNT! Let us know if you'd like more information and we'll get you everything you need.

Why Earn an Information Science Ph.D. With a Concentration in Health Informatics?

The UNT Information Science Ph.D. program with a concentration in Health Informatics responds to the varied and changing needs of an information age, increasing recognition of the central role of information and information technologies in individual, social, economic and cultural affairs.

The mission of UNT's Information Science Ph.D. program is to provide a center of excellence in graduate education and research. Its primary goals are to:

• Nurture critical and reflective thinking on the fundamental issues and elements of problems of utilization of information
• Foster an environment of substantive and productive mentoring and apprenticeship
• Prepare scholars passionate about the role of information in human affairs
• Foster cross-disciplinary thinking and research.

Students are recruited to the program from a wide range of disciplines and encouraged to expand and refocus their expertise and skills in cutting-edge areas of information science that cross disciplinary boundaries. The multifaceted nature of information science warrants the focusing of resources, courses and faculties from a broad range of academic units.

• Research and publication
• Pedagogical practices
• Critical thinking
• Leadership ability
• Data analysis

Information Science Ph.D. With a Concentration in Health Informatics Highlights

What can you do with an information science ph.d. with a concentration in health informatics.

There is a great need for a health care workforce that possesses the skills and competencies that this concentration provides. Graduates will be able to work in health care as well as health information management settings.

Information Science Ph.D. With a Concentration in Health Informatics Courses You Could Take

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Doctorate in health informatics.

The program is best suited for individuals who have at least three (3) years of informatics experience at the management or supervisory level. An applicant who lacks substantial informatics in her or his background must at least have advanced IT work experience.

The DHI is a 63-semester credit hour program for students who already hold a master’s degree in health informatics, or a related field. Students without a master’s degree in health informatics, or a related field, can enter the program with a bachelor’s degree. However, those students must complete 33 semester credit hours of didactic coursework before starting the DHI curriculum.

Please ensure you review the  Admissions Requirements  for your particular program of interest. Feel free to visit our  Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)  page to also assist with your application journey.

Admission Deadlines

Interested in learning more? Visit the  Prospective Student Information Sessions  webpage for upcoming prospective student webinars for all programs offered at McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics (SBMI). Be sure to register for the event date and time that best works with your schedule!

This practice doctorate provides informatics leaders with the advanced education required to translate evidence from original research, evaluate current practices, and utilize critical thinking to accelerate the adoption of best informatics practices in clinical and healthcare organizations. Because the program is geared towards working professionals, instruction for the DHI is in a hybrid environment with more than 50% of the coursework taught online. Students will be required to make visits to campus each semester to meet with their classmates, instructors and advisors.

Rather than write a dissertation for the culminating project, the DHI program requires a large-scale translational project that students must complete in a healthcare organization.

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Important 2024 Dates for Admitted DHI Students

• New DHI Student Orientation: August 22 and 23, 2024

Contact Information:

For more information about the DHI program please contact

Office of Academic Affairs D. Bradley McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth Houston (713) 500-3591 [email protected]

DHI Program Director Angela Ross, DNP

DHI Program Coordinator Debora Simmons, PhD

• Biomedical & Health Informatics
• PhD in Biomedical & Health Informatics
• Admission to the BHI PhD Program

Admission to the Biomedical & Health Informatics PhD Program

The PhD in Biomedical Health Informatics welcomes applicants from a diverse field of backgrounds and training experiences. Graduates from accredited universities and colleges will be considered for admission to the department. Applicants may apply straight from baccalaureate training, from advance degree programs (MS, MPH, MD), or from the professional field.

All applicants must satisfy both Case Western Reserve and department requirements for graduate admission.

Below you will find some basic information about admissions for the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences PhD program. If you have other questions, please email [email protected] .  

When to Apply?

*Must apply by this date to guarantee consideration for first year funding

PhD Application Requirements

• Online Application: Start the online application . Please indicate that you are applying to the School of Medicine, Biomedical & Health Informatics PhD Program
• Transcripts: Include school-issued unofficial transcripts, scanned and uploaded for all colleges or universities attended. Electronic transcripts can also be emailed to [email protected]  
• Resume/CV: Upload your current resume/CV outlining all work experience and volunteer roles with timeframes. Make sure to highlight any completed research positions or opportunities experienced 
• Letters of Recommendation: Three letters of recommendation are required. A professor who can attest to your academic or professional experience is recommended to write one or more of these recommendations. The online application will request recommenders' contact info for electronic submission 
• Statement of Purpose: In one to two pages, address your interest in biomedical and health informatics and how you hope to utilize this program in your career path 
• Application Fee: Pay the $50 application fee upon submission of your application 
• Test Scores (Optional): Self-report and upload your test-taker copy of the GRE, MAT, MCAT, LSAT, DACT, or GMAT score report. 

For international applicants: if you are not a citizen of an English speaking country or if your previous college or university was not taught in English please submit an English proficiency exam (IELTS, TOFEL, or PTE) 

Case Western Reserve University Diversity Statement

Case Western Reserve University aspires to be an inclusive environment, believing that the creative energy and variety of insights that result from diversity are a vital component of the intellectual rigor and social fabric of the university. As a scholarly community, Case Western Reserve is inclusive of people of all racial, ethnic, cultural, socioeconomic, national and international backgrounds, welcoming diversity of thought, pedagogy, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, political affiliation and disability. We believe in a culture of inclusion that encourages relationships and interactions among people of different backgrounds, a culture that enhances human dignity, actively diminishes prejudice and discrimination and improves the quality of life for everyone in our community.

