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Doctoral Programs

Epidemiology.

Students in the PhD Program in Epidemiology address major health problems, including physical and mental disorders, from a research perspective. Epidemiology is the study of disease in human populations, and epidemiological studies are the foundation for prevention and control of health disorders. Students learn to:

• Measure manifestations of disease
• Measure the physical, social, and behavioral phenomena of the environment
• Design studies
• Collect, handle, and interpret large bodies of data
• Analyze statistics

As the study of epidemiology requires an understanding of human biology and pathology in social context, and of the ways of enumerating and analyzing populations, the interdisciplinary curriculum includes courses in biomedical and social science disciplines, as well as biostatistics. Students can specialize according to their background and interests, in addition to gaining general knowledge of epidemiology and public health.

The department awards a number of fellowships to recognize academic achievement and support future scholarly success. As teaching and research experience are considered an important aspect of graduate training, these fellowships include some teaching and research apprenticeship.

Admissions Requirements

All applicants must have, or be in the process of completing, a master's degree in epidemiology or a related field. Individuals who have completed a doctoral degree in a program that does not confer a master's degree (e.g., MD) are also eligible.

Applicants should be committed to public health research and practice, so past research and/or other work experience in public health are encouraged.

Course work in mathematics (e.g. calculus and statistics), and a strong background in the natural and/or social sciences are strongly recommended. Oral and written communication skills, as well diversity in terms of gender, race and ethnic background, and areas of interest or expertise are highly valued.

In addition to the requirements listed below, all students must submit an official transcript showing courses and grades from each prior institution, a statement of academic purpose, a writing sample as described below, and three letters of evaluation from academic and/or work sources. All international students whose native language is not English or whose undergraduate degree is from an institution in a country whose official language is not English must submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or IELTS scores.

• Deadline for Fall Admission: December 1
• Deadline for Spring Admission: No spring admission
• Resume/CV: Yes
• Writing sample: Yes*
• GRE General: No
• GRE Subject: No

*For additional details about the writing sample, please log into your SOPHAS application to view the document tab, located in the program tab.

Approved Dissertation Sponsors

See list of faculty who can serve as dissertation sponsors.

Training Programs

Learn more about the doctoral training programs , which address a diverse range of health domains and epidemiological methods.

View competencies, course requirements, sample schedules, and more in our Academics section, and read our Doctoral Guidelines.

Learn more about the distinctions between our DrPH and PhD programs (PDF).

Liliane Zaretsky

Application information (including deadlines, fees, requirements and more) is available online through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Coordinated PhD program in biomedical sciences on the uptown CUIMC campus. Only electronic applications are accepted. The PhD application consists of applicant information, official transcripts, GRE and TOEFL scores (as applicable), three (3) letters of recommendation, and a personal statement. All application materials must be received before the application deadline for consideration. PhD finalists selected for an interview will be notified through the admissions portal by late December. Non-finalists are notified of their status online through the admissions portal by late March.

The online application to apply to any of the Coordinated Doctoral Programs in Biomedical Sciences and the MA Program in Biomedical Informatics is available here .

Application information for the MD-PhD program is also available online . To apply for admission to the MD-PhD program, please do not use the online application form listed above.

US Citizen and Permanent Resident applicants for the NLM funded postdoctoral research fellowship a pply online through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences using the same application as our PhD and MA program. There is no separate category for postdoctoral fellowship so applicants must select MA or PhD.

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Columbia Creates Fast-Track MD for PhD Scientists

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NEW YORK—Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (P&S) has launched a three-year Doctor of Medicine (MD) program for PhD-trained biological scientists. The accelerated curriculum prepares graduates for physician-scientist careers that combine their knowledge of fundamental biomedical science with an understanding of how diseases and their treatments affect humans. The first students in the new program are expected to graduate in 2016.

“This program reflects our commitment to finding innovative ways to teach the clinical medicine of today, while preparing our students to discover the cures of tomorrow,” said Lee Goldman, MD, dean of the faculties of health sciences and medicine and executive vice president for health and biomedical sciences, CUMC.

a_physician-scientist_on_columbias_fast-track_phd-to-md_program

Donald W. Landry, MD, PhD , chair of the Department of Medicine at CUMC, who developed P&S’s PhD-to-MD program, said, “The skills acquired in the course of PhD and MD training are complementary; a PhD requires intense focus on a single area of research, while medical training requires mastery of the science across a broad range of topics.”

One of the nation's most research-intensive medical schools, P&S is consistently ranked among the best medical schools in the nation.

P&S PhD-to-MD Program Application Requirements and Curriculum

Applicants must hold a doctorate in a biological or related science and meet the same requirements as all applicants to P&S’s MD program.

“We are looking for exceptional candidates who are committed to pursuing research informed by clinical practice,” said Stephen W. Nicholas, MD , associate dean for admissions at P&S, professor of pediatrics at CUMC, and professor of population and family health at Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health.

As part of the application process, prospective PhD-to-MD students meet with CUMC clinical-research faculty. These faculty members can speak to the dedication that a biomedical career requires and provide applicants with a sense of how they might contribute as physician-scientists.

Jonathan Barasch, MD, PhD , associate vice chair for research in the department of medicine and professor of medicine and of pathology and cell biology at CUMC, directs the PhD-to-MD program with Nicholas H. Fiebach, MD , vice chair for graduate and continuing medical education and professor of medicine at CUMC.

Students in the new three-year program will follow the same curriculum as the MD-only medical school class until the completion of their preclinical training, which lasts 18 months. Their clinical training, which lasts 16 months, includes their Major Clinical Year and electives. Because the PhD-to-MD students will already have demonstrated their scholarly skills in earning their PhD, the scholarly project requirement for the fourth year of medical school will be waived. Students will apply for residency during the Major Clinical Year; they will be encouraged to pursue the abbreviated residency training that some specialties offer to prospective physician-scientists.

