Training Programs

PhD Program

Goal: Our doctoral program trains scientists and scholars to conduct original, rigorous research at the intersection of biomedicine and computing. Graduates are prepared to design novel biomedical informatics artificial intelligence (AI) methods, critically evaluate their limitations and apply them to advance human health.

Curriculum: Students complete a foundational year of core courses focused on essential methods and skills, followed by elective coursework that allows them to specialize in their chosen area of interest. Throughout the program, students receive training in responsible conduct of research, scientific communication, and teaching. Typically, students complete the PhD in four to five years.

Milestones: To earn a doctoral degree, a student must successfully complete

• the required coursework,
• a preliminary evaluation,
• a comprehensive examination,
• a dissertation proposal, and
• successful conduct of dissertation work and dissertation defense.

Funding: National Library of Medicine (NLM) training fellowships are available to eligible students (U.S. citizens and permanent residents), and others are supported through grant-funded research.

MS Program

Goal: Our Master of Science program is research-oriented, offering rigorous coursework (the same as the doctoral program) and hands-on research training in biomedical informatics and AI. The program is geared towards health care professionals (e.g., chief medical information officer, chief nursing information officer, chief research informatics officer), biologists, and graduates in computer science and AI and who practice in academic medical institutions, hospital systems, the biomedical industry, and federal agencies (e.g., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration).

Curriculum: Students complete a foundational year of core courses focused on essential methods and skills, followed by elective coursework that allows them to specialize in their chosen area of interest. Throughout the program, students receive training in responsible conduct of research, scientific communication and teaching. Typically, students complete the MS in two years.

Milestones: To earn a master’s degree, a student must successfully complete

• the required coursework,
• a research project involving significant research, design or development work and a written report, and
• a presentation of the research project to a master’s committee.

Funding: NLM training fellowships are available to eligible students (U.S. citizens and permanent residents), and others are supported through grant-funded research.

Certificate Program

Goal: Our certificate program provides students with a broad foundation in core biomedical informatics and AI, as well as the opportunity to gain specialized knowledge in subdomains such as clinical informatics, clinical research informatics, translational bioinformatics, population informatics and imaging informatics.

Curriculum: Students complete core courses focused on essential methods and skills, as well as elective courses that allow them to specialize in an area of interest. Typically, students complete the certificate in one year.

Milestones: To earn a certificate, a student must successfully complete

• the required coursework, and
• a research project involving significant research, design or development work and a written report.

Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

Goal: Our postdoctoral fellowship program offers individuals with research or clinical doctorates the opportunity to develop independent research projects under the mentorship of training program faculty. Graduates are prepared for academic and research careers through rigorous mentoring, grant writing support and career guidance.

Postdoctoral fellowships are ideal for individuals hoping to transition to academic careers. Our postdocs have strong records of success in pursuing National Institutes of Health (NIH) K grants and in eventually obtaining faculty positions. Applicants with backgrounds in computer science, AI, biomedical informatics, clinical training (MD, DMD, BSN or MSN, PharmD, MPH, DPT), or related fields are encouraged to apply.

Post-doctoral degree programs: The MS and certificate programs are available to post-docs with degrees from fields outside biomedical informatics.

Funding: Postdoctoral funding for the MS program may be available through the NLM training fellowships to eligible candidates (U.S. citizens and permanent residents).

Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP)

The Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) is a highly competitive, NIH-funded MD/PhD program focused on physician-scientists who integrate clinical medicine with rigorous biomedical research. Students interested in biomedical informatics and AI are well suited to complete their PhD through our doctoral program. Students complete integrated medical and graduate training over seven to eight years. NLM fellowships are available to eligible U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP)

The Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP) is a selective, research-focused pathway that prepares medical students for careers integrating clinical practice with biomedical research and includes a dedicated year of research training. Students interested in biomedical informatics and AI can pursue our MS and certificate programs. Students complete integrated medical and research training over five years.

Clinical Informatics Fellowship

The UPMC Clinical Informatics Fellowship is a two-year program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education that prepares physicians for health system leadership roles (e.g., chief medical informatics officer, chief nursing informatics officer, chief research informatics officer, chief analytics officer, chief AI officer). Fellows complete our MS and certificate programs as part of their training.

Intelligent Systems Program (ISP)

The Intelligent Systems Program (ISP) in the School of Computing and Information is a multidisciplinary graduate program offering PhD and MS degrees focused on developing and applying AI and other computational methods across diverse domains, including healthcare and biomedical science. Its biomedical informatics track is well suited for students who want to approach the field from a stronger computer science foundation. ISP students in this track are typically mentored by our training program faculty, many of whom hold joint ISP appointments, enabling research at the intersection of computing and medicine.

Artificial Intelligence, Biomedical Informatics and Data Science (AIBIDS) Program

For undergraduate students, our Accessible and Inclusive Artificial Intelligence, Biomedical Informatics, and Data Science (AIBIDS) program offers a full-time, 10-week research internship that pairs students with faculty mentors at Pitt or Gallaudet University. The program is open to undergraduates from any U.S. institution, with participants receiving a $5,500 stipend funded by the NLM.

Computer Science, Biology, and Biomedical Informatics (CoSBBI) Summer Academy

For high school students, we offer the Computer Science, Biology, and Biomedical Informatics (CoSBBI) Summer Academy, an immersive program that introduces foundational concepts in biomedical informatics and AI. CoSBBI is part of the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Academy, which provides high school students with cutting-edge research and STEM career preparation.