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PhD in Health Informatics – Handbook

Overview | Current Students |   Pillar Course Offerings | Contact Us

Welcome to the Carolina Health Informatics Program (CHIP) PhD Handbook where student, faculty, and committee members will find detailed information about the CHIP doctoral degree program.

To access a complete and up-to-date PDF of the handbook, follow this link .

NOTE : Handbook last updated August 1, 2023

PhD Handbook

Statement of purpose.

The purpose of the Carolina Health Informatics Program’s doctoral program is to prepare graduates to contribute to the field of biomedical and health informatics studies through research, teaching and exposure to practical BMHI challenges. The doctoral program prepares scholars for careers involving research and instruction as well as leadership roles in industry. The doctoral program provides students with research experience, familiarity with BMHI concepts, theories and methods. In addition, the program allows participation in an active research community as well as exposure to the thriving BMHI industry in the RTP, NC area.

Admission Process

CHIP’s PhD program attracts students with diverse backgrounds in public health, pharmacy, dentistry, IT (information systems or computing), and clinical practices (MD or RN) who are seeking advanced training for a broad range of research and leadership roles in academic, corporate, non-profit and government settings. The main career paths envisioned for graduates with a PhD in Health Informatics include: academic research and scholarship; research scientist in non-academic setting; and leadership positions, including CIO/CRO or similar in public and private health care organizations and key health policy development roles in government agencies.

Applicants should have a GPA of 3.0 or greater for all academic pursuits, GRE scores above the 50th percentile on all sections of the test and, if applicable, a minimum TOEFL score of 90.

International Students

An international student is a student who is attending UNC-Chapel Hill without U.S. Citizenship or is not a Legal Permanent Resident of the United States.

There are many resources on campus to help guide international students through the complexities that may accompany their transition to the United States.  UNC Global International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) is an excellent resource for international students to seek guidance with issues including arrival planning and visas.

Academic Background

Applicants must have at least a bachelor’s degree and should have a strong interest in biomedical and health informatics. Previous research experience or a master’s degree pertaining to BMHI is strongly encouraged.

Degree Requirements

The CHIP PhD program is diverse through its interdisciplinary course work and research driven projects. With the guidance of advisers, graduate students will develop a course structure that will meet the following requirements for the PhD program:

I.     55 toral credit hours

21 credit hours of Pillar course work

12 credit hours of electives*

6 credit hours of doctoral research credit*

* Additional research and dissertation and/or elective credit hours can be completed to fill the gap to accumulate the 55-credit hours required for the degree

II.     Completion of a comprehensive written examination

III.    Completion of a comprehensive oral examination based on the written examination

IV.    Admission into candidacy

V.    Completion and defense of dissertation proposal

VI.  Completion and defense of dissertation

Click Here to view a timeline of PhD program milestones and deadlines. Each of the above requirements is explained in a dedicated section elsewhere in this handbook.

Note:  Coursework can be transferred in from previous degrees.  Up to 18 credit hours can be transferred into the health informatics doctoral degree program.  The recommendation to grant transfer credit will be made on a case-by-case basis and will require the approval of the UNC Graduate School.

Note:  students are required to consult and keep current with the rules and policies of the Graduate School of UNC-CH with respect to doctoral study, candidacy, dissertation defense and other topics.

Graduate Good Standing and Grading

Students are required to be registered whenever degree progress is being made or University resources (including faculty time) are being used to appropriately reflect work being done. Academic programs and students should be aware that students who lapse enrollment lose official student status and recognized University affiliation. Additional information regarding the Graduate School registration policies is available here .

All master's and doctoral programs administered through The Graduate School operate under the same grading system. The graduate grading scale in use at UNC-Chapel Hill is unique in that it cannot be converted to the more traditional ABC grading scale. Graduate students do not carry a numerical GPA.

A student may become ineligible to continue studies at UNC-Chapel Hill and The Graduate School for academic reasons and student code violations. For more information, please refer to the Graduate School Handbook Eligibility policy .

In accordance with UNC-Chapel Hill’s grading policy , course grades will be given on the H, P, L, F scale.  If a student receives an F grade in any course, or nine credits hours of an L grade, they will immediately become academically illegible.

H            High Pass

P            Pass

L             Low Pass

F            Fail

The coursework for the PhD program is customizable and can be designed to fit each student’s interests and level of experience in various areas.  The core of the doctoral coursework will be taken for five different “pillars” which form the structure of CHIP’s curriculum: Core & Frontier; Tools & Infrastructure; Research Methods; Project Management & Leadership; and Implementation Science & Research.

Core & Frontier Pillar

Core and Frontier courses will expose students to the foundational concepts in informatics.  This pillar allows students to gain a firm understanding of research challenges and the nature of these challenges.  Courses in this pillar will cover advanced data modeling; data management and warehousing; data integration and networking; data presentation and visualization principles; data governance and data ethics. Six (6) credit hours are required.

