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Biomedical Informatics & Data Science

The Biomedical Informatics & Data Science Program is a graduate training program at WashU, housed under the Roy and Diana Vagelos Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences (DBBS). PhD training in Biomedical Informatics and Data Science (BIDS) at Washington University is offered by the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences with faculty leadership from the Institute for Informatics, Data Science and Biostatistics (I2DB). 

Mission

The mission of I2DB is to focus on the informatics, data science, and biostatistics landscape at WashU Medicine to transform research, education, and patient care. It emphasizes precision medicine and efforts to improve the quality of healthcare and public health initiatives locally, nationally, and worldwide. 

Purpose

The BIDS PhD program provides opportunities for graduate students with diverse backgrounds to gain expertise in the field of biomedical informatics, to train as future biomedical researchers and industry leaders in biomedical informatics and data science core competencies, and to engage in scholarly activities under the guidance of experienced informatics faculty. Beyond an educational program, the mission of BIDS is to support biomedical informatics practice through applied research in real-world settings. The objectives of BIDS are to do the following:  

  • Expand students' knowledge in data science theories and applications in biomedical informatics;  
  • Provide training and hands-on research and industry experience in biomedical informatics and data science;  
  • Assist students in enhancing and applying their skills in translational science, real-world problem solving, and dissemination of knowledge; 
  • Encourage students to pursue careers in academia and/or industry through exposure to professional role models or mentors; and 
  • Develop and improve students' skills in interdisciplinary teamwork and communication.

To earn a PhD at within the Roy and Diana Vagelos Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences at Washington University, a student must complete all courses required by their department; maintain satisfactory academic progress; pass the qualifying examination; complete all requirements for doctoral candidacy; create a Research Advisory Committee (RAC); submit a Title, Scope, and Procedure Form; fulfill residence and Mentored Experience Requirements; write, defend, and submit a dissertation; and apply for program completion (graduation) via Workday Student.   

Program Requirements

  • Total Units Required: 36 units
  • Degree Length: Seven years
    • Students are expected to maintain satisfactory academic progress in accordance with academic milestones. Students entering their seventh year in the program will receive a warning letter in regards to reaching their stated degree length. Students entering their eighth year in the program will be required to obtain permission from the Associate Dean of Graduate Education. Across DBBS programs, the average time to degree is 5.6 years.
    • Note: Students must be enrolled in 9 graduate credits each semester to retain full-time status. As students complete their coursework, if enrolled in fewer than 9 graduate credits, they must enroll in a specific Biology & Biomedical Sciences research graduate course to maintain fulltime status. Prior to completing 36 credit units, students will enroll in BBS 5900 Research for research credit; after completing 36 credit units, students will enroll in BBS 9000 Full-Time Graduate Research/Study, which will show 0 credit units but fulfills full-time status. Students should follow advising instructions to ensure proper enrollment prior to Add/Drop.
    • Continued support is guaranteed for the duration of the student's graduate studies, provided that the student maintains satisfactory progress toward completion of the degree. 
  • Grade Requirement: Required courses generally consist of four to nine courses in areas fundamental to the student's program. Students are expected to maintain a B average in graduate courses.

Required Courses

DBBS Required Courses

Program Required Courses

  • BDSAI 5001 R for Biomedical Sciences
  • BDSAI 5002 Python for Biomedical Sciences
  • BDSAI 5003 Introduction to Biomedical Data Science
  • BDSAI 5004 Introduction to Biomedical Informatics
  • BDSAI 5112 Advanced AI Topics in Biomedical Informatics: Deep Learning, Transformers, and Large Language Models
  • Two semesters of BBS 5999 Independent Work

Advanced Electives

BIDS students must take one to four semesters of advanced electives, dependent upon Program Director advising. Common elective coursework includes the following:

  • BMI 5204 Mixed Methods in Biomedical Informatics
  • BMI 5205 The Electronic Health Record
  • MSB 503 Statistical Computing with SAS
  • MSB 560 Biostatistics I
  • MSB 570 Biostatistics II
  • MSB 621 Computational Statistical Genetics
  • MSB 550 Intro to Bioinformatics 
  • BBS 5910 Nano Topics in Biology and Biomedical Sciences

Journal Clubs

BIDS students must complete two semesters of journal clubs. BMI 5200 Biomedical Informatics Research in Progress is a recommended journal club for BIDS students. 