Even though news of the program was communicated mostly by word of mouth, more than 40 candidates applied in early 2013. The four who enrolled took the Hippocratic Oath and accepted their white coats alongside the class of 2017 on Aug. 12, as part of the annual White Coat Ceremony for first-year P&S students.

The first students in the P&S PhD-to-MD program (from l to r.): Gloria Sheng, PhD; Siyan "Stewart" Cao, PhD; Li-Wei Change, PhD; and Matthew Fleming, PhD (credit: CUMC). As Dr. Sheng said, "In just the first few weeks of medical school, it's been great to see the integration with my science background. For example, I got to hear about a patient who had trouble synthesizing sugar, and realized that I'd read a paper about this type of condition during my doctoral work. I'm happy to realize that I don't have to give anything up to do what I want to do - can have a career that involves both science and medicine."

The program is in addition to the combined MD/PhD degree , which P&S has offered since the early 1970s.

About the P&S PhD-to-MD program: http://bit.ly/Phd_to_MD .

Columbia University Medical Center provides international leadership in basic, preclinical, and clinical research; medical and health sciences education; and patient care. The medical center trains future leaders and includes the dedicated work of many physicians, scientists, public health professionals, dentists, and nurses at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Mailman School of Public Health, the College of Dental Medicine, the School of Nursing, the biomedical departments of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and allied research centers and institutions. Columbia University Medical Center is home to the largest medical research enterprise in New York City and State and one of the largest faculty medical practices in the Northeast. For more information, visit cumc.columbia.edu or columbiadoctors.org .

Related links:

http://www.columbiamedicinemagazine.org/ps-news/spring-2013/goal-new-program-more-physician-scientists

http://www.columbiamedicinemagazine.org/features/spring-2013/inaugural-scholarly-projects

Columbia University in the City of New York

Columbia College | Columbia Engineering

Combined degree programs (md/phd and md/mph).

• Combined Degree Programs

Many medical schools and other health professions schools offer students the opportunity to pursue combined or dual degree programs in a variety of different disciplines.  Some of the more common dual degree programs include:

• Master of Public Health (MPH)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Juris Doctorate (JD)
• Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD).

MD-PhD Dual Degree Training

Applicants who are very interested in a research career may consider a combined MD/PhD program. These combined MD/PhD programs tend to be between 7-9 years in length.  MD-PhD programs provide training in both medicine and research. They are specifically designed for those who want to become physician scientists. Please visit the MD/PhD pathway  section of the AAMC website. This content was developed by seasoned MD-PhD directors and administrators and  is an ideal tool for applicants and potential applicants.

Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP)

The Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) funds many of these combined MD/PhD programs, allowing students to get their full tuition for medical and graduate school paid plus a stipend. 

The American Physician Scientists Association (APSA) is a national organization dedicated to addressing the needs of future physician scientists with respect to their training and career development. The APSA strives to be the student physician-scientists' leading voice for improving educational opportunities, advancing patient-oriented research, and advocating for the future of translational medicine.

NIH MD/PhD Intramural Partnership Training Program

This innovative program allows MD/PhD students to obtain all or part of their research training in one of the more than one thousand biomedical research laboratories in the NIH intramural research program and maintain eligibility for medical school training at most of the MSTP-funded M.D./Ph.D. programs around the country.

Perspective: Three Crucial Questions when Applying to MD/PhD Programs

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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Message from the director.

A welcome message from Sabrina Diano, PhD, Director, Institute of Human Nutrition.

IHN alumni are advancing nutrition around the world through work in the health care industry, clinical research, medical education, and more.

Research Laboratories

Learn more about the Institute for Human Nutrition's research.

In the Community

Local initiatives.

IHN is a proud supporter of local organizations and activities here in Washington Heights and the surrounding communities.

PhD in Nutritional and Metabolic Biology

The Nutritional and Metabolic Biology (NMB) PhD training program prepares students to work at the frontiers of biomedical research in nutritional and metabolic sciences, exploring the role of nutrition in maintaining optimal human health.  The objective of the training program is to prepare individuals who will conduct original basic science research, teach in medical schools and universities, and hold positions of leadership in community and international nutrition.

Housed within the Institute of Human Nutrition (IHN) at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC), this inter-disciplinary and multi-departmental training program is highly structured and comprises both coursework and basic research. The NMB program is one of the few pre-doctoral training programs in nutrition in the United States that is located within a medical school and is unique among the other PhD programs at CUMC with an equal number of MDs and PhDs as faculty mentors (including ten MD/PhDs). The location of the NMB training program in a medical school offers trainees a wide array of research opportunities in laboratories headed by established senior scientists as well as NIH-funded younger independent investigators, all focused on the role of nutrition and metabolism in health and disease.

nmb_phd_program_faculty_-_life_at_columbia

nmb_phd_program_students_-_life_at_columbia

For information on NMB faculty, please visit the Faculty page on the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) site .

Lori Zeltser, PhD

• Co-director

Anthony Ferrante Jr., MD, PhD

MD-PhD Degree Programs by State

New section.

Combined MD-PhD degree programs provide students the opportunity to earn both the MD and the PhD in areas pertinent to medicine.

Combined MD-PhD degree programs provide students the opportunity to earn both the MD and the PhD in areas pertinent to medicine. Below is a list of schools offering a combined MD-PhD degree, with links to their web sites. Please contact the institutions directly for curriculum information and admission requirements. School administrators may contact [email protected]  with any omissions or corrections to this listing.

University of Alabama School of Medicine Birmingham, Ala.

University of South Alabama College of Medicine   Mobile, Ala.