Tools & Infrastructure Pillar

Tools and Infrastructure courses will go beyond the basic concepts and principles covered in core topics.  This pillar will offer opportunities for students to gain experience in manipulating wide varieties of data occurring in diverse health care contexts. It will also train students to build new tools and methods for extracting insights from health data.  The courses in this pillar will cover advanced training in statistical analysis; data mining; system analysis and design; data interpretation and data quality. Six (6) credit hours are required.

Research Methods Pillar

Research Methods courses will focus on constructing sound research studies concentrated on various aspects of health care.  The courses in this pillar will cover gathering research data; analysis of research data; drawing conclusions from research data; presenting research data; and identifying limitations based on gaps present in research data. Three (3) credit hours are required.

Project Management & Leadership Pillar

Project Management and Leadership courses examine current techniques and methods on leading and sustaining research projects.  Emphasis will be placed on project management skills in the context of developing and maintaining research projects that span a several year period. Three (3) credit hours are required.

Implementation Science & Research Translation Pillar

Implementation Science and Research Translation courses emphasize developing research projects with an eye toward the conversion of key outcomes that will have a direct impact on the health care of individuals or a community.  Coursework in this pillar will cover understanding intellectual property rights; collaboration with stakeholders such as government, for-profit and non-profit organizations; dissemination of research; and ensuring long-term sustainability of outcomes/solution. Three (3) credit hours are required.

Sample Pillar Course Offerings

Click Here to view a list of sample Pillar course offerings. Students can select courses from this list or consult with their faculty advisor about alternative course offerings that satisfy Pillar course requirements.

Doctoral Exam Committee (Dissertation Committee)

The primary focus of the doctoral exam committee is to guide the student through the PhD. The committee also administers the comprehensive exam, dissertation proposal, and dissertation defense.

Committee Structure

Summary of committee structure:.

• At least 5 members. The advisor(s) count towards this number
• Other members should be UNC graduate faculty or can be faculty at other institutions. Members from other institutions– known as External Members, must be nominated as a fixed-term UNC graduate faculty member prior to serving on a doctoral examination committee. Note: CHIP does not pay for members of other institutions to travel to Chapel Hill, except to provide parking vouchers if available.

Designating a Fixed-Term Graduate Faculty External Member on a Doctoral Exam Committee

The CHIP doctoral program coordinator can facilitate the fixed-term graduate faculty nomination process for students. To initiate this process students should submit the following:

• A current copy of the external members Curriculum vitae (CV)
• A link to the external members institution/employer directory listing
• A Unilateral Non-Disclosure Agreement form completed by the external member.

Upon submission of this documentation the CHIP doctoral program coordinator will submit a fixed-term graduate faculty nomination to the Graduate School.

Committee Meetings

A student's faculty advisor typically also serves as the committee Chair. Students will work with their committee chair to arrange committee meetings. If complications emerge, and it is impossible for some or all committee members to be physically present for a meeting, virtual attendance is allowed. Consult the CHIP Doctoral Canvas site for Room Reservation resources and instructions.

Students are responsible for keeping their committee up-to date with their progress and any draft revisions to their comprehensive exam, dissertation proposal and dissertation.

Official Exam Paperwork

Departmental forms and Graduate School forms are required to be completed throughout the doctoral examination process. Submit all doctoral exam paperwork to the CHIP doctoral program coordinator prior to scheduling any oral doctoral exam.

Responsibilities of Student

Students are responsible for working with their advisor to determine the best committee members to fulfill Graduate School and CHIP requirements. Students are then responsible for communicating with prospective committee members and arranging committee member tenure on their committees.

Students are responsible for notifying the CHIP doctoral program coordinator when organizing their doctoral exam committee, and each member’s role (Chair, CHIP faculty, non-CHIP faculty, and external member (if applicable). Changes to committee composition should be made in consultation with a student’s faculty advisor, and paperwork must be submitted to the doctoral program immediately.  Changes to a doctoral committee are not permitted once a student successfully defends the dissertation proposal.

Responsibilities of Advisor(s) & Committee Chair

Advisors are responsible for advising their students on appropriate committee members for student’s committees. When appropriate, advisors may need to reach out to potential committee members to introduce the student and their project.

Faculty advisors serving as committee chair are also responsible for working with the student to arrange committee meetings and keeping the committee up to date with the work of the student.

Responsibility of Committee Members

Committee members are responsible for providing guidance for student’s research, comprehensive exam, dissertation proposal, and dissertation research.

Committee members are responsible for understanding student’s work and providing critical feedback. Committee members must also put every effort forward to attend meetings and keep up to date with the student’s work.

Comprehensive Exam

The Comp Exam is comprised of two parts– a written exam and an oral exam. Each component is described below.

Comprehensive Written Exam

The purpose of the written examination is to develop a manuscript which will evaluate the core topic of the doctoral student’s research interest through a broad lens. The manuscript will be a distinct scholarly product, not a dissertation proposal. The written exam will make a comprehensive and in-depth argument for why the core topic chosen by the doctoral student deserves a new study. The scope of the comprehensive paper will be an in-depth review of the literature around the core topic. A Dissertation Diagram is available here .

