SQL Boot Camp

This three-day intensive boot camp covers the fundamentals of relational databases, including database design, and writing queries using the SQL language. The boot camp will integrate seminar lectures with extensive hands-on sessions using the commonly available database software program MySQL. The first half of the boot camp will cover building databases with proper design to maintain data integrity, while the second half will focus on retrieval and manipulation using SQL (Structured Query Language).

During this workshop, participants will:

• Learn the pitfalls of using Excel for data storage
• Build small relational databases in MySQL
• Formulate SQL queries to 1) create and modify database objects, and 2) populate and retrieve data from database tables
• Optimize SQL queries for best performance

Summer 2026: The SQL Boot Camp will be a hybrid setup with an in-person training at the Columbia University Irving Medical Campus in NYC and simultaneously livestreamed for remote attendees on June 10-12, 2026 from 10am EDT - ~5pm EDT. 

More information on travel, lodging, and getting around NYC.

Investigators from any institution and any career stage are welcome to attend. This workshop will particularly benefit those who will be actively involved in research data management.

There are two requirements to attend this training:

1. Basic experience working with data (e.g., data cleaning or analysis) is beneficial, but not required.
2. Each participant must have a laptop with Zoom installed. To get the most out of breakout groups, we also recommend a working microphone and webcam. Participants may also wish to share their screen with instructors during one-on-one questions.

Debra D'Angelo, Assistant Director, Biostatistics Services, Weill Cornell Medicine.

Evan Sholle, Assistant Director, Research Informatics Data Science Services, Weill Cornell Medicine

Training scholarships are available for the SQL Boot Camp.

"Everyone on the team was phenomenal and incredibly knowledgeable. I appreciated the additional resources shared with us, and liked how the instructor was down-to-earth in her teaching style." - Staff Member at New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 2025

"The overall experience was excellent and I walked away with lots of helpful materials to practice on my own." - Staff Member at Columbia University, 2025

"Debra D'Angelo is a great instructor. She was personable, open to answering all questions, and I appreciated writing code with her in real time." - Researcher at the Department of Veteran Affairs, 2025

"Really kind and knowledgeable faculty and TAs. The atmosphere in class is friendly. I particularly enjoyed the lecture on why you shouldn't use Excel in research. Wish I had learned this on my day 1 in graduate school." - Faculty Member at University of Georgia, 2024

"The SQL Boot Camp covered the basics on how to get started in designing and querying databases. The amount of information covered is right for the time allocated to the training." - Faculty Member at National Autonomous University of Mexico, 2024

"Intense learning experience - they pack everything beautifully in such a short amount of time. Debby and the TAs were so helpful, receptive to questions, and created an all around wonderful learning environment." - Staff member at Columbia University, 2023

"It was very informative and demonstrated the power of SQL in decision making, specifically by health professionals/practitioners." - Senior lecturer at University of Nairobi, 2023

"I thought it was a good introduction to the basics of the SQL programming language and how to apply it to make queries to assist clinical research." - Faculty member at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, 2023

Registration Fee is based on your category. This is a hybrid training, meaning attendees can choose to attend the live training either 1) in-person in NYC or 2) virtually livestream via Zoom. The in-person registration fee includes course material, breakfast, and lunch on training days. Lodging and transportation are not included. The virtual registration fee includes course material, which will be made available to all participants both during and after the conclusion of the training. 

2026 Registration Category Rates: 

• Student/Postdoc/Trainee: 
  • Early-bird rate: $1,395 
  • Regular rate: $1,595 
• Faculty/Academic Staff/Non-Profit Organizations/Government Agencies: 
  • Early-bird rate: $1,595 
  • Regular rate: $1,795 
• Corporate/For-Profit Organizations: 
  • Early-bird rate: $1,795 
  • Regular rate: $1,995 

$200 early-bird discount is automatically applied if you register before the April 15 deadline. 

• $200 Early-bird Discount: This is automatically applied if you register before the April 15 early-bird deadline.  
• 10% Columbia Discount: This is valid for any active student, postdoc, staff, or faculty at Columbia University. If paying by credit card, use your Columbia email address during the registration process to automatically have the discount applied. If paying by internal transfer within Columbia, see below.  
• 10% Mailman Alumni Discount: This is valid for any individual who graduated from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. To access the Mailman Alumni discount and receive a registration code, please email sharp_program@cumc.columbia.edu your graduation year and degree.  
• Group discounts are available for organizations sending 5+ participants. Please contact us directly at sharp_program@cumc.columbia.edu for more information.  

If paying by internal transfer within Columbia, submit this Columbia Internal Transfer Request form (link to form coming soon) to receive further instructions. Please note: filling out this form is not the same as registering for a training and does not guarantee a training seat.

If you would prefer to pay by invoice/check, please submit this Invoice Request form (link to form coming soon) to receive further instructions. Please note: filling out this form is not the same as registering for a training and does not guarantee a training seat.

Cancellation notices must be received via email at least 30 days prior to the training start date in order to receive a full refund, minus a $75 administrative fee. Cancellation notices received via email 14-29 days prior to the training will receive a 75% refund, minus a $75 administrative fee. Please email your cancellation notice to​​​​​​ ColumbiaSHARP.SQL@gmail.com. Due to workshop capacity and preparation, we regret that we are unable to refund registration fees for cancellations less than 14 days prior to the training.

If you are unable to attend the training, we encourage you to send a substitute within the same registration category. Please inform us of the substitute via email at least one week prior to the training so we can include them on attendee communications, gather registration details, and provide materials. Should the substitute fall within a different registration category (e.g., you are a faculty member and they are a postdoc), the credit card on file will be credited/charged respectively. Please email substitute inquiries to ColumbiaSHARP.SQL@gmail.com. In the event Columbia must cancel the event, your registration fee will be fully refunded.