Laboratory Rotations

Selecting a thesis advisor is the most important decision a student makes in graduate school. To help each student make an informed, thoughtful choice, the Division builds in flexibility to explore options. Students usually participate in three lab rotations during their first year. Additional rotations can be arranged, and rotation lengths are flexible. Students usually begin their thesis research by the end of their first year.

Scientific Scholarship

Keeping abreast of scientific developments is critical for faculty and students alike. The Division offers many ways to stay current. More than 15 weekly biology seminars provide excellent opportunities to meet outstanding scientists from outside Washington University. Several annual symposia bring internationally recognized speakers to campus. Journal clubs meet weekly for students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty to present and discuss current scientific literature. A number of Interdisciplinary Research Pathways allow students to enhance their PhD program. Program retreats allow for informal interaction among students and faculty. The Division also provides funds for each student for professional development.

 

As part of their degree requirements, PhD students must complete a program-defined Mentored Experience Requirement (MER) as per these guidelines. The Mentored Experience Implementation Plan (MEIP) is the written articulation of a program-defined degree requirement for PhD students to engage in mentored teaching activities and/or mentored professional activities, collectively referred to as MERs.

Mentored Experience Requirements (MERs)

Philosophy of Teaching

Effective communication of information and concepts is a critical skill for biomedical research scientists. Although much of the teaching that scientists engage in is through one-on-one interactions with individuals in the laboratory, all scientists must have fundamental instruction in and experience with pedagogy principles, be able to deliver effective lectures to a wide audience, and be prepared to teach courses to undergraduate and graduate students. These represent the goals of the required Mentored Teaching Experience (MTE).

Preparatory Engagement

Preparatory Engagement activities are those that represent an introduction to the foundational skills associated with teaching or communication. Pedagogical preparation engagement activities are normally completed before students are permitted to engage in assisting or teaching in a classroom.

Prior to beginning their MTE and typically during their first graduate year, Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences (DBBS) students will be required to complete the Graduate Student Teaching Orientation, including three Foundations in Teaching (FiT) workshops offered by the Center for Teaching and Learning. Students will meet with assigned course director(s) prior to the start of the semester and complete a teaching expectations form. 

Mentored Teaching Experiences (MTEs)

Assistant in Instruction (AI)

An Assistant in Instruction (AI) is a PhD student who is directly engaged in the organization, instruction, and/or support of a semester-long course primarily taught by a faculty member. An AI receives mentorship from a faculty member related to best practices in classroom engagement, instruction in the field, interpersonal engagement, and other relevant skills. Students and mentors complete a mentorship plan prior to the start of each AI experience. To complete each AI assignment and to ensure that it applies toward their degree requirements, students must register for the appropriate course number for each semester of engagement. Refer to the "Required Pathways for Completion" section below for course numbers and details.

DBBS students will serve as mentored AIs in courses approved by the Associate Dean. Units for a given course will be determined ahead of the assignment. A unit is equivalent to approximately one hour per week, so 5 units would involve five hours of support (on average per week) for a course. The PhD student is formally listed as instructional support in the course listings and receives mentorship from the faculty member in best practices for classroom engagement, instruction in the field, interpersonal engagement, and other relevant skills. The mentored teaching training must incorporate at least one of the following activities: delivering lectures, leading lab activities or discussion groups, or conducting review sessions for groups of students. Grading exams or papers, holding office hours, administrative tasks, one-on-one tutoring, and so on may also be components of the assistantship and should be counted in the 5 units; however, these activities are not sufficient to meet the DBBS teaching training requirement. In general, AI assignments connect to undergraduate or lower-level graduate courses that the AI has taken previously. Students must enroll in MGS 8005 MTE - Assistant in Instruction experience  during the semester(s) of their assigned MTEs. 

The PhD student should receive regular feedback or evaluation from the mentor throughout the semester, a formal evaluation of teaching skills by the faculty at the end of the semester, and evaluation by the students at the end of the term as part of the course evaluation. If the course director determines that the PhD student's facility with essential teaching skills is unsatisfactory, the student will be counseled by the course director and the Associate Dean of Graduate Education and then will complete another MTE to attain mastery of these skills. Mentored teaching opportunities will be reviewed annually to ensure that the experiences meets the requirements established in this policy.

Required Pathways for Completion

Students work with their faculty mentor and their Director of Graduate Studies to plan how and when they will complete their MERs. Students register during the normal registration period for courses in accordance with one of these approved pathways.

  • Preparatory Engagement completed during the first year

Pathway #1
MGS 8005 Take one time

Optional Activity: Professional Intensive Pathway (PIP)

The PIP is an optional pathway for those students whose career interests lie outside of academia or who want to benefit from mentored professional experiences (MPEs). An MPE is an unpaid professional experience for PhD students that allows students to develop skills and experiences relevant to their intended career outcomes. Students and mentors complete a mentorship plan prior to the start of each MPE. Students who are interested in participating in this elective experience must formally request to participate, which is subject to program approval. Due to this experience being an elective, unpaid experience, students who participate in the PIP will not receive compensation. 

Students and mentors complete a mentorship plan prior to the start of each MPE. To complete each MPE assignment and ensure that it applies toward their degree requirements, students must submit the Mentorship Registration Request form for approval and register for the appropriate course number (MGS 8120 MTE - Mentored Professional Experience) for each semester of engagement.

The DBBS MPE via the PIP is an optional activity. Students should engage in activities that enhance their professional development and record these activities at their thesis update meetings. For some students, an optional MPE is encouraged. The DBBS MPE can be fulfilled by a wide range of activities that advance the careers and professional development of DBBS PhD students. These could include, for example, opportunities in biotech or pharmaceuticals (including at a startup or established company); science communication; science outreach; diversity, equity, and inclusion work; government or policy opportunities; consulting; or higher education administration. Academic-track students may use the MPE to learn a new technique at a core facility or other lab. The duties and responsibilities of the MPE should be intellectually substantive and offer opportunities for the student to develop new skills and experiences. MPEs are distinct from internships in that they are considered part of the PhD training and are recorded on students' transcripts as courses. The scope of the MPE will be determined in conversation among the student, the site mentor, and DBBS staff, and the final plan must be approved by the principal investigator and the program director. An average of 10 hours per week of MPE for a total of 150 to 180 hours is expected for each student. The nature of some MPEs may take students away from their academic pursuits for full-time participation. In these cases, coverage of a percentage of the student's stipend may be pursued by consulting DBBS leadership.

Prior to the start of an MPE, the student and the site mentor will submit a plan to DBBS detailing the scope of the project(s) to be undertaken and including a schedule and list of anticipated outcomes, and the mentor will provide an explicit commitment to the mentorship. This plan should be directly related to the goals developed via the student's recent completion of an Individual Development Plan, and students should enroll in MGS 8120 MTE - Mentored Professional Experience. During the semester, the mentor and the mentee should meet frequently (i.e., weekly or biweekly) to track the progress of the student's work. At the end of the MPE, the mentor should provide a written assessment (approximately 500 words) of the overall learning experience for the student and the quality of the work completed, and the student will submit a self-reflection statement detailing the skills and experiences gained and how their career goals may (or may not) have changed. The mentor will register the completion of MGS 8120 MTE - Mentored Professional Experience as Pass/No Pass.

Optional Pathway
MGS 8120 Take one time