To encourage the development of the doctoral student’s research focus, the written comprehensive exam can be viewed as the first iteration, as to what will later develop into, the literature review in the final dissertation. Click Here to view an example of a literature review. The structure of the exam should include past findings, limitations, and potential new research proposals. Key facets that should be covered in the written exam are:

• What are the critical informatics dimensions associated with the core topic of the paper?
• What are the critical health / wellness dimensions associated with the core topic?
• What are the measures and methods used in the past to determine the association between the informatics dimensions and the health dimensions associated with the core topic?
• What were the major findings and observations?
• What were the major limitations associated with past studies associated with the core topic (both methodological and outcome/result level limitations should be discussed)?

Examples of recent written Comprehensive Exams from CHIP doctoral students:

• “ Electronic Health Records Interoperability Research Needs Assessment: A Systematic Review ” (CHIP Doctoral Student Adam Lee, 2020).
• “ Improving Management of Individual Patients with Leukemia ” (CHIP doctoral student, Vincent N. Carrasco, MD MSIS, 2020).

Written Exam Guidelines

Doctoral Students may begin working on their comprehensive exam during the semester in which they complete the course work for their pillar requirements. Doctoral students will not be allowed to register for course credit for their comprehensive exam until they have completed the Doctoral Exam Report Form.

Comprehensive exam coursework will be taken under the guidance of the doctoral student’s advisor. For course credit, students shall enroll in CHIP 994 under the Program Director, Dr. David Gotz (Advisor- Dr. Gotz, Professor of Information Science in the School of Information and Library Science; Course number- CHIP 994). Students should ensure that Dr. Gotz stays up to date on relevant progress updates but the majority of advising will take place under the guidance of the student's official advisor.

There are no official requirements for the length comprehensive exam or number of articles that should be included in the written exam. The length and scope of the exam will vary depending on a number of factors, including if and when the last systematic review of the core topic was conducted and the very nature of the topic itself. Doctoral students are expected to produce a review that adequately covers all the facets provided above.

Note: students are permitted to complete the Comprehensive Exam and the Dissertation Proposal at the same time. In this instance, both the written paper and the oral examination must fulfill the required components of both exams . Consult your faculty advisor if you are interested in developing and defending these examinations at the same time.

JAMIA systematic reviews are the standard for CHIP students. Other, non-JAMIA, systematic reviews can be referenced and cited in the written exam as well.

Examples of systematic reviews:

• Brandon M Welch, Kensaku Kawamoto; Clinical decision support for genetically guided personalized medicine: a systematic review, Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, Volume 20, Issue 2, 1 March 2013, Pages 388–400,  https://doi.org/10.1136/amiajnl-2012-000892
• K Ann McKibbon, Cynthia Lokker, Steven M Handler, Lisa R Dolovich, Anne M Holbrook, Daria O'Reilly, Robyn Tamblyn, Brian J Hemens, Runki Basu, Sue Troyan, Pavel S Roshanov; The effectiveness of integrated health information technologies across the phases of medication management: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials, Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, Volume 19, Issue 1, 1 January 2012, Pages 22–30,  https://doi.org/10.1136/amiajnl-2011-000304

The comprehensive exam is not a traditional systematic review, but rather a comprehensive view of the core research topic.

The core research topic of the written exam must be approved by the doctoral student’s advisor. The doctoral student’s committee should be notified about the core research topic, but approval is not required. Approval from the director of the program is not necessary.

Comprehensive Oral Exam

The primary purpose of the comprehensive oral exam is to evaluate whether the student has processed the major points discussed in the comprehensive exam paper. It is also an opportunity for a student’s committee to ask any clarifying questions over points made in the comprehensive exam paper.

The advisor must ensure that all committee members are satisfied with the state of the comprehensive written exam before scheduling the oral exam. Doctoral students will keep committee members up-to date with the developments of their comprehensive exam so that the committee will be prepared to address the core research topic during the oral exam.

Format for the Comprehensive Oral Examination

The typical length of the oral defense is 1 to 1.5 hrs.   At the beginning, the student should provide a brief, 15 to 20 min., presentation touching on the key areas covered in the comprehensive exam.   The floor will then be opened for the committee members to ask follow-up questions on the scope, key observations, related research, and gaps in past research identified by the student in the comprehensive written exam.

The goal here is NOT TO TEST the MEMORIZATION ability of the student in terms of being able to regurgitate content verbatim from the comprehensive exam paper.   Rather, the goal is to assess if the student grasped the core issues, past research findings, some of the major methods, and gaps in research discussed in the comprehensive exam paper.

A related goal is to ask clarifying questions and to ensure all the committee members accurately understand what the student expressed in the comprehensive paper.

The Q&A portion of the oral exam may last 45 min to an hour.   After the Q&A period, the committee chair will request the student to leave the room temporarily and seek feedback from all the committee members before making their final judgment of the exam (Pass or Fail).  If all the members reach a decision (pass or fail), then the student will be requested to re-enter the room and the judgement will be conveyed to the student.

A student passes an examination only after the approval of a majority of the examining committee members.

Note - on rare occasions, a committee member may insist that the comprehensive paper be revised based on findings revealed during the oral exam, before agreeing on a pass.  In such a case the committee chair will request the student to make the change and upon revision, evaluate the change in consultation with the committee member who raised the issue.  If the requesting committee member is satisfied by the change, the committee member will be requested to sign off.  A repeat of the oral defense is usually not required to evaluate such revision requests.