University of Arizona College of Medicine Tucson, Ariz.

University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix Phoenix, Ariz.

University of Arkansas College of Medicine Little Rock, Ark.

Loma Linda University School of Medicine   Loma Linda, Calif.

Stanford University School of Medicine Stanford, Calif.

University of California, Davis School of Medicine   Davis, Calif.

University of California, Irvine School of Medicine   Irvine, Calif.

University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine   Los Angeles, Calif.

University of California, San Diego School of Medicine   La Jolla, Calif.

University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine   San Francisco, Calif.

Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California   Los Angeles, Calif.

University of Colorado Health Sciences Center   Denver, Colo.

Connecticut

University of Connecticut School of Medicine   Farmington, Conn.

Yale University School of Medicine   New Haven, Conn.

District of Columbia

Georgetown University School of Medicine   Washington, D.C.

Howard University College of Medicine   Washington, D.C.

University of Florida College of Medicine   Gainesville, Fla.

University of Miami Miller School of Medicine   Miami, Fla.

University of South Florida College of Medicine   Tampa, Fla.

Emory University School of Medicine   Atlanta, Ga.

Medical College of Georgia   Augusta, Ga.

Morehouse School of Medicine   Atlanta, Ga.

Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University Augusta, Ga.

Loyola University of Chicago - Stritch School of Medicine   Maywood, Ill.

Northwestern University Medical School   Chicago, Ill.

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science - Chicago Medical School   North Chicago, Ill.

University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine (MTSP)  Chicago, Ill.

University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine (MD/PhD) Chicago, Ill.

University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine   Chicago, Ill.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Medicine   Urbana, Ill.

Indiana University School of Medicine   Indianapolis, Ind.

University of Iowa College of Medicine   Iowa City, Iowa

University of Kansas School of Medicine   Kansas City, Kan.

University of Kentucky College of Medicine   Lexington, Ky.

University of Louisville School of Medicine   Louisville, Ky.

Louisiana State University, New Orleans School of Medicine   New Orleans, La.

Louisiana State University, Shreveport School of Medicine   Shreveport, La.

Tulane University School of Medicine   New Orleans, La.

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine   Baltimore, Md.

National Institutes of Health Intramural MD-PhD Partnership   Bethesda, Md.

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences   Bethesda, Md.

University of Maryland at Baltimore School of Medicine   Baltimore, Md.

Massachusetts

Boston University School of Medicine   Boston, Mass.

Harvard Medical School   Boston, Mass.

Tufts University School of Medicine   Boston, Mass.

University of Massachusetts Medical School   Worcester, Mass.

Michigan State University College of Human Medicine   East Lansing, Mich.

University of Michigan Medical School   Ann Arbor, Mich.

Wayne State University School of Medicine   Detroit, Mich.

Mayo Medical School  Rochester, Minn.

University of Minnesota Medical School   Minneapolis, Minn.

Mississippi

University of Mississippi School of Medicine   Jackson, Miss.

Saint Louis University School of Medicine   St. Louis, Mo.

University of Missouri - Columbia School of Medicine   Columbia, Mo.

University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Medicine   Kansas City, Mo.

Washington University School of Medicine   St. Louis, Mo.

Creighton University School of Medicine   Omaha, Neb.

University of Nebraska College of Medicine   Omaha, Neb.

University of Nevada School of Medicine   Reno, Nev.

New Hampshire

Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth   Hanover, N.H.

Rutgers - New Jersey Medical School   Newark, N.J.

Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School   Piscataway, N.J.

University of New Mexico School of Medicine   Albuquerque, N.M.

Albany Medical College   Albany, N.Y.

Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University   Bronx, N.Y.

Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons   New York, N.Y.

Hofstra North Shore - LIJ School of Medicine Hempstead, N.Y.

Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan-Kettering Tri-Institutional MD/PhD Program   New York, N.Y.

Mount Sinai School of Medicine   New York, N.Y.

New York Medical College   Valhalla, N.Y.

New York University School of Medicine   New York, N.Y.

SUNY at Buffalo School of Medicine   Buffalo, N.Y.

SUNY at Stony Brook Health Sciences Center   Stony Brook, N.Y.

SUNY Downstate Medical Center College of Medicine   Brooklyn, N.Y.

SUNY Upstate Medical University   Syracuse, N.Y.

University of Rochester School of Medicine   Rochester, N.Y.

North Carolina

Wake Forest School of Medicine   Winston-Salem, N.C.

Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University   Greenville, N.C.

Duke University School of Medicine   Durham, N.C.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine   Chapel Hill, N.C.

North Dakota

University of North Dakota School of Medicine   Grand Forks, N.D.

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine   Cleveland, Ohio

Northeastern Ohio College of Medicine   Rootstown, Ohio

Ohio State University College of Medicine   Columbus, Ohio

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine   Cincinnati, Ohio

University of Toledo College of Medicine   Toledo, Ohio

Wright State University School of Medicine   Dayton, Ohio

University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center   Oklahoma City, Okla.

Oregon Health Sciences University School of Medicine   Portland, Ore.

Pennsylvania

Drexel University College of Medicine   Philadelphia, Pa.

Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University   Philadelphia, Pa.

Penn State University College of Medicine   Hershey, Pa.

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine   Philadelphia, Pa.

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine   Pittsburgh, Pa.

Temple University School of Medicine   Philadelphia, Pa.

Rhode Island

Brown University School of Medicine   Providence, R.I.

South Carolina

Medical University of South Carolina  Charleston, S.C.

University of South Carolina School of Medicine   Columbia, S.C.

South Dakota

University of South Dakota School of Medicine   Vermillion, S.D.

East Tennessee State University James H. Quillen College of Medicine   Johnson City, Tenn.

Meharry Medical College School of Medicine   Nashville, Tenn.

University of Tennessee, Memphis College of Medicine   Memphis, Tenn.

Vanderbilt University School of Medicine   Nashville, Tenn.

Baylor College of Medicine   Houston, Texas

McGovern Medical School at UTHealth/MD Anderson Cancer Center/University of Puerto Rico Tri-Institutional Program   Houston, Texas

Texas A&M University Health Sciences Center College of Medicine College   Station, Texas

Texas Tech University School of Medicine   Lubbock, Texas

University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston   Galveston, Texas

University of Texas Health San Antonio, Long School of Medicine   San Antonio, Texas

University of Texas, Southwestern Med Center - Dallas   Dallas, Texas

University of Utah School of Medicine   Salt Lake City, Utah

University of Vermont College of Medicine   Burlington, Vt.

Eastern Virginia Medical School   Norfolk, Va.

Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine   Richmond, Va.

University of Virginia School of Medicine   Charlottesville, Va.

University of Washington School of Medicine   Seattle, Wash.

West Virginia

Marshall University School of Medicine   Huntington, W.Va.

West Virginia University School of Medicine   Morgantown, W.Va.

Medical College of Wisconsin   Milwaukee, Wisc.

University of Wisconsin Medical School   Madison, Wisc.

McGill University Faculty of Medicine   Montreal, Quebec

McMaster University of Faculty of Health Sciences   Hamilton, Ontario

Memorial University of Newfoundland Faculty of Medicine   St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

Universite de Montreal Faculte de Medecine   Montreal, Quebec

Universite de Sherbrooke Faculte de Medecine   Sherbrooke, Quebec

Universite Laval Faculte de Medecine   Quebec, Quebec

University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry   Edmonton, Alberta

University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine   Calgary, Alberta

University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine   Vancouver, British Columbia

University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine   Winnipeg, Manitoba

University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine   Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine   Toronto, Ontario

University of Western Ontario   London, Ontario

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NIH MD-PhD Partnership Program

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• M.D. Program

Our dual degree offers lab mentorship, an abundance of hands-on clinical opportunities and all the research resources you'd expect from a Tier 1 research institution. When you've completed the program, you'll have a deep understanding of both patient care and research practices.

About the Program

Start your degree in the M.D. program, where you'll complete your basic science courses as well as hands-on research. During this time, you should begin thinking about your potential research interests. Our Ph.D. program gives you some space to explore different options, however, our strong mentor/mentee focus means you should have an idea of what you would like to study and which  professors could help you meet your research goals.

Over the course of seven years, you'll alternate between a focus on the M.D. program and a focus on research. This allows you to streamline courses that overlap, develop the clinical skills you need to practice medicine and develop the research skills you need to pursue a competitive post-doc. 

Why Get a Dual Degree

A dual degree will give you a deeper understanding of medical research and how it applies to patient care. When you've completed the program, you'll be able to practice medicine and conduct high-impact research. 

How to Apply

In order to be qualified for the dual degree program, students must already be admitted to the M.D. program. After your first year in the program, you'll be able to apply for the dual degree. You should show an interest in both science and medicine by participating in prior medical research activities, such as internships in university departments, the NIH or CDC.

Applying to the School of Medicine 

The School of Medicine uses the  American Medical College Application   to process it's applications. Before you apply, be sure you meet all the   requirements for the program . 

Applying to the Ph.D. Program

You'll apply to the Ph.D. program through the USC Graduate School . Before you apply, be sure you meet all the requirements for the program . 

Requirements

• Application deadline for M.D. program is November 1st
• Application deadline for Ph.D. program is April 1st 
• MCAT scores

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MD-PhD Dual Degree Program

Phd program, years 3, 4, 5 (or 6): the graduate years.

After the student takes Step I of the USMLE, those who have selected laboratories will begin work under the direction of their thesis advisors combining laboratory work with the completion of any remaining course requirements. In addition, the completion of the preliminary examination must occur by the end of the third year. Students who have not selected laboratories will have the option of completing a third rotation in the summer preceding the third year but are still expected to complete the preliminary examination by the end of year three. The progress of each student is monitored by his/her mentor, by the thesis advisory committees, which must meet annually, and by meetings with the Program Director and members of the Executive Committee. We expect that most students will have developed a thesis proposal by the end of the first year of graduate work and that the majority of course work will have been completed by that time. It is expected that most students will have defended their theses by the spring of their 4th graduate year (6th year total). Throughout the years in the PhD, students participate in the Clinical Competence Program and MD-PhD student specific Statistics and Ethics in Research courses.

During subsequent years, students work on their thesis research under the direction of their advisors. Progress continues to be monitored by the thesis advisory committee, by the director of the graduate program in which the student is enrolled, and by the MSTP directors. Depending on progress, the thesis is written and defended by December of the sixth year, so that the student can return to medical studies by January of the following year.

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Grand Rounds Speaker | Oluyinka O. Olutoye, MD, PhD

Apr 3, 2024

Dr. Olutoye is a surgeon-scientist leader with expertise in fetal and neonatal medicine and surgery. His research focuses on fetal wound healing, correcting congenital malformations before birth, and detecting necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants.  

Previously, Dr. Olutoye  served as a co-director of the Fetal Center and president of the medical staff at Texas Children's Hospital. He was a tenured Professor of Surgery, Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Pediatrics, and chair of the Faculty Senate at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Currently, Dr. Olutoye leads Nationwide Children’s Hospital, which is one of the largest and most comprehensive children’s hospitals in the United States.  

During his presentation entitled " Fetal Therapy: Su rgical Correction and Much More ", Dr. Olutoye emphasized the significance of surgical innovation, research, multidisciplinary collaboration, and the pursuit of patient care excellence. He provided an overview of his approach to state-of-the-art fetoscopic surgery and discussed the complexities of managing the mother and the fetus.

Dr. Olutoye's presentation included amazing photos and videos of fetoscopic surgery.  

Additionally, Dr. Olutoye also commended Francisca Velcek MD FACS FAAP MAMSE , Director of Pediatric Surgery and Professor of Surgery, for her incredible decades of dedication to the pediatric patients at Downstate, as well as her mentor Dr. Peter K. Kottmeier , who was the Director of Pediatric Surgery at Downstate from 1961 to 1991.  

Downstate Pediatric Surgeons Dr. Reck and Dr. Velcek with Dr. Olutoye standing beside the

Dr. Peter K. Kottmeier Surgical Library plaque.  

After the Grand Rounds session, Dr. Olutoye met with residents and faculty. He talked about his life journey, from being a medical student in Nigeria to becoming a globally recognized leader in surgery. He shared his philosophy of focusing on excellence, perseverance, gratitude, and humility.  

We are grateful to Dr. Olutoye for sharing his knowledge and expertise with our SUNY Downstate Department of Surgery team.   

Tags: Residency , Surgery , fetal , iNSPIRe , Research , Pediatric

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Some Jewish Students Are Targeted as Protests Continue at Columbia

After reports of harassment by demonstrators, some Jewish students said they felt unsafe. Others said they felt safe, while condemning antisemitism.

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By Luis Ferré-Sadurní ,  Colbi Edmonds and Liset Cruz

• April 21, 2024

Days after Columbia University’s president told Congress that she would work to tamp down antisemitism, some pro-Palestinian demonstrations on and around campus veered into the harassment of Jewish students, drawing the attention of the police and the concern of a number of Jewish students.

Over the weekend, the student-led demonstrations on campus attracted separate, more agitated protests by demonstrators who seemed to be unaffiliated with the university just outside Columbia’s gated campus in Upper Manhattan, which was closed to the public because of the protests.

Those demonstrations took a dark turn on Saturday evening, as protesters targeted some Jewish students with antisemitic vitriol that was captured in video and pictures, both inside and outside the campus. The verbal attacks left a number of the 5,000 Jewish students at Columbia fearful for their safety on the campus and its vicinity, and even drew condemnation from the White House and Mayor Eric Adams of New York City.

“While every American has the right to peaceful protest, calls for violence and physical intimidation targeting Jewish students and the Jewish community are blatantly antisemitic, unconscionable and dangerous,” Andrew Bates, a spokesman for the White House, said in a statement.

On Monday, the university’s president, Nemat Shafik, who goes by Minouche, called for classes to be taught virtually, saying that “over the past days, there have been too many examples of intimidating and harassing behavior on our campus.”

Student protesters have erected a sprawling encampment on one of the campus lawns. They have draped tents and the grass with Palestinian flags and protest signs, and the encampment has been surrounded with piles of supplies.

Protesters and counterprotesters have occasionally faced off, and there have been several moments in which demonstrators have yelled intimidating phrases. In one instance, video captured a person holding up a sign that said, “Al-Qasam’s Next Targets,” referring to Hamas’s armed faction, near several Jewish counterprotesters. Mr. Adams said the police had already increased its presence near the campus and would investigate any potential violations of the law.

Still, some Jewish students who are supporting the pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus said they felt solidarity, not a sense of danger, even as they denounced the acts of antisemitism.

“There’s so many young Jewish people who are like a vital part” of the protests, said Grant Miner, a Jewish graduate student at Columbia who is part of a student coalition calling on Columbia to divest from companies connected to Israel.

And in a statement, that group said, “We are frustrated by media distractions focusing on inflammatory individuals who do not represent us” and added that the group’s members “firmly reject any form of hate or bigotry.”

Reports of antisemitic harassment by protesters surfaced on social media late Saturday. A video posted on X shows a masked protester outside the Columbia gates carrying a Palestinian flag who appears to chant “Go back to Poland!” One Columbia student wrote on social media that some protesters had stolen an Israeli flag from students and tried to burn it, adding that Jewish students were splashed with water.

Chabad at Columbia University, a chapter of an international Orthodox Jewish movement, said in a statement that some protesters had hurled expletives at Jewish students as they walked home from campus over the weekend, and had said to them, “All you do is colonize” and “Go back to Europe.”

“We are horrified and worried about physical safety” on campus, said the statement, adding that the organization had hired additional armed guards to chaperone students walking home from Chabad.

Eliana Goldin, a junior at Columbia who is the co-chairwoman of Aryeh, a pro-Israel student organization, said she did not “feel safe anymore” on campus. Ms. Goldin, who is out of town for Passover, said campus had become “super overwhelming,” with loud protests disrupting class and even sleep.

In a statement, Samantha Slater, a Columbia spokeswoman, said that the university was committed to ensuring the safety of its students.

“Columbia students have the right to protest, but they are not allowed to disrupt campus life or harass and intimidate fellow students and members of our community,” said the statement. “We are acting on concerns we are hearing from our Jewish students and are providing additional support and resources to ensure that our community remains safe.”

The upheaval on and around the Columbia campus this week marked the latest fallout from the testimony that Dr. Shafik gave at a congressional hearing on antisemitism on Wednesday.

Dr. Shafik vowed to forcefully crack down on antisemitism on campus, in part by disciplining professors and student protesters who used language she said could be antisemitic, such as contested phrases like “from the river to the sea.” Her testimony, meant as an assertive display of Columbia’s actions to combat antisemitism, angered supporters of academic freedom and emboldened a group of protesting students who had erected an encampment of about 50 tents on a main lawn in the campus this week.

University officials said the tents violated the school’s policies and called in the New York Police Department on Thursday, leading to the arrests of more than 100 Columbia University and Barnard College students who refused to leave. But the police involvement only fueled the uproar. Students pressed on with their “Gaza Solidarity Encampment,” sleeping in the cold without tents on a neighboring lawn, and some began to erect tents again on Sunday, without Columbia’s permission.

Students who support the protesters say there is a wide range of opinion among Jewish students at Columbia. “To say that it’s unsafe for Jewish people, to me, indicates that you’re only speaking about a certain portion of Jewish people,” Mr. Miner, 27, said at the university on Sunday.

“We are totally opposed to any sort of antisemitic speech,” he added. “We are here to, you know, stand in solidarity with Palestine. And we refuse — our Jewish members refuse — to equate that with antisemitism.”

Makayla Gubbay, a junior studying human rights at Columbia, said that as a Jewish student, she has mostly been concerned for the safety of her peers protesting for Palestinians.

Ms. Gubbay said that throughout the past six months her friends — particularly those who are Palestinian and other students who are Muslim — have been injured by the police and censored for their activism. Though she was not involved in the organizing of the encampment, she went there for the Sabbath on Friday, attended a speech given by a participant in Columbia’s intense 1968 protest and brought hot tea for friends.

“There’s been a lot of amazing solidarity in terms of other students coming on campus, hosting Shabbats, hosting screenings, having faculty give speeches,” Ms. Gubbay said.

Columbia officials have previously said there have been several antisemitic incidents on campus, including one physical attack in October — the assault of a 24-year-old Columbia student who was hanging fliers a few days after the Hamas attacks on Israel in October.

While many Jewish students had left campus to celebrate Passover, which begins on Monday evening, the rising tensions led at least one rabbi on campus to suggest that the Ivy League school was no longer safe and that Jewish students should leave.

Elie Buechler, an Orthodox rabbi who works at Columbia, sent a WhatsApp message to a group of more than 290 Jewish students on Sunday morning saying that campus and city police had failed to guarantee the safety of Jewish students “in the face of extreme antisemitism and anarchy.” He recommended that students return home “until the reality in and around campus has dramatically improved.”

“It is not our job as Jews to ensure our own safety on campus,” wrote Rabbi Buechler, the director of the Orthodox Union’s Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus at Columbia University and Barnard College. “No one should have to endure this level of hatred, let alone at school.”

Citing Passover preparations, Rabbi Buechler declined to be interviewed, but he said that his message was meant as a personal statement and did not reflect the views of the university or Hillel, the Jewish organization on campus.

Indeed, in an apparent response, Hillel issued a statement on Sunday afternoon saying that the organization did not believe that Jewish students should leave Columbia, but it pressed the university and the city to step up safety measures.

“We call on the university administration to act immediately in restoring calm to campus,” Brian Cohen, the group’s executive director, wrote. “The city must ensure that students can walk up and down Broadway and Amsterdam without fear of harassment,” he added, referring to the avenues that run alongside the Upper West Side campus.

Noah Levine, 20, a sophomore at Columbia and an organizer with Jewish Voice for Peace, said they found the rabbi’s comments “deeply offensive.”

“I’m a Jewish student who has been in this encampment since its inception,” they said. “I’m also a student who has been organizing in this community with these people since October, and even before that, and I believe in my heart that this is not about antisemitism.”

But Xavier Westergaard, a Ph.D. student in biology, said the mood for Jewish students was “very dire.”

“There are students on campus who are yelling horrible things, not about Israelis only or about the actions of the state or the government, but about Jews in general,” he said.

Sharon Otterman contributed reporting.

Luis Ferré-Sadurní covers immigration, focused on the influx of migrants arriving in the New York region. More about Luis Ferré-Sadurní

Colbi Edmonds writes about the environment, education and infrastructure. More about Colbi Edmonds

Applications for 2024 Columbia Summer Session programs are now open!

Student - April 17, 2024

An Opportunity to Take a Deep Dive Into the Field of Technology Management On Columbia’s Campus

• Technology Management

By Abhijit Rajkumar Patharkar, candidate for an M.S. in Technology Management

Every semester, the Columbia University School of Professional Studies M.S. in  Technology Management program hosts a four-day residency on Columbia’s New York City Morningside campus that gives students in the executive cohort the opportunity to come together, further relationships developed in the program, and take a deep dive into the field of technology management. For the Executive M.S. students who choose to take courses online, this residency offers opportunities for in-person interaction with faculty, insightful sessions and panels featuring industry leaders, and collaborative activities such as group discussions and debates that enrich the overall learning experience.

“Our residencies are a cornerstone of our program. It’s all about our community,” said Art Chang, associate program director. “Residencies build the social fabric of our student community and extend it to other important communities. They also help students envision their future selves, as represented by successful alumni and leading professionals who use technology innovation to advance business and society.”

Throughout the last residency, held in January, participants explored a comprehensive array of topics spanning strategic advocacy, leadership through storytelling, cybersecurity, product-market fit, artificial intelligence (AI), and data engineering. The experience ended with a session in which all executive students delivered pitches about their innovative business ideas to a distinguished panel of evaluators, including lecturers Stephano Kim, cofounder of Qonsent; Trace Wax, AI product and engineering trainer; and Dawn Barber, the program’s industry liaison.

The diverse curriculum provided a holistic perspective, equipping the participants with a multifaceted skill set essential for navigating the complexities of technology management. Each of the four days focused on one theme related to the ever-evolving field.

Day 1: Shaping Digital Leaders

Conrad Fernandes, a program lecturer who teaches Accounting & Finance, provided a refresher on course concepts. He urged students to delve into daily business news amidst the advancing tech landscape for a holistic understanding of the field. Art Chang talked about digital strategy and leadership, emphasizing the power of storytelling in leadership. He also explored the lean startup principles and stressed the importance of empathy. Alexis Wichowski, program director, challenged students with a simulated scenario, prompting 60-second elevator pitches evaluated by the faculty members. 

Day 2: Crafting Product Molecules

Janice Fraser, lecturer in the program, led the Executive Seminar 2, guiding students through "the product molecule." Hands-on work involved perfecting pitches on product market fit and a group critical thinking activity. Lecturer Amy Radin delved into strategic advocacy and navigating critical concepts, while Art Chang offered a tech introduction on infra origins, monoliths, distributed systems, N-tier architectures, and Open-Source.

Day 3: Unveiling Legacies and AI Insights

Lecturer Lauren Goodwin, Ph.D., explored the question "What's your legacy?" prompting students to share their aspirations. “AI does not replace our creativity,” said Goodwin. “It empowers it.” Focusing on machine learning (ML) and AI, she shared practical applications, including AI in construction, and talked about data engineering and cloud concepts, along with hosting a session on how to effectively choose a cloud ML platform.

Day 4: Business Ideas Take Center Stage

The final day featured students presenting their pitches  to a panel. The presentations on topics including finance, security, data engineering, marketing, and AI illustrated the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit within the Spring 2024 Executive Residency.

“In the swiftly evolving business landscape of the 21st century, visionary technology leadership stands at the forefront of innovation,” said student Michael Nicholas Colella. “Our residencies are a chance to unite some of the world’s most forward-thinking technology leaders and practitioners in the same room to ideate on how to turn challenges into triumph and help businesses thrive responsibly.”

About the Program

Columbia University's  Master of Science in Technology Management is designed to respond to the urgent need for strategic perspectives, critical thinking, and exceptional communication skills at all levels of the workplace and across all types of organizations.

Related News

An inside look at real madrid and spain’s most iconic sports properties students in the sports management program traveled to madrid for spring break as part of the program’s collaboration with universidad europea real madrid. student sustainability management student addresses gender disparity in the cop29 climate committee the absence of female representation in influential positions undermines the effectiveness and legitimacy of the cop process, writes m.s. in sustainability management student sanaya kriplani. student this former athlete is working toward a career in sports management after the pitcher’s mound, mo’ne davis makes the most of her time at columbia’s school of professional studies. all news footer social links.

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The Bioinformatics PhD Program is well established, with a long history of successful graduates in both academia and industry.  

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To apply for the Bioinformatics PhD Program, you must submit complete applications by December 1 for admission the following Fall term. Early applications are not allowed and will not be considered. 

Please visit the Rackham Graduate School web pages for additional information on applying. There you will also find information on how to respond to an offer of admission, plus tips and materials required for international applicants and incoming students.

If you are certain about pursuing a Bioinformatics PhD, then applications should be submitted directly to the Bioinformatics PhD Program ; there are more than 100 diverse affiliated faculty to choose from.

Applicants should be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. In addition, applicants with a background in quantitative sciences should consider applying directly. Separately, if you are transferring from another University of Michigan Program or have obtained an established University of Michigan mentor affiliated with the program, a direct application is most appropriate.

PIBS is an umbrella program that offers first-year PhD students flexibility in exploring opportunities in bioinformatics and thirteen other graduate programs. Through PIBS, students have the opportunity to rotate in, and potentially join the lab of a faculty mentor in another program; there are more than 500 diverse faculty to select from. PIBS students who list Bioinformatics as their primary choice must complete at least one rotation with a Bioinformatics-affiliated faculty member. After 10 months in PIBS, students officially join Bioinformatics (or one of the other programs). You can visit the PIBS website for more information.

Please note that reviewing admissions faculty for both PIBS and direct applications are the same. In addition, admitted applicants take the same Bioinformatics-specific courses and activities. See below for details on program diversity outreach, application materials, and funding.

Students who will have an MS in a relevant field (e.g. computer science, statistics, biostatistics, biology) from another university may request to have up to 6 credit-hours (two classes) waived. These classes may be used to help fulfill the core PhD requirements for biology (1 course), statistics (2 courses), and/or computing (1 course). To obtain approval, students need to send a detailed syllabus of the class(es) they took to the PhD directors along with their grade(s), which must be a B or better. The other PhD course requirements, including BIOINF-529 and two advanced bioinformatics courses, cannot be waived.

Most international Bioinformatics PhD applicants should apply through PIBS. However, some who are already embedded in a University of Michigan mentor lab affiliated with the program may be an appropriate fit for the direct Bioinformatics PhD program.

The TOEFL or IELTS exam is required unless Rackham Graduate School waiver requirements have been met. Criteria for English proficiency exemption can be found on the Rackham website . In addition, a list of required credentials from non-U.S. institutions for an application can be found here.

The Bioinformatics Graduate Program encourages applications from traditionally underrepresented minorities, students with disabilities, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. There are numerous funding opportunities and resources on campus to contribute to students overall well-being while pursuing studies. Several resources available to students can be found on the Rackham Graduate School Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion website .

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All application materials should be submitted electronically when possible. Applicants must meet  Rackham's Minimum Requirements for Admission . The  online application form  can be found on the Rackham Admissions webpages. The application is available in early September through the deadline. 

