BS Biomedical Computation

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Stanford University

Program Overview

Stanford’s BS in Biomedical Computation brings together computer science, biology, medicine, mathematics, statistics and engineering, preparing students to use computational methods to solve important problems in healthcare and the life sciences. It is particularly well suited to students who enjoy both technology and biology and want to work with biomedical data, computational models, informatics and emerging technologies at the intersection of medicine and computing.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students begin by establishing the mathematical, scientific and computational foundation needed for the major. Coursework can include MATH 19/20/21, CS 103 Mathematical Foundations of Computing, CS 106A/106B Programming Methodology or Abstractions, and introductory biology, chemistry and physics.

Year 2: The second year continues building depth across biomedical and computational disciplines, with students progressing through courses such as CS 109 or STATS 116, General Chemistry options such as CHEM 31A/31B, biology or human biology core courses, and PHYSICS 41 Mechanics or other approved physics foundations. Students also begin shaping their preparation toward their eventual Biomedical Computation track.

Year 3: Students move into upper-division Biomedical Computation study and select one of four tracks: Informatics, Simulation, Cellular/Molecular, or Organs/Organ Systems. They also begin the program's substantial research requirement, with options such as CS 272: Introduction to Biomedical Informatics Research Methodology, BIOE 131: Ethics in Bioengineering, or research-linked writing through ENGR 199W: Writing of Original Research for Engineers.

Year 4: Students deepen their chosen specialization through advanced track courses and complete the major's BMC Capstone, which integrates biology and computation. Every student must also complete 6 units of directed research under a Stanford faculty member, giving them the opportunity to undertake hands-on biomedical computation and communicate their research through a substantial technical document.

Focus Areas

Informatics, Simulation, Cellular/Molecular, Organs/Organ Systems, biomedical data analysis, computational modelling, computer science, biology, medicine, mathematics and statistics.

Learning Outcomes

Analyze biomedical data, apply computational methods to biological and medical questions, construct computational models, develop programming and quantitative skills, conduct hands-on biomedical research, communicate technical research effectively, integrate biological and computational perspectives, and apply interdisciplinary knowledge to real biomedical challenges.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The BS Biomedical Computation is an interdisciplinary program housed in Stanford’s School of Engineering and draws teaching and research from the Schools of Engineering, Humanities and Sciences, and Medicine. Stanford’s official program information does not state a separate program-specific professional accreditation for Biomedical Computation, so no specialized accreditation should be assumed.

Reputation (Employability Rankings / Official Statistics)

Stanford reports that, as of May 2024, the Biomedical Computation program had graduated more than 108 students, with about half of its alumni pursuing advanced degrees such as MD, PhD or MD/PhD and the other half entering industries including pharmaceuticals, technology and digital health. Stanford has also reported BMC alumni working at companies including Apple, Google, Facebook and Goldman Sachs, demonstrating the breadth of opportunities available to graduates with this interdisciplinary background.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Experiential learning is a major strength of Stanford’s Biomedical Computation program because research is built directly into the degree rather than being an optional extra. Every BMC student completes 6 units of directed research with a Stanford faculty member, typically during the junior or senior years, and the project must involve actual hands-on biomedical computation. Students can work with faculty across Stanford’s schools, giving them access to research environments spanning computer science, medicine, biology, bioengineering, data science and engineering.

The program also connects students with Stanford Bioengineering’s research ecosystem, including faculty-run laboratories and specialized facilities supporting computational biology, imaging, genomics, AI, molecular research and biomedical technology. Students can additionally apply for the 10-week Bioengineering Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program, where selected students work full-time with faculty on cutting-edge research and present their work at a final poster session.

Students can develop practical experience through:

Directed Biomedical Computation Research: Every BMC student completes 6 units of faculty-supervised research involving hands-on biomedical computation.
Biomedical Informatics Research: CS 272 – Introduction to Biomedical Informatics Research Methodology can satisfy the program's Writing in the Major requirement while developing research methodology skills.
Research Writing: ENGR 199W – Writing of Original Research for Engineers can be completed alongside research, requiring students to produce a substantial publication-style technical document describing their methods and results.
Faculty-Run Laboratories: Stanford Bioengineering lists 37 faculty-run labs, including research in informatics and AI, machine learning, biomedical imaging, computational cardiovascular modelling, genomics, bioinformatics, neuroscience and systems biology.
Computational Services and Bioinformatics Facility: Students working in relevant research environments can benefit from Stanford's computational and bioinformatics infrastructure supporting sequence analysis, molecular modelling, and mathematical and statistical analysis.
AI and Biomedical Research: Stanford facilities include the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, while Bioengineering labs use AI, data science and computational approaches for biomedical problems.
Genomics and Precision Medicine: The Stanford Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine supports research applying genomics and related expertise toward disease prediction, prevention and treatment.
Summer Research: The Bioengineering REU program runs for 10 weeks, with students matched to faculty research projects and concluding with a research poster session.
Capstone Integration: The BMC Capstone brings biology and computation together in a rigorous upper-division experience, normally completed during the junior or senior year.
Health-Tech Internship Opportunities: Stanford's Biodesign Internship Connect matches students, including Biomedical Computation majors, with health-technology companies and labs for project-based internship opportunities.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The BS Biomedical Computation gives graduates a flexible foundation for careers spanning biomedical research, computational biology, technology, digital health and medicine. Stanford reports that roughly half of BMC alumni have pursued advanced degrees such as MD, PhD or MD/PhD, while others have entered pharmaceutical, technology and digital-health industries.

Typical career directions include Computational Biologist, Biomedical Data Scientist, Bioinformatics Scientist, Machine Learning Engineer.

Students can strengthen their transition into employment and further study through:

Career support: Stanford Career Education provides one-to-one career coaching, internship and job resources, workshops, career fairs, employer events and access to Handshake. Engineering students have dedicated career-coaching support.
Employer connections: Stanford reports that thousands of employers engage with Stanford Career Education to recruit students and recent alumni for full-time positions, internships and summer employment.
Health-tech industry connections: The Biodesign Internship Connect program connects Stanford students from fields including Biomedical Computation with health-technology companies and labs.
Research-to-industry exposure: Stanford Bioengineering's research ecosystem includes the Byers Center for Biodesign, which provides training, mentoring and networking for health-technology innovation and is described by Stanford as a major academia-industry partnership.
Graduate outcomes: Stanford reports that approximately half of BMC alumni have continued into advanced degrees, while the remainder have entered industries such as pharmaceuticals, technology and digital health.
Alumni career reach: Stanford has reported BMC alumni working at organizations including Apple, Google, Facebook and Goldman Sachs, illustrating that the degree can support progression beyond traditional biomedical careers.
Salary information: Stanford's official BMC pages reviewed do not publish a program-specific graduate salary figure, so a Biomedical Computation-specific salary should be recorded as NA rather than estimated.
Accreditation value: Stanford does not state a separate professional accreditation for the Biomedical Computation major on its official program pages. Its value instead comes from the interdisciplinary Stanford Engineering curriculum, substantial faculty-supervised research and integration with Stanford's Schools of Engineering, Medicine, and Humanities and Sciences.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can pursue advanced study in bioinformatics, bioengineering, biological sciences, computational sciences, medicine, MD/PhD programs and other related fields. Stanford also specifically offers a coterminal master's pathway, allowing eligible Stanford undergraduates to continue into a master's degree while completing their undergraduate studies. Students interested in research can also pursue the BMC honors option, which involves a substantial research project and final written and oral presentation.