It is permissible for the committee chair to request questions from the committee prior to the oral exam and pass on the questions to the student.   It is up to committee members to voluntarily offer these questions.  Committee members may come up with new or additional questions during the oral exam.

Doctoral students who fail to pass the oral examination will be allowed a single re-take within one academic year time frame. The re-take may or may not require revisions to the submitted exam. Students who do not pass the comprehensive examination on their second attempt will not be allowed to continue in the program.

Required Documentation for Comprehensive Exam

Students must inform the CHIP doctoral program coordinator that an oral doctoral examination has been scheduled via the Notification of Scheduled Examination form . Submitting this completed form signifies your Oral Examination has been scheduled, and that the CHIP doctoral program coordinator should supply the committee with the required Graduate School forms needed to certify their judgement (pass or fail) of your oral exam.

Immediately after the examination has been given, results should be sent to the Program Coordinator on the  Doctoral Exam Report Form Part I & Part II . Part I of the form certifies completion of the written examination, and Part II certifies completion of the oral examination. The Committee Chair should certify the completion of both examinations upon successful completion of the student’s oral examination.

The Committee Chair should submit all paperwork to CHIP Program Coordinator.

In general, only a short interval should separate the two examinations. It is the responsibility of the student to work with their advisor to complete their comprehensive exam within a reasonable amount of time. If the timeline is delayed more than one (1) semester, students must meet with Program Coordinator to provide justification for the delay.

Students are responsible for keeping their committee up to date on their comprehensive exam topic and draft revisions.

It is the student’s responsibility to address all committee members feedback to the written comprehensive exam and oral comprehensive exam.

The advisor is responsible for guiding the students research topic for the comprehensive exam and assisting the student in gathering appropriate literature for the written portion of the exam.

The advisor/committee chair is responsible for assisting in arranging the oral comprehensive exam and verifying that all committee members have reviewed the written comprehensive exam and returned all relevant feedback to the student.

Should the student fail the oral comprehensive exam, the advisor is responsible for ensuring that the student has made appropriate revisions to the written comprehensive exam and that all committee members are satisfied with the revised comprehensive exam. The Committee Chair is responsible for submitting all portions of the Doctoral Exam Report Form to the CHIP doctoral program coordinator.

Responsibility of Dissertation Committee Members

All committee members should read and evaluate the written comprehensive exam. Written feedback should be provided to the student before the oral examination. Each committee member should prepare questions about the student’s written comprehensive exam.

Committee members are responsible for approving the final version of the comprehensive exam. This may require an additional reading of a portion of the exam, or in some cases, all of the written exam if extensive edits are requested.

Committee members are also responsible for ensuring the comprehensive exam is sound in research and level of doctoral ability.

Dissertation Proposal

After successfully passing the comprehensive exam, the student will be required to submit a dissertation proposal which, beyond the systematic review previously completed, should include a methods section, a discussion on potential findings, and a section which anticipates limitations and ethical challenges.  The proposal is not a literature review but the submission of a research question that will be the focus of the doctoral student’s dissertation. The proposal will focus on the student’s chosen methodology to address the research question. The dissertation proposal must also include a thorough justification for the methodology. View Dissertation Diagram  here .

Ideally, the dissertation proposal and research question will develop out of the research conducted during the comprehensive exam.

The proposal will be reviewed by the doctoral student’s dissertation committee.  If the committee agrees with the student’s dissertation proposal, they will determine a suitable oral defense date for the student. The written portion and the dissertation proposal must be completed within one year after the student successfully completes their comprehensive exams.

When students successfully complete their proposal, they will then be allowed to proceed to the dissertation research project stage. If for any reason, the committee determines oral defense to be unsatisfactory, students will be given one additional opportunity to successfully defend the proposal; however, the second defense must be held within three months after the initial proposal defense is held.

Dissertation Proposal Format

Chapter I: Introduction (Overview of the Dissertation)

Problem Statement

Purpose of the Study

Research Questions/Hypotheses

Experimental Design Associated with Hypotheses

Significance

Contributions

Limitations

Chapter II: Background and Related Work*

Historical Background

Literature Review

Review of Theories Related to the Topic

*The Background section should be exclusively focused on very closely related past research papers that directly intersect with the research question/s or the methodology discussed in the proposal (i.e., a small subset of the papers discussed in the comprehensive paper).

Chapter III: Methodology (Details of Dissertation)

Preliminary Studies (Optional)

Experimental Design Applied (e.g. data sources, data collection, analysis, evaluation, etc.)

Chapter IV: Timeline

Chapter V: Bibliography

-Columbia University, Department of Biomedical Informatics. “Dissertation Proposal Defense & Dissertation Defense.”  www.dbmi.columbia.edu/dissertation-defense  (accessed March 21, 2019)

At the discretion and approval of the doctoral student’s advisor, the dissertation proposal should consist of 12 – 30 single-spaced pages with half-inch margins and will be done in Times New Romans, 12-point font.

Example :  This dissertation proposal from CHIP PhD graduate, Malvika Pillai (2022), is a good example covering the important sections for the dissertation proposal.

Dissertation Proposal Defense

Students are encouraged to use the Dissertation-Proposal-Defense-Meeting-Checklist as they prepare to defend the dissertation proposal.

