The PhD program requires a student to follow one of the following four areas of concentration. (At the time of application, each applicant should indicate a preferred area of concentration in their statement of Reasons for Graduate Study.)

Knowledge Based Systems Track

The Knowledge Based Systems track is designed to train students in the development of techniques to support decision-making in medical practice (including both clinical and administrative decision-making) and customized instruction on health and medical topics for patients and health care providers. Technical areas include decision analysis, expected utility theory and cost-effectiveness analysis, computer-based decision support systems, user modeling and user interface design, intelligent tutoring systems, knowledge representation, structured reporting, and data mining and knowledge discovery.

Health Services Management & Policy Track

Health services management and policy research is broad in scope and touches on all of the standard functional business areas (e.g., management, strategy and marketing, finance/economics, management information systems, human resources management) in addition to government health policy/reimbursement/regulation, insurance and other payer mechanisms, dealing with health professionals, and illness/health in individuals and in populations. The track is designed to equip students to deal with both management information and with population health and illness information and research to understand the implications of such information and research, and to transform inferences from that information and research into practical recommendations on the national, state, and local level. By its nature, it is applied to health services settings including hospitals, skilled-nursing facilities, medical group practices, public health agencies, mental health services, managed care organizations, and integrated health networks.

Health Information Systems Track

The track in Health Information Systems is designed to explore the role of administrative and clinical information systems in health care organizations. Attention will be directed at the design, implementation, and maintenance of the broad array of computer applications used in the health care industry. An interdisciplinary approach will be taken drawing on expertise from the health professions, management information systems, and library and information science. Curricular content will range from systems analysis and design, system efficacy and management, to e-commerce.

Medical Imaging and Instrumentation Track

The track in Medical Imaging and Instrumentation is designed to train students in understanding and developing medical imaging systems and medical electronic instrumentation. The aspects emphasized in this track are medical imaging systems, image processing, computer vision, pattern recognition, medical instrumentation development and optimization, computer modeling, applications of electric and magnetic fields, and wireless communication.