Training Program for Imaging Based Medical Informatics

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): An imaging-based medical informatics training program is proposed by a consortium of institutions with strong research and teaching backgrounds in this field. Building from an existing Biomedical Physics Graduate Program, the proposal extends the current curriculum with biomedical informatics-specific classes; candidates completing the program will become knowledgeable in basic and advanced medical imaging, information system architectures, data and process modeling, knowledge representations, information retrieval and visualization, image communication and security, and health services research issues - all in the context of current and future healthcare environments and technologies. The program provides students with opportunities in numerous existing research projects, and leads to either an MS degree (approximately two years) and/or a PhD degree (approximately five years). This program also supports postdoctoral trainees from basic science and medical backgrounds, providing research and teaching opportunities for qualified individuals to partake in imaging-based informatics. UCLA is the lead institution of this consortium, with faculty participating from the Departments of Radiological Sciences (with an accredited biomedical physics program), Computer Science, Information and Library Sciences, and Health Services Research, including Rand Corporation. The consortium also includes the University of Southern California (USC), with its strong background and current research in image processing and informatics, and an active medical imaging and telemedicine graduate program. The consortium is completed with the participation of the Charles R. Drew University, assuring recruitment of minority students from a medical school; this affiliation will enable under-represented students to achieve a combined MS/MD degree, leading to higher acceptance into competitive residency programs. Together, these three universities provide the resources, research, and teaching infrastructure for an opportunity to establish a unique national-level training program in imaging-based medical informatics in Southern California.