Computational Medicine Program
The Computational Medicine Program offers current University of Rochester undergraduate and master’s students preferred admission to Thomas Jefferson University’s Sidney Kimmel Medical College (SKMC). Learn more about computational medicine at SKMC by checking out their Precision Medicine e-book and the Computational Medicine Center website.
Students admitted into this early assurance program will get a chance to work with SKMC faculty during the summer of their junior year. So long as all requirements are met, the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) requirements will be waived for students in the program.
Entry to the Computational Medicine Program is very competitive, with up to four Rochester students chosen each year. Students should apply to this program during the second semester of their sophomore year and successful applicants will be notified prior to the start of their junior year. (In special cases, interested juniors in need of further prerequisite courses for the program may apply and be considered)
Requirements are listed below for two different tracks for undergraduate students interested in the program: one for Computer Science and Data Science related fields, the other for Electrical Engineering. Please contact Jonathan Bratt, Senior Career Advisor in the Greene Center, by email at at jonathan.bratt@rochester.edu to review your coursework and strength of application.
Why SKMC and Computational Medicine
The Computational Medicine program with Sidney Kimmel Medical College offers aspiring physicians a unique opportunity to apply data science tools to transform healthcare and address health disparities. This growing field has revolutionized medicine by improving diagnostic accuracy, bridging treatment gaps, advancing precision medicine through personalized care, and using genomic analysis to identify genetic variations linked to early disease diagnosis.
As a future physician, I see immense potential in leveraging a computational medicine background to drive community-based health initiatives. By analyzing large datasets, physicians can uncover patterns that enhance patient advocacy and improve care for disadvantaged communities. This makes public health initiatives and equitable access to healthcare more achievable, particularly for marginalized groups. Through this program, I integrated data science and biology during my undergraduate studies and further honed these skills in a summer research experience at SKMC. Collaborating with the computational medicine team on real-world challenges reinforced my commitment to creating meaningful change in the field.
Attending medical school in Philadelphia, a city marked by socioeconomic disparities, is especially meaningful to me. The chance to address healthcare inequities—starting locally and expanding my reach—highlights how this program will shape my development and journey as a physician. Keertana Terala, UR student
The Computational Medicine Program at Sidney Kimmel Medical College encourages me to become a future physician who could contribute to making precision medicine possible. By early admission into Sidney Kimmel Medical College through the program, I gain time to pursue interdisciplinary expertise in biochemistry and data science, which provide me with knowledge of technologies that make precision medicine tangible: Molecular biology tools that quickly generate digitized sequence data at a low cost and efficient algorithms and computational power for comparative genomics analysis. Moreover, I use the additional time to engage with the Rochester community through volunteering and grow as a scientist by participating in osteoimmunology research. Through the program, I will also gain computational biology research experience during the summer of junior year at the Computational Medicine Center and continue this line of research in medical school as a scholarly inquiry. The Computational Medicine Program fosters future physicians who dream of realizing precision medicine like no other program. Kari Chen, UR student
Applying
To apply, undergraduate students must be second semester sophomores (or juniors as described above).
Students interested in applying this year must schedule a meeting with Jonathan Bratt, career advisor in the healthcare community in the Greene Center for Career Education, through Handshake or by sending an email to jonathan.bratt@rochester.edu.
After meeting with Mr. Bratt, students will receive instructions on how to obtain the application form. In addition to submitting an application, students will need to submit a CV and current University of Rochester transcript in the application portal of SKMC’s site. Three letters of recommendation should be sent directly from letter writers to Dr. Michael Stillman at SKMC. At least two of these recommendations must be from STEM faculty with whom students have worked closely. You will have access to his contact information in the process of application.
This year’s deadline for application is January 31, 2025.
All applications will be evaluated first by members of the SKMC faculty with expertise in computational sciences and engineering, then by the SKMC committee on admissions. Applications are evaluated based on academic performance, career goals, civic engagement outside the classroom, and communication skills.
