Applications

Why Apply to the Biomedical Informatics and Training Program at Pitt?

Rich history. Founded in 1987, the University of Pittsburgh’s Biomedical Informatics and Training Program (BMITP) is among the earliest of its kind in the United States and has helped shape the scientific foundations of artificial intelligence in medicine for nearly four decades.

National leadership. Our faculty are internationally recognized leaders who advance biomedical informatics through research, national initiatives and real-world implementation, continuing Pittsburgh’s tradition of innovation in data-driven healthcare.

Hands-on activities. Students participate in structured, applied experiences such as developing interoperable health applications, applying machine learning and natural language processing to clinical data, and designing tools that support clinical and research workflows.

Abundant research opportunities. Trainees benefit from diverse research pathways supported by interdisciplinary faculty, federally funded projects, and collaborative communities across medicine, computing and public health.

Real-world opportunities. Strong partnerships with health systems, research networks, and industry enable students to work on practical challenges in healthcare delivery, biomedical discovery and population health.

Mentoring philosophy. We emphasize individualized mentorship, fostering a supportive and intellectually rigorous environment that encourages independence, curiosity and professional growth.

Application Process and Requirements

All individuals applying to the BMITP must use the following procedures for preparing and submitting an application:

Application Fee

A $50 application fee is required. Please pay by credit card, check, or money order made out to the University of Pittsburgh and mail to the address found below. If the fee is prohibitive, we may be able to waive it. Please contact Toni Porterfield at tls18@pitt.edu.

Personal Statement

Please indicate the basis of your interest in graduate study. The personal statement must address four items:

(a) A brief summary of your background in all relevant fields, to include at least medicine and computer science. Although it is not necessary that an applicant have a background in medicine or computer science, it helps the admissions committee to determine any prerequisites that you might be required to take before or shortly after being accepted into the program. Applicants are strongly encouraged to have some knowledge of computer programming in C, C++ and/or Java before entering the program. Describe your research experiences and any hypotheses and results that were generated in your experimental work. Provide dates, research advisors and project titles.

(b) A statement of your educational goals and how they would be advanced through participation in the training program.

(c) A statement of your career objectives, both short and long term. When preparing the short-term portion of your statement, please be specific regarding any projects you may have in mind that could contribute to the success of your biomedical informatics training.

(d) A statement of your writing ability. Indicate how well you perceive your writing ability to be at this time. State how you will improve your current writing ability to meet the requirements of rigorous research-based technical papers.

Your application must include the following:

Academic Documents and Transcripts

Please note that documents submitted to the University of Pittsburgh become the property of the University and cannot be returned to the applicant under any circumstances.

Recommendation Letters

A minimum of three letters of recommendation is required.

Domestic Applicants

Official academic records from all institutions attended are required.

Deadlines

All materials listed above must be received by Dec. 15, 2025, for fall 2026 predoctoral admission consideration and by March 1, 2026, for fall 2026 postdoctoral scholar/researcher admission consideration.

Applications received after that date can be considered contingent upon the availability of unallocated trainee positions.

International Applicants

Academic Documents

All academic documents from international institutions must be official. Official documents are defined as original academic records issued by the institution attended that bear the actual (not photocopied) signature of the registrar or appropriate official and the seal of the issuing institution. These documents must be for each year of university-level study. If your university or college issues the academic documents in a language other than English, you must submit the certified copy of the original documents in the ORIGINAL LANGUAGE PLUS A CERTIFIED ENGLISH TRANSLATION. Do not submit only a translation only. All translations must be complete and literal translations of the original records. Records issued only once by institutions should be photocopied and certified as official copies either by the school officials or legal authorities.

GRE Scores

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are not required for our training program. If you choose to submit GRE scores, they will not be included in our review of your application.

TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo

Applicants who are citizens of countries where English is not the official language (and the province of Quebec in Canada) are required to submit evidence of English language proficiency by submitting the official results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or a Duolingo score. A minimum TOEFL iBT score of 100 or 250 (computer-based), a minimum IELTS Band score of 7.0 or a minimum Duolingo score of 120 or higher is required for admission to the program. Only officially reported results of scores less than two years old are accepted; photocopies of results are not accepted. A waiver may be considered if an applicant submits the English Certificate for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). Applicants who have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited institution in the United States may request a waiver from submitting English language proficiency test results. To submit TOEFL scores, use Institution Code 2927.

Note: Individuals applying to the biomedical informatics track of the Intelligent Systems Program (ISP) must also submit an application to the ISP (in addition to applying to the BMITP). Refer to the ISP website at www.isp.pitt.edu.

Contact Information and Mailing Address

Training Program Contact Information:

Toni Porterfield
Training Program Coordinator
Phone: +1-412-648-9203
Email: tls18@pitt.edu

Mailing Address for Academic Transcripts:

(Postal and express mailing, e.g., UPS, FedEx, DHL, U.S. Post Overnight Handling)
Biomedical Informatics Training Program
Department of Biomedical Informatics
University of Pittsburgh
3420 Forbes Avenue
825 Murdoch Bldg.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Use this telephone number for all express mail packages: +1-412-648-9203 

Online Application

Use the online application portal to submit your application.