New AI in Healthcare masters program starts this Fall
“Medical professionals are eager to acquire the skills that will let them be the drivers of the development and deployment of AI into clinical practice. They must also understand what is involved in the creation of these tools so they know the limitations. Researchers must understand the biases AI tools can introduce into clinical practice in order to mitigate them,” explains Dr. Anna Goldenberg at the launch of the new professional Masters program in Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare.
Formed from a unique partnership between the Departments of Computer Science (Faculty of Arts and Science) and Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology (Temerty Faculty of Medicine), AI in Healthcare is led by Dr. Anna Goldenberg. With a joint appointment in the two departments and as research theme lead at the Temerty Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research and Education in Medicine (T-CAIREM), Goldenberg helps foster innovation in AI in Medicine research.
Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare is a new concentration in the Master of Science in Applied Computing (MScAC) program offered by the Department of Computer Science. This concentration will be the first of its kind to provide practical applied machine learning training for life science and computer science students and medical trainees who wish to enter the field of healthcare in a very different capacity and want to enhance the delivery of medical care. This subdiscipline is at the forefront of a new chapter of medicine where disciplines traditionally deemed outside the realm of healthcare now have the opportunity to impact patient care and quality of life.
The Canadian government and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) recently stated that there is a huge gap in supply of quality training programs in AI in Healthcare that meet the demand of healthcare institutions and healthcare providers. The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the College of Family Physicians of Canada have also recently identified AI and Healthcare as important training areas.
“With this new concentration, we will be able to scale up the next generation of professionals who want to positively impact medicine,” says Goldenberg. “There is a huge demand for the transformational impact of AI in healthcare in Canada and for people who can ‘speak the language of AI’ in the healthcare community to facilitate Canada becoming a leader in this field.”
The new program also meets an increasing demand for graduate level education in the field. A new course in AI offered in LMP, Basic Principles of Machine Learning in Biomedical Research, filled its allotment in 30 minutes and had 20 students on the waiting list, all without any advertisement of the course when it launched in late 2021. Find out more about Basic Principles of Machine Learning in Biomedical Research and what students thought of it.
Dr. Rita Kandel, Department Chair in LMP, commented, “Artificial intelligence promises to enhance the practice of medicine. It will never replace the human aspect of healthcare, but it will give those who understand it, and adopt it into their practices, a huge advantage. This concentration addresses a large unmet societal need in developing knowledge in this area. It will not only train practitioners who can implement AI but increase the number of people that can help reduce barriers and communicate its use. Being able to work in partnership with the Department of Computer Science and leverage our AI centre, T-CAIREM gives us a unique set of expertise and knowledge to train the next generation of AI-agile healthcare professionals and researchers.”
More on the Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare program
The Master of Science in Applied Computing (MScAC) is a 16-month professional master’s program. In the Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare concentration, you will complete courses in:
- Data science
- Artificial intelligence
- Visualization/systems/software engineering
- Approved Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology (LMP) or Master of Health Informatics (MHI) courses
- Communication for Computer Scientists
- Technical Entrepreneurship
As well as an eight-month research internship.
See the full press release from the MScAC program: MScAC Announces Two New Concentrations: Data Science for Biology and AI in Healthcare
How to apply
Limited spaces are available for Temerty Medicine and life sciences students to start in September 2023. You can submit an expression of interest and, if appropriate, will be invited to submit an application by June 1, 2023.
Find out more about the program and how to apply
General applications will open in October 2023 for a September 2024 start. Sign up to our mailing list to know when applications open!