The student must be enrolled in 3 credits of 994 hours the semester of their Dissertation Proposal Defense.

Each member of a student’s dissertation committee must be present during this defense– either virtually or in person. The typical length of the dissertation proposal defense is 1 to 1.5 hrs.   At the beginning, the student should provide a presentation touching on the key areas covered in the methodology section of the dissertation proposal.   The floor will then be opened for the committee members to ask follow-up questions on the dissertation proposal.

The primary goal is to determine whether the student has developed adequate methodology to address the research question and whether the student has grasped the issues surrounding their chosen dissertation research topic. The Secondary goal is for committee members to ask clarifying questions to accurately understand what the student aims to produce in the dissertation research.

The Q&A portion of the oral exam may last 45 min to an hour. After the Q&A period, the committee chair will request the student to leave the room temporarily and seek feedback from all the committee members.  If all the members reach a judgment (pass or fail), the student will be asked to re-enter the room and the judgment will be conveyed to the student.

Note – A graduate student who fails either a written or oral examination may not take the examination a second time until at least three months after the first attempt. The student should work with the academic program to identify areas needing additional emphasis and to establish an action plan to prepare for taking the exam a second time. A student who fails an examination for the second time becomes academically ineligible to continue in the Graduate School.

Immediately after the examination has been given, results should be sent to the CHIP Doctoral Program Coordinator on the  Dissertation Proposal Committee Form .

Required Documentation for Dissertation Proposal

Upon successful completion of the dissertation proposal defense, each dissertation committee member must sign Section II of the Graduate School’s Doctoral Committee and Dissertation Project Form . This form must be submitted to the CHIP Doctoral Program Coordinator.

It is the responsibility of the student to work with their advisor to develop their dissertation proposal within 1 semester of passing their comprehensive exam.  If the timeline is delayed more than one (1) semester, students must meet with the Program Coordinator to provide a justification for the delay.

Students are responsible for keeping their committee up to date on their dissertation proposal status and draft editions. It is also the student’s responsibility to address any feedback provided by the committee on the dissertation proposal.

The advisor is responsible for assisting the student in developing their dissertation proposal.

The advisor/committee chair is responsible for assisting in arranging the dissertation proposal defense, verifying that all committee members have reviewed the dissertation proposal and returned all feedback to the student prior to the defense.

Should the student fail the dissertation proposal defense, the advisor is responsible for contacting the Program Coordinator and meeting with the relevant parties to determine the next steps.

Responsibility of Dissertation Proposal Committee Members

All committee members should read and evaluate the written dissertation proposal. Written feedback should be provided to the student before the oral defense. Each committee member should prepare questions about the student’s research and the dissertation proposal.

Committee members are responsible for approving the final version of the dissertation proposal. This may require an additional read of a portion of the dissertation proposal, or in some cases, all of the proposal if extensive edits are requested.

Admission into Candidacy

Admission to candidacy recognizes the achievement of a significant milestone in the career of a doctoral student and signifies that the only outstanding requirement for the degree is the dissertation. The student is then designated ABD—all but dissertation. Students will be designated as ABD after they have passed both the doctoral written and oral comprehensive examinations, have submitted an acceptable dissertation proposal, and have completed all courses required by the program.

Graduate School Required Documentation

After passing the dissertation proposal defense, students should complete the Application for Admission to Candidacy Form and submit it to the CHIP doctoral program coordinator. The form will be reviewed and approved by the CHIP program director prior to being submitted to the Graduate School. The ABD/Advanced to Candidacy milestone in ConnectCarolina will be marked ‘complete’ once the form is processed by the Graduate School.

Dissertation & Defense

Timing of dissertation research.

Doctoral students have a total of 8 years to complete their doctoral degree from semester of first admittance into the program until the semester of their dissertation defense. Reapplication is required if the student goes beyond 8 years. Any student considering reapplication must first schedule a meeting with the program director, program coordinator, and advisor to discuss the student’s timeline.

Doctoral students must be enrolled in 3 credits of 994 hours during any semester an action is taken on any doctoral examination. Students must complete the 994 Course Registration form and Learning Contract each semester they intend to enroll in this course.

Students must be enrolled in 994 during the semester of their dissertation defense (final oral defense).

Writing the Dissertation

The Graduate School only accepts dissertation formats produced according to the standards in the  Graduate School's Thesis and Dissertation Guide . Documents must be prepared in a form consistent with approved methods of scholarly writing and research. On matters of form, the student should also consult published manuals of style. Sample draft pages of the document may be pre-approved by Graduate School staff before the submission deadline, but final approvals will occur only after the student has submitted the final document.

The Defense (Final Oral Examination)

The final oral defense will be held only after all members of the committee have had adequate opportunity to review a draft of the doctoral dissertation. The dissertation advisor is responsible for determining that the draft is in an appropriate form for committee evaluation. The dissertation advisor should keep all other committee members fully aware of the progress the candidate is making on the dissertation. If substantial revisions are necessary, they should be completed before the final oral defense is scheduled. The dissertation advisor is responsible for informing the committee of their responsibility to conduct a careful review of the dissertation, and ensures all committee members are given sufficient time to review, provide feedback, and are aligned in terms of arranging a specific oral defense date.

