A Masters in Biomedical Sciences Program as a Gateway to MD and PhD Programs

1
A Masters in Biomedical Sciences Program as a
Gateway to MD and PhD Programs
Ingoglia, NA, and Brezenoff, H.E. UMDNJ - GSBS,
Newark, NJ,
Abstract
Introduction For some students, deciding
whether to enter a clinical educational program
or to commit to a lengthy Ph.D. program in
biomedical sciences is often difficult and made
with limited knowledge. Other students may be
committed to a career in medicine but have
undergraduate academic records that are
inadequate for acceptance into professional
school. To meet the educational needs of both
groups of students, we have designed a masters
program in biomedical sciences that has a
flexible curriculum but is sufficiently
structured to prepare students to make a more
informed decision about their career path. This
program also has proven useful for students
interested in entering the pharmaceutical or
biotech industry or a variety of careers
ancillary to the biomedical sciences. The
program may lead to a thesis-based Master of
Science degree or a non-thesis Master of
Biomedical Sciences degree (involving additional
coursework). The Program has two tracks one,
geared toward those seeking entrance into a
medical/dental school, allows students to take a
limited number of medical or dental courses along
with graduate courses. The other, directed
primarily toward those considering careers in
research or education, is composed entirely of
graduate courses. A combination of the two tracks
also is possible for students who are undecided
on a career path. Components common to both
tracks include a seminar series in biomedical
sciences that exposes the students to the
research programs of faculty at our campus, and a
subsequent 2-credit laboratory course in which
they work with one of our faculty in an area of
interest. Outcome Seventy-three of the 231
students who enrolled in the program since 1997
have completed the program, 135 are in progress
and 23 have left the program for academic or
other reasons. Outcome data show that 54 have
been admitted to clinical educational programs
(medical, osteopathic, dental, veterinary, and
physician assistant), 16 have found employment in
the Pharmaceutical/Biotech industry, two have
become teachers at the secondary school level and
11 have entered a Ph.D. program. Students who
have chosen to continue their educational
training in both M.D. (34) and Ph.D. (10)
programs at the Newark campus of UMDNJ currently
are in good academic standing.
Outcome for Masters students matriculating into
NJMS
Key Features
Outcome Summary 1997-2003

• Enthusiastic, Good Teaching Faculty
• (1/3 of tuition income goes to faculty
  discretionary accounts)
• Reasonable Tuition (approx 14,000/program)
• Close mentoring and advising of students
• Convenience of evening classes

The Educational Program

• General Requirements
• The Master of Science (MS) track (requires
  completion of 25 credits of course work and five
  credits of thesis research)
• The Master of Biomedical Sciences (MBS) track
  requires 30 credits of course work - no thesis)

• Program requirements
• a laboratory rotation,
• Seminar series
• and one of four options
• Molecular and Cellular Biology (8 credits, two
  semesters PhD),
• Fundamentals of Biomedical Sciences (9 credits,
  3 semesters, evenings),
• Medical Biochemistry (5 credits),
• Dental Physiology and Dental Biochemistry (9
  credits).

Target Students
Conclusions

• Those students who see themselves working in the
  pharmaceutical or biotech industries
• Those students interested in Science Education.
• Those students who wish to have a chance to
  improve their academic records so that they may
  apply to professional schools (medical,
  osteopathic, dental, veterinary and others).

• Sample Elective Courses
• Bioinformatics
• Bio-terrorism and Biodefense
• Current Molecular Techniques
• Stem Cell Biology Molecular Medicine
• Laboratory Animal Science
• Principles of Pharmacology
• Molecular Oncology
• Topics in Neuroscience

A Masters of Biomedical Sciences program is
described that allows students to make a more
informed choice between clinical, research and
educational career paths. Those students
entering NJMS do as well or better than their
peers in medical school courses and USMLE part
I. The 11 students who have entered the PhD
program are all performing well.
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