Typical Curriculum

Year 1 Fall

Core: Systems Biomedicine (includes Matlab Bootcamp and Journal Club) (BSR1800, 8.5 credits)

Programming: Python (BDS1007, 1 credit)

Programming: Intro to R (BIO6300, 2 credits)

RCR: Responsible Conduct of Research (BSR1021, 0.5 credits)

WIP: Works in Progress Seminar in AIET (BSR5912, 1 credit)

Research: Lab Rotation (BSR1006, 4 credits)

Year 1 Spring

Core: Principles of Physiology and Pharmacology (includes Journal Club) (BSR1802, 3.5 credits)

Biostat: Applied Biostatistics for Biomedical Research (BSR1026, 3 credits)

RCR: Rigor and Reproducibility (BSR1022, 0.5 credits)

WIP: Works in Progress Seminar in AIET (BSR5913, 1 credit)

Research: Lab Rotation (BSR1007, 4 credits)

Year 2 Fall and Spring

Advanced Electives: Advanced electives, depending on student’s needs (must total to 6 credits in Year 2)

Seminar: Seminars in AIET (BSR5910/BSR5911, 1 credit)

Journal Club: Journal Club in AIET (BSR4910/BSR4911, 1 credit)

WIP: Works in Progress Seminar in AIET (BSR5912/BSR5913, 1 credit)

Research: Independent Research (BSR8000, 10 credits)

(Must complete qualifying exam/thesis proposal by June 30 of Year 2)

Year 3 and Beyond

Additional advanced electives if appropriate for the student’s needs

Seminar: Seminars in AIET (BSR5910/BSR5911, 1 credit)

WIP: Works in Progress Seminar in AIET (BSR5912/BSR5913, 1 credit)

Research: Dissertation Research (BSR9000, 8 credits)

Elective Options

Systems Biology: Biomedical Modeling (BSR1803, 3 credits, strongly recommended for all students)

Introduction to AI & Deep Learning in Medical Imaging (recommended, particularly for students undertaking dissertation research in AI/ML)

Any other electives offered by AIET, any other MTA, through any relationship with an outside institution such as the Hasso Plattner Institute or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, or even through other institutions, can be appropriate if agreed upon by the student, dissertation advisor, and MTA co-directors. Students are encouraged to take advantage of this flexibility and choose advanced electives that are most relevant to their dissertation research and training goals.

Introduction to Biophysics and Biophysical Instrumentation (BSR6901, 1.5 credits)

Introduction to Nanomedicine (BSR 0907, 3 credits)

Variations on Curriculum

The Systems Biomedicine core (BSR1800/1802) can be exchanged for the Biomedical Science curriculum (BSR1012/1013) for students with a particularly strong quantitative background but relatively little background in basic biology.

BIO6400 can fulfill the biostatistics requirement but may result in an unacceptably heavy workload in Y1 Fall semester if combined with the Systems Biomedicine core (BSR1800/1802). This option will only be appropriate in rare and exceptional cases.

Advanced electives should be taken in Y2; it is strongly discouraged to undertake advanced electives before completing the core curriculum and identifying a dissertation advisor and lab.

MD/PhD students will have completed their MD/PhD-specific core curriculum in MD Y1, so the curriculum for MD/PhD students will be identical to the above, with the following exceptions:

• ‘Core’ will be dropped

• Journal club and Seminar will be added in PhD Y1

• Advanced electives may be taken in Y1 if a dissertation advisor and lab has been identified

• The qualifying exam/thesis proposal must be completed by June 30 of PhD Y1.