Medical Science

2023-24 Student Handbook for Medical Science

The Master of Science (MS) program in Medical Science is a specialized master’s program designed to provide additional opportunities to those individuals who would like to enhance their credentials for entry into medical, dental, chiropractic, pharmacy, physical therapy or other professional school. This is achieved by offering a strong, challenging biomedical sciences curriculum in the environment of a health science center. The average time to complete the program is twelve months.


Cohort Option

The cohort option is designed for the student that works best in a team setting alongside other students with daily faculty interaction. Cohort students will participate in didactic lectures interacting in real time with faculty and other students. Cohort students participate in the cadaver lab for Gross Anatomy and team-based learning exercises. The cohort option begins each summer semester which enables students to complete the degree requirements by the following spring, in time to matriculate into professional programs immediately.

Summer Semester

  • BMSC 5100 Application & Skills Workshop
  • BMSC 5141 Short Course in Health Disparities
  • BMSC 5300 Biostatistics for Biomedical Sciences
  • MIMG 5225 Introductory Biochemistry (Optional: Introductory Biochemistry is an optional course that MS in Medical Sciences students may elect to take to review basic biochemistry.)

Semester total credit hours: 5-9 hours

Exam Prep Course

Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)/ Dental Admissions Test (DAT) Preparatory course is optional for students in the Medical Sciences program. The MCAT/DAT Prep course is only offered in the summer semester each year.

Students have the option to select one Exam Prep Course from the following courses:

  • BMSC 5202 MCAT Prep
  • BMSC 5203 DAT Prep

Fall Semester

  • BMSC 5231 Introduction to Health Disparities Issues in the United States
  • BMSC 5301 Principles of Biochemistry
  • BMSC 5302 Molecular Cell Biology
  • BMSC 5206 Immunology and Microbiology
  • BMSC 5350 Principles of Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Medicine
  • PHAN 5201 Histology

Semester total credit hours: 15 hours

Spring Semester

  • BMSC 5121 Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues for Responsible Clinical Research
  • BMSC 5504 Physiology
  • BMSC 5207 Pharmacology
  • BMSC 5312 Introduction to Clinical Research and Studies
  • PHAN 5501 Gross Anatomy

Semester total credit hours: 16 hours


Online Option

The online option is designed for the student who wants to improve his/her qualifications for applying to professional school while maintaining a life balance. The MS is completed 100% online. In addition to the rigorous basic science curriculum, including anatomy training using a computer model, students will have access to interview preparation and advisors. Full-time enrollment is required. The average time to complete the program is 12 months. Campus resources are available from Financial Aid to the Library, including Career Services and the Center for Academic Performance, without traveling to our physical location.

Fall Semester

  • BMSC 5100 Application & Skills Workshop
  • BMSC 5231 Introduction to Health Disparities Issues in the United States
  • BMSC 5301 Principles of Biochemistry
  • BMSC 5302 Molecular Cell Biology
  • BMSC 5206 Immunology and Microbiology
  • BMSC 5350 Principles of Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Medicine
  • PHAN 5201 Histology

Semester total credit hours: 16 hours

Spring Semester

  • BMSC 5121 Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues for Responsible Clinical Research
  • BMSC 5504 Physiology
  • BMSC 5207 Pharmacology
  • BMSC 5312 Introduction to Clinical Research and Studies
  • PHAN 5402 Structural Anatomy

Semester total credit hours: 16 hours

Summer Semester

  • BMSC 5300 Biostatistics for Biomedical Sciences
  • BMSC 5141 Short Course in Health Disparities

 

Semester total credit hours: 4-6 hours

Exam Prep Course

Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)/ Dental Admissions Test (DAT) Preparatory course is optional for students in the Medical Sciences program. The MCAT/DAT Prep course is only offered in the summer semester each year.

Students have the option to select one Exam Prep Course from the following courses:

  • BMSC 5202 MCAT Prep
  • BMSC 5203 DAT Prep

Five Semester Option

The 5-semester online option is designed for the student who wants to improve his/her qualifications for applying to professional school while working full time. The MS is completed 100% online. In addition to the rigorous basic science curriculum, including anatomy training using a computer model, students will have access to interview preparation and advisors. Full-time enrollment is required. The time to complete the program is 21 months. Campus resources are available from Financial Aid to the Library, including Career Services and the Center for Academic Performance, without traveling to our physical location.

Year 1: Fall

  • BMSC 5100 Application & Skills Workshop
  • BMSC 5301 Principles of Biochemistry
  • BMSC 5302 Molecular Cell Biology
  • BMSC 5206 Immunology and Microbiology

Year 1: Spring

  • BMSC 5121 Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues for Responsible Clinical Research
  • BMSC 5504 Physiology
  • BMSC 5207 Pharmacology

Year 1: Summer

  • BMSC 5300 Biostatistics for Biomedical Sciences
  • BMSC 5141 Short Course in Health Disparities

Exam Prep Course

Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)/ Dental Admissions Test (DAT) Preparatory course is optional for students in the Medical Sciences program. The MCAT/DAT Prep course is only offered in the summer semester each year.

Students have the option to select one Exam Prep Course from the following courses:

  • BMSC 5202 MCAT Prep
  • BMSC 5203 DAT Prep

Year 2: Fall

  • BMSC 5231 Introduction to Health Disparities Issues in the United States
  • BMSC 5350 Principles of Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Medicine
  • PHAN 5201 Histology
  • BMSC 5208 Bioethics (Optional)

Year 2: Spring

  • BMSC 5312 Introduction to Clinical Research and Studies
  • PHAN 5402 Structural Anatomy
  • BMSC 5225 Communication in Healthcare (Optional)

2-Year Research Track Option

The successful applicant to the Medical Science Research Track will have excelled in the requirements for the Medical Science discipline and expressed a strong interest in education and/or research within a specific field. Interested students will interview with faculty and create a project proposal outline prior to transfer into this track.

In addition to the Medical Science curriculum, students will undertake a combination of additional courses and independent project(s) to be completed in campus laboratories, and produce a practicum report on the latter. Students will work with an advisory committee for the production of the practicum report.


Program Success

This program has been very successful in assisting students to better their chances for acceptance into a professional school. In the class that graduated in 2017, 88% of students who matriculated graduated with a master’s degree. Approximately 82 percent of these were successful in gaining admission into medical/dental school in the State of Texas and across the United States.

Opportunities for Graduates in Medical Science

The MS in Medical Science program responds to the need for generalist graduate study in the medical sciences to provide students with the background required for the pursuit of a variety of careers in the health professions. It is a broad-based curriculum that can provide the student with requirements to pursue medical school, dental school, veterinary school, advanced graduate education, or enter a career in allied health sciences, such as public health and health care administration, clinical research, or in non-research positions including managerial and biotechnology patent law, teaching, and medical writing.