Biomedical and Health Informatics

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Doctor of Philosophy

About the Program

Looking to make an impact as an expert in your field? Collaborate to discover potentially life-changing research results while you work toward your PhD in Biomedical and Health Informatics at Case Western Reserve University, one of the top research universities in the U.S. You’ll receive full tuition support, including health insurance and a stipend throughout your program (so you won’t have to think about funding—you can fully immerse yourself in your coursework and research). Lab rotations will help you decide on your research specialty and connect with research mentors so you can get the most out of your degree. Once you graduate, you’ll be prepared to lead in data science, project management, data analysis or a number of other professions.

What to Expect

Our PhD in Biomedical and Health Informatics is purposefully small—with a maximum of three students per cohort—so you can get plenty of one-on-one attention from faculty. This makes for even more enriching classes. Plus, you’ll do three lab rotations in your first year to help you identify your research interests, whether you decide on data analytics (especially statistics and data wrangling), biomedical health, or computational and system design (especially big data).

Once you’ve identified your research topic, you’ll work alongside faculty who share your passions while you complete your dissertation. Some current faculty projects include the analysis of clinical data for early markers of kidney disease and the use of big data technologies for processing streams of seizure data.

The students and the graduates we’ve worked with have been breathtaking. They’ve all come out with humility, curiosity and compassion. They’re confident in their skills but they realize they need to be part of a broader team. They’re curious to learn and get new ideas, and they’re compassionate in working as a care team.

Peter Provonost, Chief Clinical Transformation Officer and Chief Quality Officer, University Hospitals

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Beyond the Classroom

As you pursue your research, you’ll team up with students from other medical disciplines at CWRU as well as top medical institutions such as Cleveland Clinic and the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. You’ll also attend seminars with speakers from Case Western Reserve and visiting experts, and you’ll even conduct your own seminar about your dissertation research. These professional development experiences are paramount to the program’s success—and to your success after graduation.

By the Numbers

100%

tuition coverage for students in good standing, including a stipend and health insurance

Tier 1

medical research school in the U.S., U.S. News & World Report

lab rotations with program faculty

#53

university in the country, U.S. News & World Report

14-22%

growth expected in bioinformatics professions (Bureau of Labor and Statistics)

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View Our Curriculum

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Meet Our Faculty

Discover the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Admissions Requirements

Our program thrives when we have students with diverse perspectives and a range of educational, professional and life experiences. We look forward to learning more about you!

The application process requires:

, including a statement of purpose that addresses your interest in biomedical and health informatics and how you hope to utilize this program in your career path
$50 application fee
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution (either already complete, or will be complete before you enroll)
Unofficial transcripts
Current resume/CV
Three letters of recommendation
Test scores for GRE, MAT, MCAT, LSAT, DACT, or GMAT (optional)
International applicants: Results of TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE