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Programs

Medical Pharmacology

The objective of the medical pharmacology program is to provide students with advanced academic training in fundamental biomedical sciences along with professional development skills that will allow them to craft stronger, more competitive applications for entry into professional degree programs in medicine, dentistry, or similar professional health careers. The program is structured as a Plan B MS degree program and is administered by the Department of Pharmacology and Physiology. As such, it is integrated with the other MS and PhD degree programs administered by the department and includes coursework in pharmacology, physiology, and human anatomy as well as participation in departmental seminars. The program culminates with completion of a comprehensive, scholarly review of the primary literature surrounding a topic pertinent to pharmacology or experimental therapeutics. Upon successful completion of the program, students are awarded the MS degree in medical pharmacology.

Information about faculty and research can be found on the Medical Pharmacology website.

AdmissionsLink to section

Applying to Master's ProgramsLink to section

Students are admitted in the fall semester only. Successful applicants to our MS program have a U.S. baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from a college or university of acceptable standing and intend to pursue a professional degree in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, or similar professional health science career. While the majority of successful applicants have BS or BA degrees in basic or applied sciences such as biology, biochemistry, chemistry or biomedical engineering, students with degrees in other fields are welcome to apply. All applicants, regardless of their degree subject, must have completed all prerequisite coursework for their intended professional degree program before matriculating. (Common prerequisites for U.S. medical schools include at least one year of biology with laboratory; one year of physics with laboratory; and either two semesters of organic chemistry or one semester of organic and one semester of biochemistry, with laboratories.) Additional coursework in cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, and statistics is encouraged but not required.

Successful applicants will typically have some prior exposure to clinical medicine, community health/wellness programs, or biomedical or health services research. Such exposure may come from volunteer experiences (for example, shadowing physicians), professional training or certifications, or full- or part-time employment in a health care field. Applicants must arrange to have at least three letters of support submitted on their behalf. These should be sent from people with direct knowledge of the applicant’s potential to succeed in graduate school and their potential for success when ultimately applying to their chosen professional degree program. We also require a personal statement from each applicant.

We recognize that learners come from diverse backgrounds and life experiences, with varying levels of access to educational opportunities, employment, and related career-preparation resources, opportunities, and experiences. We also understand that each applicant has unique time and life commitments. In our experience, the best predictor of success in our MS program is not undergraduate GPA or ranking of the undergraduate institution. Rather, the best predictors are interest and motivation that are both genuine and deep, a strong work ethic, resilience, and an abundant capacity to adapt, grow, and learn. These factors can be difficult to demonstrate in a typical resume. Therefore, we encourage applicants to address the following criteria specifically in their personal statement: their enthusiasm, motivation, and preparation for their chosen career path; their specific reason(s) for applying to our MS program; and meaningful life circumstances that demonstrate their adaptability and resilience.

Application Requirements
  • Baccalaureate degree, or its equivalent, from an accredited institution
  • Personal statement
  • All undergraduate, and graduate if applicable, transcripts.
  • Resume or CV
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Applicants whose native language is not English must dem­onstrate English proficiency. Official scores must be within two years of the original test date.

GRE or MCAT scores are not required, though they will be considered if provided.

AcademicsLink to section

Master's Degrees and RequirementsLink to section

The master’s degree includes 30 credit hours of coursework, including the following required courses:

Fall Semester
  • Ethics and Professional Integrity
  • Human Cell Physiology
  • Master’s Readings
  • Pharmacology and Physiology Seminar
  • Professional Development
  • Medical Pharmacology
Spring Semester
  • Applied Human Anatomy
  • Effective Scientific Communication
  • Human Anatomy Practicum
  • Master’s Essay
  • Advanced Topics in Pharmacology

In addition to above required courses, students must complete two to four credit hours of electives that can be chosen from:

  • Design of Clinical Trials
  • Applied Statistics in Biomedical Sciences
  • Foundations of Modern Biology II
  • Leadership and Management for Scientists
  • Science Outreach to All
  • Stories in Healthcare
  • History of Modern Medicine
  • Introduction to Programming
  • Current Microanatomy
  • Biology of Neurological Diseases
  • Neurobiology of Disease
  • Signal Transduction
  • Ion Channels and Disease
  • Principles of Epidemiology
  • Foundations in Public Health

Students may take electives not on this list with the approval of the medical pharmacology graduate committee.

Students also complete a detailed, critical assessment of the primary scientific literature on a current or emerging topic of interest in pharmacology or experimental therapeutics. Early in the fall semester, students consult with their faculty advisor to identify an additional faculty mentor with expertise in their topic of interest. With guidance from their mentors, students complete a master’s essay that presents a critical review of the chosen topic. They formally present and defend key aspects of their master’s essay during an oral exam conducted by a faculty committee.

Graduate Course TitlesLink to section

  • BST 465: Design of Clinical Trials
  • BST 467: Applied Statistics in Biomedical Sciences
  • IND 432: Foundations of Modern Biology II
  • IND 439: Leadership and Management for Scientists
  • IND 442: Science Outreach to All
  • MHB 420: Stories in Healthcare
  • MHB 421: History of Modern Medicine
  • NSC 410: Intro to Programming
  • NSC 525: Neurobiology of Disease
  • PHP 403: Human Cell Physiology
  • PHP 405: Effective Scientific Communication
  • PHP 447: Signal Transduction
  • PHP 463: Human Anatomy Practicum
  • PHP 467: Statistical Rigor and Data Analysis
  • PHP 491: Master’s Readings
  • PHP 492: Master’s Essay        
  • PHP 502: Pharmacology and Physiology Seminar
  • PHP 530: Advanced Topics in Pharmacology
  • PHP 550: Ion Channels and Disease
  • PHP 593: Professional Development
  • PHP 623: Medical Pharmacology
  • PM 415: Principles of Epidemiology
  • PM 455: Foundations in Public Health