Master of Science in Health Sciences Informatics - Research
Special Notice:
We will be accepting applications for Fall, 2013 in late August, 2012 through March 15, 2013.
About the Program
Health sciences informatics research involves innovations for the health sciences (basic, clinical, nursing, public health, and librarianship) in the understanding of information needs, the design and creation of information technologies, the deployment of information solutions, and the evaluation of information management.
The approach at Johns Hopkins is interdisciplinary. Although housed in the School of Medicine, the training program partners with all schools in the health sciences and throughout Hopkins.
The program invites applicants from a range of disciplines including public health, clinical care, the nursing sciences and biology, as well as from cognate fields such as computer, library and information sciences. Our applicant pool typically includes a number of physicians and candidates holding a PhD or master's degree who wish to develop expertise in the field of Health Sciences Informatics in general, and public health informatics in particular.
Objectives:
The two year Program will either begin in late August or early September, and has the following goals for its students:
- To achieve a level of competency in health sciences informatics that generalizes across domains of application
- To develop proficiency in public health informatics
- To increase knowledge of fields related to health sciences informatics such as computer science, biostatistics, and evaluation methodology
- To observe and participate in collaborative research and development activities in public health informatics
- To make a contribution to the field of informatics by completing a research project
The Curriculum
See the full list of classes and breakdown of the curriculum. The coursework and seminars provide a knowledge base that may be applied across the range of health sciences informatics applications. Didactics include a Core Curriculum in Health Sciences Informatics (Introduction; Leadiership and Evaluation; Clinical Informatics; Design to Deployment; Standards and Interoperability; and Knowledge Engineering and Decision support), as well as selectives (e.g., methodology), electives, and two weekly seminars.
Optional practica provide students with the opportunity to see informatics and information technology in action as well as to inform their own research projects. These rotations may take place within the university or with outside partners in the fields of business and government, or with non-profit organizations.
Independent Research comprises 50 percent of student effort in the program and should result in a contribution to the peer-reviewed academic informatics literature.
There are no clinical responsibilities associated with this program.
Application Requirements
Applicants with the following degrees and qualifications will be considered:
- BA or BS, plus a satisfactory GRE score
or
- BA or BS, and a minimum of five years professional experience in a relevant field.
or
- MA, MLS, MD or PhD, with no further requirements.
"Relevant fields" include public health, medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, nursing, ancillary therapies, librarianship, biomedical science and computer and information science.
The Application Process
Applications for the class entering in 2013 will be accepted starting in late August, 2012. The application is made available online through Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Apply Yourself web site. Please note that paper applications are no longer accepted. The supporting documents listed below must be received by the SOM admissions office by March 1, 2013, Office of Graduate Student Affairs, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1830 E. Monument Street, Suite 2-107, Balitmore, MD 21287. Applications will not be reviewed until they are complete and we have all supporting letters and documentation.
- Curriculum vitae
- Three letters of recommendation
- Official transcript of school record
- Certification of terminal degree
- You may also submit a portfolio of published research, or samples of website or system development to support your application if you wish.
Please track the receipt of materials through the Apply Yourself system. Applications received after the due date will be reviewed on a case by case basis and may not receive the full attention of the admissions committee.
Personal Interview
Short-listed candidates will be invited to an onsite interview with the Program Director and other appropriate members of faculty to discuss career goals and assess the applicant's scholastic abilities and personal qualities.
Notification
Applicants will be notified of admissions decisions by April 15, 2013.
It is the policy of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine to require criminal background investigations on prospective students in any professional or graduate program at the School of Medicine, interns, residents and clinical fellows in any Graduate Medical Education program sponsored by Johns Hopkins, and other clinical and research postdoctoral fellows at the School of Medicine.
The Johns Hopkins University and The Johns Hopkins Health System do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or veteran status in any student program or activity administered by the university or with regard to admissions or employment. Defense Department discrimination in ROTC programs on the basis of sexual orientation conflicts with this university policy. The university is committed to encouraging a change in the Defense Department policy.
Important Transcript Information
It is the policy of the School of Medicine Registrar that new students have a complete set of original transcripts on file prior to matriculation showing the degree awarded and date. An official transcript is one that is addressed to the Office of Graduate Student Affairs and sent directly from the granting institution to Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Office of Graduate Student Affairs, 1830 East Monument Street, Ste. 2-107, Baltimore, MD 21287. The transcript envelope must be sealed and stamped on arrival at the OGSA office. Transcripts addressed to the student can not be accepted even if they are sent to the OGSA address above.
DHSI is interested in attracting talented students from other countries to our program. However, there are some practical issues that you should be aware of before applying. DHSI does not currently have the ability to offer any support to students who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States. Final admission to the program requires documentation that the appropriate financial resources are available. Please refer to the School of Medicine website for details of these requirements.
We highly recommend that foreign applicants seek other possible means of supporting the cost of graduate study. Support could come from: (a) a scholarship from your government or (b) from a "special" foundation award. In your application, please discuss the possibility of obtaining support from one of these sources. We highly recommend that you review the NAFSA: Association of International Educators website. NAFSA does not offer financial assistance, but will offer some suggestions to help your search for financial aid for study in the United States.
Applications to the program are made online through the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine website.
For more information about our curriculum and activities please visit the Division website or contact the Program Coordinator.
Cost of Attendance
Tuition for the 2012 - 2013 academic year is $44,100. Please visit the School of Medicine website for information on additional fees and mandatory health insurance coverage.
See this page for detailed Financial Aid information.
See the full list of classes and breakdown of the curriculum.
