Concentrations
Three concentration-specific elective courses will be required in the student’s chosen concentration. The elective courses are designed to build upon the required core courses as well as serve as the basis for the student’s MS Independent Project. Each concentration is led by one or more faculty scholars or “track leaders.” In addition to taking classes from faculty track leaders, students will also receive tailored guidance on faculty mentor placement for their independent project.
Science Communication
The Science Communication concentration prepares students for the emerging field in healthcare that prioritizes effective public communication in shaping public policy, informing voting populations, and improving grant procedures and funding. Students in this concentration will gain skills in written, digital, and oral communication and learn how to effectively translate primary scientific research to a general audience.
Faculty track lead: Sara Serritella
Biomedical Data Science
The Biomedical Data Science concentration draws on numerous fields including statistics, computer science, privacy and ethics, philosophy of science, and economics to understand the impact of data on healthcare. Students in this concentration will gain expertise in biostatistics, machine learning, computational biology, and artificial intelligence.
Faculty track co-leads: Alexander Pearson, MD, PhD and Samuel Volchenboum, MD, PhD
Health Systems Science
The Health Systems Science concentration challenges students to think innovatively about healthcare delivery and health system improvement and focuses on topics such as quality improvement, patient safety, value, equity, informatics, and population health. Students in this concentration will be able to learn how to strengthen the quality, safety, value, and patient experience of healthcare, and be leaders in healthcare operations. For more information about healthcare delivery science and innovation at UChicago Medicine, visit hdsi.uchicago.edu
Faculty track co-leads: Valerie Press, MD, MPH and Moira McNulty, MD, MS
Biomedical Innovation
The recent rise of biotech start-ups and incubators have fueled unique intersections between business enterprise creation and the biosciences. This unique ecosystem calls for a workforce that is equipped with enhanced understanding of the biomedical sciences and related biotechnological development within private and public enterprises. Students in the Biomedical Innovation concentration will learn about biomedical product development, how innovation is adopted within healthcare systems, and development milestones in bioscience entrepreneurship.
Faculty track lead: Melissa Byrn, Assistant Dean for Clinical Research