Finalists will be invited to interview with members of the Admissions Committee and other faculty. This year invited applicants will be offered in-person interviews at SKMC on Friday, February 28, 2025.
If accepted into the program, students will be expected to complete the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) prior to matriculation at SKMC. Admitted students also have the option to defer matriculation to SKMC for up to one year.
Eligibility
Applicants should be full-time students either enrolled or interested in a degree program (data sciences, computer science, electrical engineering, or a related field) that will provide them with the core data sciences-related skill set. All required courses for the SKMC program must be completed at the University of Rochester.
Students must also have a minimum composite SAT score (Critical Reading and Mathematics) of 1350, with no score in either section lower than 650. Alternatively, students may submit ACT scores and must have achieved at least a 30.
Students must maintain good standing while at the University of Rochester, with no academic or non-academic disciplinary violations. Students with minor and/or first-time infractions may still be accepted if enthusiastically endorsed by School of Arts and Sciences or Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences faculty and with justification from program administrators.
Students cannot have any withdrawn or repeated courses on their transcript (in certain cases, students who have done so but who still meet admission requirements and are enthusiastically endorsed by the University of Rochester faculty may be considered for acceptance).
Before applying: Students need to have completed at least three of the required core natural science and statistics courses, with a minimum of one term carrying two or more of these courses. The remaining courses must be completed prior to matriculation to SKMC:
- *CHEM 131: Chemistry Concepts, Systems and Practices I with Lab
- *CHEM 132: Chemistry Concepts, Systems and Practices II with Lab
- *CHEM 203: Organic Chemistry I with Lab
- Plus one of the following:
- BIOL 110: Principles of Biology I with Lab
- BIOL 112: Perspectives in Biology I with Lab
- Plus one of the following:
- STAT 180: Introduction to Applied Statistical Methodology
- STAT 190: Introduction to Statistical Methodology
- STAT 201: Introduction to Probability
- STAT 203: Intro to Math Statistics
Students also must have completed at least three of the seven required computational science courses. There are two tracks to meet these required courses for the program (CSC track and ECE track). At least three of the following seven courses in one of the tracks must be complete prior to application, with the remaining four of that track to be completed during applicants' junior year, prior to undertaking their mentored summer experience:
CSC Track
- MATH 161: Calculus IA
- MATH 150: Discrete Mathematics
- CSC 171: Introduction to Computer Science
- CSC 172: Data Structures and Algorithms
- CSC 240: Data Mining
- CSC 261: Database Systems
- CSC 299: Social Implications of Computing
ECE Track
- MATH 161: Calculus IA
- MATH 150: Discrete Mathematics
- ECE 114: Intro to C/C++ Programming
- CSC 172: Data Structures and Algorithms
- ECE 280: Uncertainties and Scientific Puzzles
- ECE 246: Digital Signal Processing
- ECE 247: Digital Image Processing or CSC 261: Database Systems
Additional Requirements
Once they have been notified of their admission into the program, accepted students will be expected to complete a set of curricular requirements at Rochester that correspond to SKMC entry competencies. These will include basic biology, basic chemistry, and statistics courses.
It is important to note that acceptance into this program is provisional upon a number of things, including:
- Successful completion of required coursework, including the remaining required natural science and statistics courses and math and computer science courses described above
- Maintaining both a science/math course and cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher in University of Rochester undergraduate study
- Satisfaction of all program requirements
- Obtaining a degree from the University of Rochester
Summer Mentored Experience at SKMC: Tuition and Fees
SKMC Scholars are expected to participate in the mentored summer experience at SKMC during their junior summer. To help make this possible SKMC and University of Rochester support your experience by providing on campus housing and funding for your research experience.
Sidney Kimmel Medical College will provide campus housing during the junior summer research experience.
University of Rochester will provide up to $2500 per student for the junior summer experience at Sidney Kimmel through the university’s “Summer Internship Funding” process. Students must apply for this funding in keeping with the university’s processes/deadlines outlined on the Summer Internship Funding page. (Note that the window for summer internship funding application is generally early March through the first week of April for the coming summer).