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D. Bradley McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics

Transforming Data to Power Human Health™
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Did you know?
  • First informatics school to receive a sizable charitable donation and rename the school to honor the donor’s gift.

  • First informatics school to offer a Doctorate in Health Informatics curated for informatics working professionals.

  • One of the oldest healthcare informatics schools in the nation with over 25 years of delivering graduate level education.

  • For the 2024-2025 school year, 17 doctoral candidates successfully defended their final dissertation or translational project.

  • Our alumni consist of over 1500 graduates with over 85 with doctorate degrees, over 800 master’s degrees, and over 650 with a graduate certificate.

Training future scientists to revolutionize healthcare using informatics, artificial intelligence, and health data science.

McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics is shaping the future of patient care, disease prevention, and biomedical discovery by transforming data into innovative solutions powered by artificial intelligence, data science, and informatics. We are the only biomedical informatics program with advanced doctoral degrees in Texas and the largest and only free-standing informatics school in the nation. Explore the education and research opportunities offered within our three departments.


McWilliams Quick Facts

First in Texas

Only informatics program in Texas with advanced doctoral degrees.

Standalone School

Only freestanding school among 100+ AMIA Academic Forum Institutions.

One of the largest

One of the largest internationally, with more than 130 regular and adjunct faculty and more than 400 graduate students.

Affordable Tuition

Affordable in-state and out-of-state tuition.

Distinguished Faculty

2 PECASE Awardees; 3 AMIA Signature Awardees, 20 ACMI Fellows; 10 FAMIA Fellows; 5 IAHSI Fellows; 4 AIMBE Fellows; 2 AAAS Fellows

Location, Location, Location

Located in the Texas Medical Center,
the largest in the world.

Explore Our Programs

Our faculty train the next generation of scientists through graduate certificate programs, dual degree programs, master’s programs, and doctoral programs for future careers as cognitive scientists, statisticians, hospital administrators, pharmacists, and more.

Doctoral Programs

  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
  • Doctorate in Health Informatics (DHI)
View Doctoral Programs

Master's Program

  • Applied Track
  • Research Track
View Master's Program

Certificate/Non-Degree Programs

  • Undergraduate Accelerated Master’s (4+1)
  • Certificates
  • Non-Degree
View Certificate Programs

Dual Degree Programs

  • MD/MS
  • PharmD/MS
  • PhD/MPH
  • MS/MPH
View Dual Degree Programs

Research at our school

Whether researching molecules or entire populations, our faculty and students have the power to unlock life-changing discoveries, including new technology, improved health care delivery, and disease prevention. Our team leads research and programs that range from enhancing artificial intelligence and machine learning to helping inform and improve the global response to COVID-19.

Explore Our Research Centers
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Headshot of D. Bradley McWilliams

Learn About D. Bradley McWilliams

D. Bradley “Brad” McWilliams, a longtime supporter of UTHealth Houston, made a transformative commitment to the School of Biomedical Informatics to bolster our mission of enhancing human health through data science. In gratitude for his visionary investment, the school is named D. Bradley McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics.

About D. Bradley McWilliams

Career Outlook

Informatics Career Outcome Numbers

We crunched the numbers and they don't lie. Follow the link below to learn more about your future with a career in informatics.

Become an ICON
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More News

Upcoming Events

Advancing Cancer Genomic Medicine in the AI Era

April 23, 2026
We are pleased to announce that we are organizing the inaugural workshop, “Advancing Cancer Genomic Medicine in the AI Era,” which will take place on Thursday, April 23, 2026, from 12:00–5:00 PM at the UTHealth McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics. This event is co-sponsored by the UTHealth CPRIT Cancer Genomics Core (CGC), the CPRIT Biomedical Informatics, Genomics, and Translational Cancer Research (BIG-TCR) program, and the UTHealth Office of Cancer Genomic Medicine (OCGM).

Carmel Dyer, MD Lecture Series - Improving Advance Care Planning for Patients with Serious Illness

April 27, 2026

Hosted by UTHealth Houston Institute on Aging Please join us in welcoming Anne Walling, MD, PhD as she gives a talk on "Improving Advance Care Planning for Patients with Serious Illness".

Anne M. Walling, MD, PhD, is Director of Palliative Care Research for the Department of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research at UCLA, Assistant Medical Director of UCLA Health’s Advance Care Planning initiative and a palliative care physician and PhD-trained health services researcher.

The focus of her research has been on palliative care quality measurement and stakeholder-partnered implementation research with the goal of improving care for patients with serious illness.

CDMDLS_Walling_04.20.26.jpg

From Curriculum to Enculturation: Building Healthcare Policy Education for Health Professionals

April 30, 2026
Join us for a free, hybrid forum on April 30, from 9:00 AM–2:00 PM! Explore innovative health policy education initiatives developed at UTHealth Houston, as part of a 5-year, campus-wide effort impacting thousands of students. Through talks and demonstrations, attendees will gain practical insights, discover ready-to-use curricular resources, and connect with others passionate about teaching healthcare policy. In-person attendees will enjoy complimentary breakfast and lunch. The event will be held at the Beth Robertson Auditorium, Institute for Molecular Medicine, UTHealth Houston (1825 Pressler, Houston, TX 77030), with live-streaming available via Zoom Registration (online & in-person) is requested at https://go.uth.edu/healthcare-policy-education

CAHIIM

Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) is a peer-reviewed, accreditation process for both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. This designation ensures that accredited schools continuously improve the quality of health information management and health informatics education to meet healthcare workforce needs.

  • Our Master’s program earned CAHIIM accreditation in 2019
  • The school’s curriculum meets standards set by health informatics educators from across the nation.
  • Our students earn an accredited education that is both relevant and provides current skills required by today's employers.
  • Our continuously maintains and upholds all CAHIIM policies and procedure to maintain program accreditation.

HIMSS

HIMSS Approved Education Partners (AEP) are educational programs that demonstrate that their educational development activities meet the rigorous standards of quality, as identified by HIMSS. AEPs are authorized to offer HIMSS-approved healthcare and health information technology education and training programs that prepare candidates for advanced knowledge in health IT and healthcare.

  • As a HIMSS AEP since 2016, our curriculum meets HIMSS's high educational standards.
  • Our education and training programs prepare candidates for advanced knowledge in health IT and healthcare.
  • Students receive the education and knowledge needed for both the CAHIMS and CPHIMS certifications.
  • Our Continuing Education courses also meet HIMSS’s industry-level standards for effective health training.

SBMI PM Course - CE

SBMI is a PMI Authorized Training Partner. With this designation, you can be assured that your training has been vetted by the Project Management Institute to meet their exacting standards.

  • Two SBMI courses, BMI 5328 – Systems Management and Project Management and BMI 7360 – Advanced Project Management, utilize PMI materials and can be used as educational credits towards the PMP or CAPM.
  • SBMI also offers a continuing education Project Management course.

SACSCOC

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) is the body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges has six core values. They are:

  • Integrity
  • Peer Review/Self-regulation
  • Student Learning
  • Continuous Quality Improvement
  • Accountability
  • Transparency

SACSCOC is an institutional accreditor that employs an accountable and transparent peer review process which assures educational quality and integrity, fosters continuous self-improvement, and promotes student success.