College graduates who have their eyes set on admission to medical school, dental school or other health-related professional schools know that the competition can be fierce. But with Marymount University’s brand-new M.S. in Medical Sciences program, students will have the opportunity to separate themselves from the competition and bolster their chances at success.
The one-year, 42-credit Medical Sciences master’s program is set to launch this fall in partnership with Tiber Health and Ponce Health Science University (PHSU), and is designed to replicate the first year of medical school. Students will be prepared for successful careers as they strengthen scientific skills, improve scores on entrance exams like the MCAT and receive a competitive advantage in applying to health professional schools for medicine, dentistry, optometry, podiatry or pharmaceuticals.
“This is the first graduate degree that will be offered in Marymount’s School of Science, Mathematics and Engineering, and it holds real promise for students who are looking to pursue careers in health and medicine,” said Dr. Amanda Wright, Professor of Biochemistry at Marymount University. “The need for knowledgeable, skilled health care professionals has never been greater, and we can’t wait to see the career dreams of our students come true as they gain the advanced knowledge necessary to succeed in these tremendously competitive fields.”
The U.S. is facing a critical shortage of physicians, particularly Black and Hispanic physicians who have been historically underrepresented in medicine and are projected to become increasingly underrepresented in the next decade. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the nation is expected to have a shortage of between 37,800 and 124,000 physicians by 2034 in both primary and specialized care unless the recruitment and training of physicians changes. At the same time, Virginia has seen an immediate staffing shortage at hospitals across the state, with 12 percent of hospitals reporting “critical staffing shortages” and 22 percent of hospitals reporting a longer term shortage, signaling an increased need for these types of partnerships.
“As we re-examine how we recruit and train medical professionals, programs like this will help us expand the reach and scale of the impact that the next generation of doctors – particularly those from minority backgrounds – can have,” said Dr. David Lenihan, President of Ponce Health Science University and Co-Founder and CEO of Tiber Health. “I look forward to seeing the progress and growth of students who will go through the Medical Sciences program and hope to see the continued expansion of partnerships such as this in the future.”
An intense, full-time academic experience, Medical Sciences students at Marymount will engage with PHSU medical experts during recorded video lectures and participate in virtual labs, with time in class reserved for group discussions, clinical scenarios and personalized feedback sessions with professors to improve performance in classwork, homework and exams.
Throughout the program, Marymount faculty will help students build a pathway to their future. Not only will participants gain a thorough understanding of all of the basic sciences – anatomy, biochemistry, histology, microbiology, neuroscience and physiology – but they will also be enabled to recognize ethical and legal dilemmas in biomedical science and demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills when working with a team. Plus, students can take advantage of comprehensive insights that help predict their likelihood of success in medical school and determine which health care career might suit them best.
The top 20 percent of Medical Sciences graduates are also guaranteed an admissions interview for PHSU’s MD program located in St. Louis for English instruction and Puerto Rico for Spanish instruction.
In addition to careers in patient care, graduates will be well prepared for careers in scientific and medical research as well. Estimated salaries for Medical Sciences graduates are highly desirable, ranging from $100,000 to $500,000.
“At Marymount, students get the personalized, cozy community feel of a small campus combined with the resources and advantages of a larger school in a bustling metropolitan area,” Dr. Wright explained. “Our location just outside the nation’s capital, our engaged faculty and the innovative nature of our Medical Sciences program are just a few of the things that make Marymount a perfect fit for individuals who are striving to make an impactful difference in our health care system.”
Marymount’s M.S. in Medical Sciences program accreditation is currently pending approval from SACSCOC. Click here to view complete program information.