Candidates will work with their advisor/committee chair to schedule a dissertation defense meeting with their dissertation committee. All committee members are expected to be present at the defense. When necessary, participation via distance-based capabilities is appropriate and should be mutually agreeable to the student and other committee members.

The defense may be open to the public, limited in attendance to the candidate and the committee, or a combination of the two. Questions that relate the dissertation to the field are appropriate.

The defense will begin with a concise presentation from the student over their dissertation research. Then a Q&A session from the committee will commence and will continue until the committee chair deems all appropriate questions have been addressed, and all discussion of the dissertation is complete.   After the Q&A period, the committee chair will request the student to leave the room temporarily and seek feedback from all the committee members.  After the committee members reach a judgement (pass or fail), the student will be requested to re-enter the room and the judgement will be conveyed to the student. At the time of the final oral defense the committee may require revisions and/or corrections to the student’s written dissertation, but these should constitute relatively minor changes agreed to by a majority of the committee members.

Required Documentation for Dissertation and Final Defense

Upon successful completion of the oral dissertation defense the entire committee should sign Part III of the Doctoral Exam Report Form . If no revisions or corrections are required to be made to the written dissertation, the entire dissertation committee can also sign Part IV of the Doctoral Exam Report Form . The CHIP doctoral program coordinator will provide instructions to the committee chair to facilitate completing this form. Students are not expected to collect the signatures required for this form.

If revisions and/or corrections to the written dissertation are required, the dissertation committee must wait to complete Part IV of the Exam Report Form until the revisions/corrections are made by the student.  Once revised/corrected the committee chair should inform the CHIP doctoral program coordinator to facilitate the completion of Part IV of the Doctoral Exam Report Form–collecting signatures from the entire committee, in addition to checking the box on the form to certify all required edits were made and the final dissertation document is approved for electronic submission. Finally, the completed Doctoral Exam Report Form should be sent to the Program Coordinator for submission to the Graduate School to record completion of the dissertation and defense.

Note  - A graduate student who fails either a written or oral examination may not take the examination a second time until at least three months after the first attempt. The student should work with the academic program to identify areas needing additional emphasis and to establish an action plan to prepare for taking the exam a second time.

A student who fails an examination for the second time becomes academically ineligible to continue at the Graduate School.

Submission of Completed Dissertation

Completed theses and dissertations must be submitted by the deadlines posted on the Graduation Deadlines website, in final form designed to meet the standards defined in The Graduate School's Thesis and Dissertation Guide. The Submission Checklist is a helpful resource guide that outlines all formatting instructions for a successful submission. Documents submitted electronically will not require front page signatures. It is strongly suggested that every document be submitted well before the deadline to ensure ample time for format revisions.

Suggested Dissertation Submission Timeline

1. Writing Dissertation

• To ensure that all standards are met, consult The Graduate School’s Thesis and Dissertation Guide
• Review and discuss how copyrighting may impact research and writing, including decisions about publishing one’s own work.  The University Libraries' Scholarly Communications Office   is a campus resource on scholarly publishing practices.
• Take advantage of campus resources such as workshops, University Libraries, and the Writing Center.

2. Before Dissertation Defense (final oral defense)

• Set up account in the  ProQuest ETD Administrator . Review the site for useful information about the online submission process.
• Ensure that all committee members have reviewed the final dissertation draft.

3. After Defense

• Students should collect any edits required by committee members.
• Final approval of all edits and changes must be approved by the committee.
• Submit the completed and approved dissertation to the Graduate School. Follow the checklist and submission instructions in the  Thesis and Dissertation Guide .
• In addition to uploading a PDF of the dissertation, students should be prepared to provide added information (e.g., abstract, keywords, and subject headings) about the dissertation for indexing and identification purposes.
• After the dissertation has been submitted, students should check email regularly for updates. Make any required revisions promptly.
• Students will receive a final email notifying them that their ETD has been accepted. ProQuest will make the title and abstract of the dissertation available online shortly after graduation. The University Libraries will make the dissertation available within one semester.

Responsibilities of the Student

It is the student’s responsibility to work with their advisor to conduct their dissertation research and write their dissertation. Students are expected to follow Graduate School standards defined in The Graduate School’s Thesis and Dissertation Guide .

Students are expected to keep their committees informed of all dissertation drafts and developments. Students are also responsible for updating the Program Coordinator about their dissertation timeline.

Under the guidance of their advisor, students are responsible for addressing all appropriate changes and edits committee members suggest to their dissertation research and final draft.

Students are responsible for submitting their completed dissertation to the Graduate School and for applying to graduate in the appropriate semester through ConnectCarolina. Students are also responsible for addressing all Important Graduation Dates for the semester they intend to graduate in.

Responsibilities of the Advisor(s) & Committee Chair

The responsibilities of the advisor include guide the doctoral student’s dissertation research project and dissertation development. The advisor should be aware of all dissertation development, concerns, and if applicable, delays. The advisor is encouraged to reach out to the program with any questions or concerns about the dissertation process.

It is the advisor’s responsibility to determine when the student’s dissertation has reached a point of completion, that it can be share with the committee. The advisor is responsible for ensuring that the student addresses all appropriate concerns and edits to the dissertation draft, submitted by the committee before the dissertation defense.

Once the advisor deems the dissertation complete, it is the responsibility of the advisor/committee chair to assist the student in arranging the dissertation oral defense with the committee. During the defense, the advisor/committee chair will be responsible for running the defense.

