Interdisciplinary Health Sciences MS
Major: Interdisciplinary Health Sciences
Degree Awarded: Master of Science (MS)
Calendar Type: Semester
Minimum Required Credits: 48.0
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 51.1099
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 29-2011; 29-2012
About the Program
The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies, Division of Pre-medical and Pre-health (PMPH) Programs, offers the Master of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences (IHS). This program allows students to become stronger applicants to medical or other health professional schools by enhancing their academic credentials through a customizable biomedical curriculum. The IHS program also helps students to find and engage in meaningful community service experiences and provides an opportunity to supplement biomedical coursework with laboratory or clinical research.
IHS students complete multiple required courses throughout their first and second years. These courses provide general knowledge and training essential for a career in health care. The IHS program offers students a broad range of elective courses from which to choose, and students receive personalized guidance from a program advisor as they select those electives that best meet their needs and interests.
During the second year of IHS, students select a concentration track and complete a specified number of courses within that concentration prior to graduation. In this way, the IHS curriculum is both flexible and structured in its goal of reinforcing the health care career interests of each student. Also during their second year, students select one of three Capstone Project Tracks: (1) Independent Research Track, (2) Laboratory/Clinical Research Track, or (3) Community Service Research Track. All tracks teach students to communicate complex scientific information in written and oral formats, and to hone their critical thinking and analysis skills.
Upon completion of IHS, students will have a strong, integrated view of the biomedical sciences, which provides numerous advantages to graduates, whether using their degree as a springboard for further professional education or for direct entry into the health care workforce.
Students must complete a minimum of 48.0 credits to graduate and must complete all required courses. The awarding of the Master of Science degree will be contingent upon satisfactory completion of all program requirements, including an earned GPA of no less than 3.0.
Additional Information
For more information about the program, visit the College of Medicine's MS in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences web page.
Admission Requirements
Applicants to the IHS program must meet the following criteria:
- Earned a minimum undergraduate math/science GPA of 2.5
- Successfully completed all pre-medical prerequisite courses
- Received MCAT scores in the 20th-50th percentile range or minimum GRE – 50th percentile
Qualifying students participating in other PMPH Master of Science programs may have the option to transition into IHS if healthcare career goals deem the transfer appropriate.
Applicants with lower scores may be considered if they can demonstrate recent upward academic trends, or exemplary healthcare experience or community service activities.
Additional Information
For more information about applying to the program, visit the College of Medicine's MS in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Admissions webpage.
Degree Requirements
| Required Courses | ||
| IHS 500S | Career Development in the Health Sciences Seminar I | 1.0 |
| IHS 501S | Career Development in the Health Sciences Seminar II | 1.0 |
| IHS 507S | IHS Capstone Project Proposal | 2.0 |
| IHS 508S | IHS Capstone Project Presentation | 1.5 |
| IHS 509S | IHS Capstone Project Paper | 1.5 |
| IHS 510S | Introductory Biostatistics | 3.0 |
| IHS 513S | Scientific Writing for Healthcare Professionals | 2.0 |
| MSPP 525S | Community Dimensions of Medicine | 2.0 |
| Concentration Courses and Electives * | 34.0 | |
| Total Credits | 48.0 | |
- *
Number of elective credits may vary depending on concentration selected.
Concentrations:
| Biochemical and Pharmacologic Principles | ||
| Select six of the following: | ||
| CR 614S | Introduction to Clinical Pharmacology | 3.0 |
| IHS 502S | Neuropharmacology | 3.0 |
| IHS 511S | Biology of Cancer | 3.0 |
| IHS 512S | Principles of Immunology | 3.0 |
| IHS 514S | Molecular Biology & Biochemistry of the Cell | 3.0 |
| IHS 520S | Molecular & Cellular Bases of Medicine | 2.0 |
| IHS 525S | Human Nutrition | 3.0 |
| IHS T580S | Special Topics in Interdisciplinary Health Science * | 3.0 |
| MFSP 551S | Human Function | 3.0 |
| MFSP 557S | Drug Chemistry | 2.0 |
| MLAS 529S | Molecular Genetics | 3.0 |
| MSPA 580S | Medical Microbiology I | 4.0 |
| MSPA 581S | Medical Microbiology II | 3.0 |
| MSPP 511S | Concepts in Biochemistry and Cell Biology | 4.0 |
| MSPP 515S | Advanced Human Physiology | 4.0 |
| PHRM 512S | Graduate Pharmacology | 3.0 |
| Concepts in Anatomy and Pathology | ||
| Select six of the following: | ||
| CR 500S | Epidemiology | 3.0 |
| IHS 511S | Biology of Cancer | 3.0 |
| IHS 512S | Principles of Immunology | 3.0 |
| IHS 514S | Molecular Biology & Biochemistry of the Cell | 3.0 |
| IHS 517S | Biological Anthropology | 3.0 |
| IHS 518S | Human Skeleton | 3.0 |
| IHS 521S | Neurophysiology of the Senses | 4.0 |
| IHS 525S | Human Nutrition | 3.0 |
| IHS T580S | Special Topics in Interdisciplinary Health Science * | 3.0 |
| MFSP 551S | Human Function | 3.0 |
| MFSP 552S | Structure of the Human Body | 3.0 |
| MFSP 553S | Human Structure Lab | 1.0 |
| MLAS 531S | Embryology | 3.0 |
| MLAS 536S | Animal Models for Biomedical Research | 1.0 |
| MLAS 545S | Fundamentals of Histology | 3.0 |
| MSPP 511S | Concepts in Biochemistry and Cell Biology | 4.0 |
| MSPP 513S | Advanced Human Anatomy | 4.0 |
| MSPP 515S | Advanced Human Physiology | 4.0 |
| Laboratory Techniques | ||
| Required courses for this concentration | ||
| IHS 522S | Enhanced Laboratory Investigation I | 2.0 |
| IHS 523S | Enhanced Laboratory Investigation II | 2.0 |
| Select four of the following: | ||
| CR 505S | Ethical Issues in Research | 3.0 |
| CR 511S | The History of Misconduct in Biomedical Research | 3.0 |
| CR 515S | Intro to Clinical Trials | 3.0 |
| CR 565S | Contemporary Issues in Human Research Protection | 3.0 |
| CR 600S | Designing the Clinical Trial | 3.0 |
| CR 612S | Fundamentals of Compliance | 3.0 |
| MLAS 523S | Organizational Management | 3.0 |
| MLAS 525S | Animal Anatomy | 2.0 |
| MLAS 535S | Biology & Care Of Lab Animals | 4.0 |
| MLAS 536S | Animal Models for Biomedical Research | 1.0 |
| MLAS 545S | Fundamentals of Histology | 3.0 |
| MLAS 610S | Diseases of Laboratory Animals | 3.0 |
| MSPA 520S | Medical Terminology | 3.0 |
| MSPA 580S | Medical Microbiology I | 4.0 |
| MSPA 581S | Medical Microbiology II | 3.0 |
| MSPP 505S | Laboratory Techniques in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | 2.0 |
| Medical Science | ||
| Required Courses for this Concentration | ||
| IMSP 502S | Medicine and Society | 3.0 |
| IMSP 506S | Medical Professionalism and Leadership | 3.0 |
| IMSP 513S | Medical Biochemistry | 6.0 |
| IMSP 522S | Medical Physiology I | 3.0 |
| IMSP 523S | