The design of the Stanford program reflects our belief that the newness of the field of biomedical informatics, the need for trained professionals, and the broad opportunities available at Stanford make it appropriate to provide a wide range of training options. That is why we offer both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees and custom-tailor the classroom and research requirements to the diverse backgrounds and professional needs of our students. We encourage all trainees to be formal degree candidates, believing that leaders in the field will require broad formal course exposure in addition to intense research training. Trainees attend weekly seminars and research colloquia offered by faculty, students, staff, and visitors to the university. The BMI training program is overseen by core faculty who serve on the administrative and admissions committees.
Students also have the opportunity to work with faculty in many other departments.
Initiated in 1982, the program had 60 graduates by early 2000, divided about equally between those with doctorates and those with master s degrees. All trainees take a comprehensive BMI oral examination after 2 years in the program, and M.S. candidates are also expected to complete a master s research practicum. The Ph.D. degree adds 2 years or more, with formal defense of a thesis proposal at the end of the third year, and a completed dissertation no earlier than the end of the fourth year. The program includes 33 students who, with the core faculty and staff, share 6000 square feet of space in the Medical School Office Building at Stanford University School of Medicine. We typically receive up to 100 applications per year, for four to six new positions.