The advisor is responsible for ensure that any edits or suggestions made by the committee during the defense are completed by the student and agreed to by a majority of the committee before the student submits the dissertation to the Graduate School.

Responsibilities of the Other Dissertation Committee Members

All committee members should read and evaluate the dissertation. Written feedback should be provided to the student before the oral defense. Each committee member should prepare questions about the student’s research and the dissertation.

Committee members are responsible for approving the final version of the dissertation. This may require an additional read of some or all of the dissertation if extensive edits are requested.

Preparing for Graduation

The following tasks and paperwork should also be completed during a student’s final semester, by the given deadline specified for each.

Apply to Graduate

All candidates must apply to graduate through their ConnectCarolina accounts. Full instructions can be found at the  University Registrar’s Applying for Graduation  site. Students should follow the  Important Graduation Dates  schedule set by the Office of the University Registrar.

Program Certification of Degree Requirements

Students should submit a Program Certification of Degree Requirement Form to the CHIP doctoral program coordinator upon successful submission to the ProQuest ETD Administrator site.

Publications & Presentation

There is no official requirement for CHIP PhD students to submit to peer-reviewed journals or other scholarly publications.  However, students will be expected to actively participate in scholarly writing and dissemination of research through presentations and publications.  Likely venues to be targeted will include national conferences such as the AMIA and IEEE meeting and high impact journals such as the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association.

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Join us April 18

Interdisciplinary pilot institute on health equity receives university support.

Emily Parenti-Lopez

Friday, April 19, 2024

The Institute for Equitable Health Data Science Research — co-directed by BHIS associate professor Andrew Boyd and computer science professor Elisabeta Marai — received funding from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research as part of a 2023 program to advance interdisciplinary discovery across UIC.

The pilot institute will combine data science and artificial intelligence expertise with health science research to address urgent health inequities.

The institute will seek to analyze and eliminate potential biases in health data before they are embedded into artificial intelligence algorithms. The goal is to create biomedical science and technology solutions while prioritizing health equity for diverse populations.

“Data science is critical for the future of health care,” said Boyd. “However, if we do not add the appropriate health equity and disparity lenses, the biases of today’s health care system will be baked into those algorithms for decades.”

The pilot institute will launch a series of initiatives, including an annual bootcamp to encourage research collaborations, a yearly industry summit, seed funding for new projects and grant application support. The institute’s opportunities for funding and workshops will be open to all UIC researchers.

Other pilot initiatives previously selected for support from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research include the Institute for Functional and Regenerative Materials, the Institute for Research on Addictions and a third program seeking interdisciplinary discoveries to cure chronic eye diseases.

Boyd said university support will enable investigations into social determinants of health, analytical reviews of existing research methodologies and algorithms and counseling for regulatory boards. The institute will create novel technology and new Chicagoland datasets to reduce health-related bias in the city and beyond.

“We’re committed to solving this problem across the university, with all of our colleges, all of our students and for all of our patients,” Boyd said. “This is who we are here at UIC.”

This article has been edited for length and clarity by Emily Parenti-Lopez.

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Victor Mukhin

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Title : Active carbons as nanoporous materials for solving of environmental problems

However, up to now, the main carriers of catalytic additives have been mineral sorbents: silica gels, alumogels. This is obviously due to the fact that they consist of pure homogeneous components SiO2 and Al2O3, respectively. It is generally known that impurities, especially the ash elements, are catalytic poisons that reduce the effectiveness of the catalyst. Therefore, carbon sorbents with 5-15% by weight of ash elements in their composition are not used in the above mentioned technologies. However, in such an important field as a gas-mask technique, carbon sorbents (active carbons) are carriers of catalytic additives, providing effective protection of a person against any types of potent poisonous substances (PPS). In ESPE “JSC "Neorganika" there has been developed the technology of unique ashless spherical carbon carrier-catalysts by the method of liquid forming of furfural copolymers with subsequent gas-vapor activation, brand PAC. Active carbons PAC have 100% qualitative characteristics of the three main properties of carbon sorbents: strength - 100%, the proportion of sorbing pores in the pore space – 100%, purity - 100% (ash content is close to zero). A particularly outstanding feature of active PAC carbons is their uniquely high mechanical compressive strength of 740 ± 40 MPa, which is 3-7 times larger than that of  such materials as granite, quartzite, electric coal, and is comparable to the value for cast iron - 400-1000 MPa. This allows the PAC to operate under severe conditions in moving and fluidized beds.  Obviously, it is time to actively develop catalysts based on PAC sorbents for oil refining, petrochemicals, gas processing and various technologies of organic synthesis.

Victor M. Mukhin was born in 1946 in the town of Orsk, Russia. In 1970 he graduated the Technological Institute in Leningrad. Victor M. Mukhin was directed to work to the scientific-industrial organization "Neorganika" (Elektrostal, Moscow region) where he is working during 47 years, at present as the head of the laboratory of carbon sorbents.     Victor M. Mukhin defended a Ph. D. thesis and a doctoral thesis at the Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia (in 1979 and 1997 accordingly). Professor of Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia. Scientific interests: production, investigation and application of active carbons, technological and ecological carbon-adsorptive processes, environmental protection, production of ecologically clean food.   

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