• GPA, minimum 3.2/4.0 (exceptions may be made if deemed appropriate)
• Letters of recommendation (3 required): Please be aware that submitting only the Rackham Recommendation for Admission Form is insufficient; forms must be accompanied by a letter from the recommender. All letters are due by the application deadline. Without them, applications will not be considered complete or reviewed by the Program Admissions Committee.
• Statement of Purpose: The Statement of Purpose should be a concise, well-written statement about your academic and research background, your career goals, and how Michigan's graduate program will help you meet your career and educational objectives.
• Personal Statement: The Personal Statement should be a concise, well-written statement about how your personal background and life experiences, including social, cultural, familial, educational, or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Michigan. This is not an Academic Statement of Purpose, but a discussion of the personal journey that has led to your decision to seek a graduate degree.
• Transcripts: Please submit unofficial transcripts electronically with your online application
• GRE scores are no longer included as part of admission
• Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency via either the TOEFL or IELTS exam. The institution code is 1839. Other exams may not be substituted. Rackham Graduate School offers a full explanation of this requirement , including exemption criteria. Please contact Rackham directly ( [email protected] ) with questions.

Diversity is a key component of excellence, especially for solving the complex biomedical challenges that our field of computational medicine and bioinformatics faces. We believe that all people—regardless of background, race, religion, sexual/gender orientation, age or disability—deserve an equitable opportunity to pursue the education and career of their choice.

The Bioinformatics Graduate Program will provide tuition, healthcare coverage, and a stipend on a 12-month basis. This level of support will be maintained throughout a student's tenure in the Program, provided s/he remains in good academic standing and makes reasonable progress towards the degree as determined by the Graduate Directors, with faculty input. It is expected that the student will be supported directly by the mentor's laboratory, beginning in the second year. The expected time to degree is typically 5-6 years.

The U-M MS program is a terminal degree program. If you are interested in the Bioinformatics PhD Program, you must submit a new application. If you are a Bioinformatics MS student who is in good academic standing and has identified a Bioinformatics affiliated faculty mentor, you may apply for admission directly to the PhD Bioinformatics Program for the Winter term. Reviewing faculty take all application components into account and mentors are prepared to take both academic and financial responsibility for their trainees.

Eligibility: Only current or recently graduated University of Michigan Master’s students are eligible. Before applying, students must have completed more than half of all required courses, with at least six credits from the Bioinformatics Program.

Application deadline: October 1

The online application form can be found on the Rackham Admissions webpages. The application is available in early September through the deadline.

• Letters of recommendation: Please be aware that submitting only the Rackham Recommendation for Admission Form is insufficient; forms must be accompanied by a letter from the recommender. If you wish to include three letters from your original application, only one additional letter is needed. It must be from the DCMB faculty member who will serve as your primary mentor. The letter should state clearly that the mentor takes responsibility for your funding upon admission. Alternatively, you may wish to obtain three new letters of recommendation. The Admissions Committee strongly encourages you to include letters from those familiar with your research and coursework obtained while pursuing your Master’s degree. Of these, one must be from the faculty member who will serve as your primary mentor. The letter should state clearly that the mentor takes responsibility for your funding upon admission.
• Statement of Purpose: The Statement of Purpose should be a concise, well-written statement about your academic and research background, your career goals, and how the PhD Program will help you meet your career and educational objectives.
• Transcripts: Only a current, unofficial U-M transcript is necessary. You do not need to re-submit materials included with your Master’s application.
• TOEFL: If you submitted TOEFL scores when applying to the Master’s Program, additional test scores are not needed.

Bioinformatics consists of a mathematical and/or statistical analysis of a biomedical problem using computation. We define bioinformatics widely and include traditional bioinformatics areas such as for examples, systems biology, genomics, proteomics, plus statistical and evolutionary genetics, clinical informatics, and protein modeling.

As an interdisciplinary field, Bioinformatics attracts graduate students from mathematics, statistics, physics, computer science, biomedical engineering, chemistry, biochemistry and biology. Most incoming students have both a major in one and a minor in another discipline. In recent years students have entered with undergraduate training in bioinformatics or computational biology.

Each student obtains individual counseling by one of the two graduate program directors upon arrival and throughout their academic career. As Bioinformatics is still developing, new courses are added all the time. Current students are encouraged to contact the Program Directors about courses that may be relevant to their studies and are not listed on the website (esp. if they are new or infrequently offered).

In most cases, we recommend you apply to the PIBS program, as it provides flexibility in classes, funding, and a central admission for many biomedical programs. If you have no or very little biology background, please contact our Student Services Representative as to whether a direct application would be better. Current student who are considering transferring areas of study should also contact the Bioinformatics Graduate Office.

There is no need to apply both direct and through PIBS, as the same committee sees your applications.

For most students, thesis work includes computing, reading, and writing. A small group also participates in wet laboratory work. Please check both the research areas and student webpages for an overview of the varied subjects addressed in research and student theses.

Many of our graduate students obtain academic postdoctoral fellowships and go on to faculty positions. Quite a significant number of graduates go into non-academic professions such as small or large biotech companies. Some have founded their own business, and others apply their analytical skills in companies unrelated to bioinformatics. For a current list of graduate placement, please visit the alumni pages.

No. If you want to get a PhD, directly apply to the PhD Program.

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Improving life through city park community gardens

GFP (Global Field Program) graduate Lindsey Smith '23 of Columbia, Missouri, published an article, "Community Gardens in City Parks,"

GFP (Global Field Program) graduate Lindsey Smith '23 of Columbia, Missouri, published an article, "Community Gardens in City Parks," for the MOST Policy Initiative Inc., a non-profit that is bringing scientists and policymakers together to improve the livelihoods of people and communities in the Midwest. "Community gardens, defined as a piece of land cultivated by a group of people individually or collectively, can improve food security in rural and urban areas, improve health outcomes for all ages, and provide working green spaces within densely urbanized areas," she writes. "Many communities are establishing community gardens in public parks." Read more

As a student in Miami's biology department, Smith earned a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Biology through Project Dragonfly's GFP while working as a part-time library associate at the Daniel Boone Regional Library System and a volunteer programs assistant for the City of Columbia, Missouri.

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