What to Expect
The PhD curriculum immerses you in opportunities to learn the information science and technologies and soft skills to support the evolving patterns of care in the new paradigm of team-based, patient-centric quality health care, where decision-making is grounded in data.
Today’s information systems are expected to reflect health care occurring across multiple health care delivery systems, across the lifespan, across urban and rural locations.
Year 1 provides a general foundation covering the major biomedical and health informatics theories and methodologies.
Required courses
| BHIS 499 | Information Sources in Biomedical & Health Information Sciences | 1 hour |
| BHIS 501 | Methods in Biomedical and Health Informatics I | 4 hours |
| BHIS 510 | Health Care Information Systems | 3 hours |
| KN 503 | Responsible Conduct of and Ethical Decision Making in Research | 2 hours |
Checklist
Make sure you’ve completed all your prerequisite courses before enrolling!
| HIM 486 | Foundations of Health Information Management May be waived for those with previous coursework or U.S.-based clinical experience |
| BHIS 406 | Medical Terminology for Health Information Management May be waived for those with previous coursework, U.S.-based clinical experience, or passing grade on proficiency exam |
| Computer programming course, preferably Phython Requires documented evidence of previous coursework or may be fulfilled (with permission of the DGS) through documented completion (a signed course certificate) of a nationally recognized MOOC |
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Year 1 concludes with additional required courses covering the major biomedical and health informatics theories and methodologies. You’ll begin to rotate through research labs of UIC faculty to help you determine the direction of your research.
Required courses
Once you’ve completed the core courses that develop basic discipline competencies, you’ll get the opportunity to focus your scholarship in one of two tracks: Systems Science in BHI or Social and Organizational Science in BHI.
Year 2 is the time for you to choose and take courses in your track.
Required courses
| BHIS 503 | Communication Skills in Health Informatics | 3 hours |
| BHIS 531 | Health Information Technology and Informatics in Interprofessional Collaborative Practice | 3 hours |
| BHIS 592 | Colloquium in BHIS | 1 hour |
| BHIS 595 | Seminar in BHIS | 2 hour |
| AHS 511 | Biostatistics I | 4 hours |
Electives
Choose your electives during these two semesters, and complete credits focusing on your specialty in consultation with your advisor.
Preliminary exam prep
Before you begin full-time dissertation research, you’ll need to complete your coursework and a comprehensive preliminary examination. Start preparing for that exam now!
Our curriculum immerses you in opportunities to learn within the framework of advanced scholarship in biomedical and health informatics.
Preliminary exam
You must pass a preliminary examination to advance to candidacy before you start your full-time dissertation research. After that, you’re able to enroll in BHIS 599 PhD Thesis Research.
Once you pass your preliminary exam, the rest of your time is based upon your progress in your dissertation proposal write up and defense, research, and oral defense of your dissertation.
Once you’re in the third year of your studies, you’ll be totally focused on research.
Fall
Prepare and defend your dissertation proposal.
Spring and Summer
Continue in BHIS 599 PhD Thesis Research and work towards the completion of your research and your defense.
Hurrah—you could be done as early as Fall of this year!
You’ll need to complete a written dissertation with oral defense at a public session before the dissertation committee and other members of the academic community.
Once this is done, you’re officially finished.