The newly established PhD in Health Artificial Intelligence (AI) program in Cedars-Sinai’s Health Sciences University has earned accreditation from the Senior College and University Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
The PhD in Health AI program is the first in the United States to be embedded in a hospital and the first to combine interdisciplinary academic training with hands-on clinical data experience, giving students opportunities to develop AI solutions that could improve diagnostics, patient care and healthcare delivery.
“Accreditation is a meaningful milestone for the PhD in Health AI program,” said Graciela Gonzalez-Hernandez, PhD, director of the program and professor and vice chair for Research and Education in the Department of Computational Biomedicine. “It signifies that the highest standards of academic excellence and innovation are at the heart of our curriculum, and it signals to prospective students, as well as our faculty and partners, that we’re pioneering a new kind of doctoral training with quality and rigor.”
In their report, commission evaluators praised the program for integrating doctoral-level learning into real-world work experiences and for offering extensive academic resources and support services for students’ coursework and research.
“Our Health Sciences University continues to evolve, with our newest PhD program enabling us to train the next generation of AI experts specifically focused on healthcare,” said Jeffrey Golden, MD, executive vice dean of Research and Education, director of the Burns and Allen Research Institute, and the Linda and Jim Lippman Distinguished Chair in Academic Medicine at Cedars-Sinai. “As AI is poised to rapidly transform medicine, accreditation for the PhD in Health AI program helps further reflect and reinforce our commitment to shaping the future of healthcare.”
The PhD in Health AI program aims to attract applicants from diverse fields beyond healthcare, including computer science, engineering, math and gaming. Through an active-learning and structured mentoring model, students will gain exposure to real-world clinical environments and collaborate closely with clinicians and scientific investigators.
In addition to laboratory rotations with Cedars-Sinai’s AI research faculty, the program also includes clinical rotations—rare for nonmedical PhD students—to help participants understand how clinical information is generated and used.
“We look forward to welcoming our first cohort of exceptional students this week—each with a strong technical background and a shared commitment to improving healthcare,” Gonzalez-Hernandez said. “Throughout their time at Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University they will engage with faculty, clinicians and each other to meaningfully and ethically apply AI in real clinical settings. They will graduate with a deep understanding of real-world healthcare challenges, positioning them for successful careers in academic research, industry, healthcare innovation, and public policy.”
Cedars-Sinai’s Health Sciences University was established in 2024. The university offers other graduate degrees, including a PhD in Biomedical Sciences, Master of Science in Health Systems and Master of Science in Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
The university also is home to several professional training programs, including nondegree educational certifications, formal trainings, internships and other ongoing opportunities to benefit students and professionals at all career levels.
