Starting this fall, the University of Vermont will offer a new medical science master’s program for students with a limited background in science and those whose undergraduate grades do not reflect their true academic ability.

UVM’s Master of Medical Science degree is a 30-credit, one-year, on-campus program, which includes a cohesive set of core courses that cover the major biomedical disciplines and provides a foundation of understanding how the human body works. In addition to biochemistry, cell biology, and physiology, the core curriculum includes a six-credit human anatomy course, something not offered in many similar programs across the country, and also covers the fundamentals of pharmacology and biostatistics.

“This is a competitive, robust biomedical master’s program designed to help students who may not have considered medical school in their undergraduate years and are now refocusing their careers,” says Program Director Chris Berger, Ph.D., associate professor of molecular physiology and biophysics at the UVM College of Medicine.

Geared toward students whose undergraduate grades are not an accurate reflection of their potential in the medical sciences field, the program gives students the tools they need to not only be successful medical school candidates, but to succeed in a rigorous medical school curriculum once they are admitted.

“Most medical schools now integrate a fair amount of pathology and clinical skills with the basic science curriculum during the first year of study,” Berger says. “Students who already have a strong foundation in the basic biomedical sciences, including anatomy, will have a significant advantage in their preparation for medical school coursework and boards.”

The program complements the academic offerings of the UVM College of Medicine, providing a master’s degree program that prepares bright and motivated students who lack needed coursework in the basic biomedical sciences for admission to medical school. The new program directly supports the College of Medicine’s mission to educate a diverse group of dedicated physicians and biomedical scientists to serve across all the disciplines of medicine.

On average, 30 percent of UVM medical students come from a non-science undergraduate degree background. A number of the College of Medicine’s incoming class members have completed similar programs at other universities. By building this solid foundation prior to medical school, students will be able to focus on the clinical aspects of their training, which are now integrated within the first year curriculum at most major medical schools including UVM.

Twenty-five students will be enrolled in the program each year and will be taught by College of Medicine faculty. Admission into the program will require a B.S. or B.A. degree from an accredited institution, two semesters each of general biology, organic chemistry, and physics, MCAT or GRE scores from within the previous five years, and, for international students, TOEFL scores of at least 90.