Education and Training Resources

Health and Biomedical Data Science

The Master of Science program in Health and Biomedical Data Science, administered by the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics in the Milken Institute School of Public Health, develops leaders and practitioners in public health and medicine through training in fundamentals and innovative data analysis. The program uniquely blends the biostatistics and bioinformatics disciplines so that practitioners can become successful collaborators in interdisciplinary research. The program takes advantage of the rich biostatistical and bioinformatics resources at GW, such as the Biostatistics Center, and its location in the Nation’s Capital. It is designed to prepare students to be collaborative and independent practitioners in interdisciplinary research.

Students in this program choose one of two concentrations, applied biostatistics or applied bioinformatics. Each concentration focuses on the foundations of the respective discipline to acquire fundamental knowledge and experience in the subject area while gaining core knowledge in the foundations of the other track. Students will be well positioned to compete for health data science, biostatistician, or bioinformatician jobs requiring an MS level of education or to apply for study at the doctoral level in health and biomedical data science, biostatistics, bioinformatics, or another related discipline.

The mission of the MS in Health and Biomedical Data Science is to train the next generation of leaders and practitioners in public health and medicine. Students in the program develop practical skills for innovative data analysis and will be trained in becoming excellent communicators of scientific findings in public health and biomedical research. The program takes advantage of the rich biostatistical and bioinformatics resources at GWU and in the Nation’s Capital and is designed to prepare students to be independent practitioners in the and collaborators in interdisciplinary research.
Upon completion of the MS program in Health and Biomedical Data Science, students will be able to: 1. Use statistical software to efficiently perform data management and analysis programming tasks for the purposes of statistical analysis of public health and biomedical data. 2. Read, summarize, and evaluate statistical methodology applied to public health and biomedical research. 3. Effectively communicate fundamental principles of statistical theory and study design to a non-statistical audience. 4. Understand and apply the basic principles of statistical methodology to perform sound statistical analyses of public health and biomedical data. 5. Effectively contribute to the development of statistical and/or bioinformatics sections of public health and biomedical research proposals.

Year Program Established: 2021
Scholarships/assistanceships may be available: Yes
Type of academic terms: Semester

Average number of applicants per year: 15
Average number of applicants accepted per year: 10
Average number of incoming students per year: 5
Average number of graduates per year: 0

Program URL: https://publichealth.gwu.edu/content/health-and-biomedical-data-science-ms
Syllabus URL: https://publichealth.gwu.edu/content/health-and-biomedical-data-science-ms

Contact Person: Keith Crandall (kcrandall@gwu.edu)