McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth Houston, formerly UTHealth Houston School of Biomedical Informatics (SBMI) partners with several universities across Texas to offer a variety of dual degree programs. These programs provide an avenue for students to concurrently enroll in both degree programs so that duplication of course content is minimized, academic interaction is made more efficient, and the time and costs are reduced. Furthermore, students enrolled in these dual degree programs graduate with two (2) graduate degrees from their respective schools and/or institutions. The course requirements for earning both degrees from the McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics and the partnering school will vary by participating institution and program type.

Our Master of Science (MS) degree is widely recognized as valuable supplemental training for professionals pursuing careers in health-related fields. The value of combining the MS degree with other graduate degrees comes as students learn about data interpretation and knowledge management in addition to how to collect, process, and transform health and biomedical data into health information and knowledge.

Our school has collaboration agreements in the following areas with these respective institutions whose students are eligible to participate in this integrated curriculum:

Institutions and Programs

Doctor of Medicine/Master of Science (MD/MS) Baylor College of Medicine (Temple & Houston Campus) McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) School of Medicine

Doctor of Pharmacy/Master of Science (PharmD/MS) University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy

Master of Science/Master of Public Health/ (MS/MPH) Doctor of Philosophy/Master of Public Health (PhD/MPH) UTHealth Houston School of Public Health

MD/MS - Curriculum for Dual Degree Program

MD/MS dual degree students explore the wide range of applications of health and biomedical informatics in the quest to improve patient care. The program examines both electronic health records systems and clinical decision support systems and methods for enhancing those tools. Students learn about data interpretation and knowledge management as they discover how to collect, process, and transform health and biomedical data into health information and knowledge. These students will understand core clinical informatics disciplines such as technology assessment, quality and outcome improvement, data analytics and precision medicine.

A maximum of 12 semester credit hours from the student’s MD program can be transferred in for completion of the MS in Biomedical Informatics.

PharmD/MS - Curriculum for Dual Degree Program

The PharmD/MS is designed for students aiming to be both pharmacists and informaticians, and encompasses a wide range of informatics practices centered on medication-related patient care and improved health outcomes. The role of the pharmacist has expanded from a dispensing role to that of the drug therapy expert on interprofessional health care teams. Pharmacists are an integral part of interprofessional team-based care in settings where the use of health information technology for medication use processes exists across the continuum of care. Students completing this dual program will have a strong foundation to advance their careers by obtaining knowledge and skills centered on the effective management and delivery of medication-related data across systems that support the medication-use process. Furthermore, students will learn valuable methods for presenting healthcare and medication-related data to increase quality care, reduce costs, and ensure safe and efficient health-system pharmacy services.

A maximum of 12 semester credit hours from the student’s PharmD program can be transferred in for completion of the MS in Biomedical Informatics.

MS/MPH - Curriculum for Dual Degree Program

The MS/MPH program will prepare students to integrate public health informatics knowledge and skills in their professional lives as practitioners and researchers. The training and curriculum covered in this program will teach students how information science and technology are applied in disease surveillance, prevention and intervention in public health practice. Students will understand core public health disciplines such as health promotion, epidemiology, policy, and environmental health sciences as well as gain understanding and skills in biomedical informatics and developing informatics solutions.

A maximum of 16 semester credit hours from the student’s MPH program can be transferred in for completion of the MS in Biomedical Informatics.

PhD/MPH - Curriculum for Dual Degree Program

The PhD/MPH program will prepare students to use the public health and biomedical informatics expertise and skills gained in the program to address health care issues in communities, regions, and populations via research. Students will also examine ways to appropriately identify and understand data, turn data into information for action, assess needs and assets to address community health needs, develop community health assessments, and use evidence for decision-making.

A maximum of 36 semester credit hours from the student’s MPH program can be transferred in for completion of the PhD in Biomedical Informatics.

Contact Information:

Office of Academic Affairs
D. Bradley McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth Houston 
(713) 500-3591
SBMIAdmissions@uth.tmc.edu