The HDRUK/Turing Wellcome PhD Programme in Health Data Science

This four-year programme in Health Data Science includes one year of foundational training followed by a three-year thesis project. It will contribute to much-need capacity-building in health data science by bringing quantitative methods graduates into the health research sphere. Its underlying philosophy is that health data science requires a combination of expertise spanning three fundamental areas: statistical, computational and health sciences. This goes beyond the capacity of any single individual; impactful progress can only be made through highly collaborative communities led by resilient leaders who can challenge and overcome restrictive paradigms. Health data scientists must therefore be trained to operate in multi-disciplinary teams with each member an expert in one of the fundamental areas but conversant in all three. The proposed programme will have a UK-wide reach, drawing on the combined research expertise of two national research institutions. Each student will be co-supervised by at least one expert in quantitative methods and one in substantive health research. Co-funded projects with non-academic partners will include a third supervisor drawn from the partner organisation. Topic selection will be informed by exposure during year 1 to a wide range of problems and methodologies, with flexibility to switch topic and location for years 2-4.