HOBI Course Catalog
All courses require permission of the instructor before registration can be completed. For questions and other information, contact: HOBI-Education@ad.ufl.edu.
GMS 5905 Special Topics: Systematic Review Methods (3 credit hrs) GMS 5905 syllabus
Description: In this course, students examine and practice the science and rigorous methodology of conducting a systematic review, using the PRISMA guidelines. Systematic reviews are considered to be one of the highest levels of evidence quality and are important studies in their own right. Students will finish the course 1) as a critical consumer of systematic reviews; and 2) equipped with the skills and experience necessary to produceyour own systematic review. This course prepares students to conduct a systematic review, which is more likely to be publishable as a stand-alone paper than a narrative review. The final products of the course will be: 1) participation and potential authorship in a collaborative in-class, team-based systematic review; and 2) a systematic review protocol with a timeline and plan for completing the review.
GMS 6802: Health Outcomes Research for Chronic Diseases (3 credit hrs) GMS 6802 syllabus
Description: This course provides an in-depth analysis of chronic disease risk factors and health outcomes across the life course, from pre-birth to death. Students will learn about the leading chronic diseases in the United States, current knowledge and gaps, and evidence-based interventions that have been shown to improve chronic disease outcomes.
GMS 6803 Data Science for Clinical Research (3 credit hrs) GMS 6803 syllabus
Description: Students are introduced to the broad landscape of data science for biomedical and clinical research: learn how to design and implement computerized databases for data collection, perform basic query and reporting operations, prepare databases for analytical tasks, perform quality assurance procedures, and understand basic data analytical methods and approaches.
Prerequisite: Instructor’s approval
GMS 6804 Translational Bioinformatics (3 credit hrs) GMS 6804 syllabus
Description: Fundamental issues of bioinformatics and how they apply to translational and clinical problems. The course is organized in 4 parts: sequence analysis, databases and ontologies, genome-wide association and linkage analysis, and networks. Each part will cover the computing and mathematical concepts used, and motivated by the actual underlying bioinformatics questions.
GMS 6805 Information Modeling in Biomedicine (3 credit hrs) GMS 6805 syllabus
Description: Introduces students to information science and knowledge representation methodologies (e.g. set theory, formal logic, etc.) for purposes of information integration. Students gain familiarity with traditional information modeling methodologies (e.g. UML) and with Semantic Web Technologies, rich in semantics for use with AI applications. (Formerly GMS 6805: Introduction to Applied Ontology)
Prerequisite: None, but some experience with symbolic logic will be an asset.
GMS 6806 Security and Privacy in Clinical Research (3 credit hrs) GMS 6806 syllabus
Description: In this course students will be introduced to a broad landscape of information security & data privacy for biomedical & clinical research: S&P related regulations and guidelines in clinical research; concepts of computer security; analysis of a study’s security plan; best practices in data management (e.g., de-identification and encryption).
Prerequisite: Instructor’s approval
GMS 6812 Health Outcomes Research in Cancer (3 credit hrs) GMS 6812 syllabus
Description: Methods and measurement issues in cancer health outcomes assessment are addressed across the continuum of cancer care -prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and end of life. Outcomes covered include survival, health-related quality of life, patient satisfaction with care, and economic burden.
Prerequisite: GMS 6851 and instructor’s approval
GMS 6813 Pragmatic Clinical Trials (3 credit hrs) GMS 6813 syllabus
Description: Provides students with knowledge related to designing and conducting pragmatic clinical trials, which evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and treatments in typical community and clinical care settings. (Formerly GMS 6813 Applied Topics in Pragmatic Trials and Implementation Science, 2 credit hrs)
Prerequisite: PHC 6052 and GMS 6885
GMS 6822 Measuring and Analyzing Health Outcomes (3 credit hrs) GMS 6822 syllabus
Description: This course provides instruction in the measurement methods currently used in health-related research in both clinical and community settings. The particular emphasis in this course is on cross-cultural translation of patient-reported outcomes measures and the development and use of measures for special populations such as children or those with chronic diseases.
GMS 6832 Economic Methods for Evaluating Value in Health Care (3 credit hrs)
Description: This course covers economic methods for evaluating the relative value of health care interventions. Foundational topics include framing the analysis, defining alternatives, techniques for eliciting patient preferences, measuring costs, and assessing outcomes. Students are exposed to cost effectiveness analysis and related methods for combining these core elements into an economic evaluation.
GMS 6833 Health Outcomes Research in Vulnerable Populations (3 credit hrs) GMS 6833 syllabus
Description: Explore how the health care system in the United States serves vulnerable populations such as the poor, elderly, immigrants, racial and ethnic minorities, children and youth (especially those with chronic health conditions and disabilities) and young mothers. Emphasis is placed on health disparities within each of these vulnerable groups and health policy mechanisms to address critical issues facing these populations.
GMS 6836 Foundations of Learning Health Systems Research (1 credit hour) GMS 6836 Syllabus
Description: Provides an overview of the foundational principles required to conduct research in a learning health system environment. Students will gain introductory knowledge in Systems Science, Research and standards of Scientific Evidence, Research Methods, Informatics, Ethics and Implementation in Health Systems, Improvement and Implementation science, Engagement, and Leadership.
GMS 6846 Systematic Review & Meta Analysis in Clinical, Health Services Research and Public Health (2 credit hours) GMS 6846 Syllabus
Description: We will examine and practice the science and rigorous methodology of conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis, using the PRISMA guidelines. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are considered to be among the highest levels of evidence quality and are important studies in their own right. Each of you will finish the course 1) as a critical consumer of systematic reviews and meta-analyses; and 2) equipped with the skills and experience necessary to produce your own systematic review and meta-analysis. The final product of the course will be your own systematic review and meta-analysis PROSPERO protocol with a timeline and plan for completion.
GMS 6848 Ensuring Rigor and Reproducibility in Clinical and Translational Research (1 credit hr) GMS 6848 syllabus
Description: Introduces best principles and practices required to conduct rigorous and reproducible research across the translational spectrum. Topics will include sound study planning and design, consideration of all relevant biomedical variables, sound data management practices, statistical considerations and techniques, and transparency in reporting research results.
Prerequisites: GMS 6861
GMS 6850 Foundations of Biomedical Informatics (3 credit hrs) GMS 6850 syllabus
Description: This course covers foundational issues in biomedical informatics, including the unique nature of biomedical information, why biomedical information is created and used, analysis methods and inference on biomedical information, and ethical and privacy issues. Information systems and software in biomedicine and issues in implementation and use will also be covered.
GMS 6851 Fundamentals of Dissemination and Implementation Research (3 credit hrs) GMS 6851 syllabus
Description: This course offers an overview of principles and practices of dissemination and implementation research in the context of the translational research continuum. Content areas include the populations studied, data sources, and user audiences. Exposure to a range of dissemination and implementation research topics, and conceptual frameworks.
Prerequisite: Instructor’s approval
GMS 6852 Community Engaged Research for Clinical Effectiveness and Implementation Science Studies (2 credit hrs) GMS 6852 syllabus
Description: This course covers the principles and practices of clinical effectiveness and implementation science research conducted with community partners. The benefits of and barriers to conducting community engaged research will be addressed in the context of the translational research continuum. The relationships between community partner involvement and study design, data collection, and analytic methods are addressed. Additional topics include partnership development, relationships between researchers and the community, capacity building, and sustainability.
Prerequisites: GMS 6851 and instructor approval
GMS 6853 Improvement and Implementation Science in the Learning Health System (3 credit hrs) GMS 6853 syllabus
Description: This course will enhance students’ knowledge of dissemination research and implementation science, which is the study of integrating evidence-based methods into health care policy and practice. A key focus will be on examining the strengths and limitations of different study designs in dissemination and implementation science, and the role of and strategies for engaging key stakeholders, including clinicians and policymakers, in the research process. Students will have an opportunity to apply methods they learn in the class through class discussions and presentations.
GMS 6856 Introduction to Biomedical Natural Language Processing (3 credit hrs) GMS 6856 syllabus
Description: Introduces the basic knowledge of natural language processing (NLP), examines methods, systems, and ontologies/resources in the biomedical domain. Students will gain necessary skills to process biomedical text, apply state-of-the-art NLP systems, and handle biomedical NLP tasks such as Information Extraction and Word Sense Disambiguation.
Prerequisites: Experience with computer programming, such as Python for data processing.
GMS 6857 Clinical Decision Support Systems (3 credit hrs) GMS 6857 syllabus
Description: Introduces students to fundamentals of clinical decision-making systems and software . Students learn underlying mathematics of decision theory and decision-making, managing risk and uncertainty, pattern recognition and machine learning in decision-making. Students explore usability of clinical decision support systems, patient-centered approaches, implementation science and how systems are integrated with EHR and clinical workflows and their impact on care access and quality of care.
GMS 6885 Translational Health Research Design (3 credit hrs) GMS 6885 syllabus
Description: This course will provide students with an overview of the research designs common in translational health research, a foundational understanding of a variety of research designs including the creation of defensible and meaningful hypotheses, bias potential, strengths, and limitations.
Prerequisite: A graduate course in statistics
GMS 6893 Clinical and Translational Science Seminar Series (2 credit hrs) GMS 6893 syllabus
Description: This seminar series is designed to further the training of students in multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary clinical and translational research. Content areas include leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States, issues relevant to rural health and diseases such as HIV/AIDS and conditions such as obesity which have significant impact and research needs. The series consists of weekly, two-hour sessions which include researchers from the bench to the community. Specifically, for each topic area, speakers will discuss the clinical, laboratory, and epidemiological and economic aspects of the particular condition along with potential intervention strategies and community outreach activities.
GMS 7866 Principles of Referent Tracking in Biomedical Informatics (3 credit hrs) GMS 7866 syllabus
Description: Provides an in-depth exploration of the purpose, scope, technical structures; uses of Referent Tracking as a methodology to design information systems that are maximally self-explanatory and explicit in terms of the data they manage and self-aware in terms of their interactions with other systems and users thereof.
GMS 7858 Causal Artificial Intelligence for Health Research (3 credit hrs) GMS 7858 syllabus
Description: This course covers foundational issues in “causal Artificial Intelligence” embedding machine learning with causal inference methods on real-world data, and methodologies for automated causal learning. Health research approaches such as target trials and transportability will be discussed, as well as Artificial Intelligence fairness to tackle health disparities and inequity.
GMS 7887 Health Outcomes & Policy PhD Research Seminar (1 credit hr) GMS 7887 syllabus
Description: Seminar series where students meet to present, critically appraise, and discuss current research in health outcomes and biomedical informatics academic literature as well as the research programs of HOBI faculty and graduate students.
GMS 7906 Grant Writing for Health Outcomes (2 credit hrs) GMS 7906 syllabus
Description: This course offers skills in grant writing basics, with focus on submissions to NIH, AHRQ, and PCORI. Specific aims, significance, hypotheses are developed, culminating in production of a grant proposal draft during the semester. Other topics covered include biosketch development, budget preparation/ justification, sample size justification, and navigation of funding opportunities.
Prerequisite: GMS 6851 and GMS 6885 and instructor approval.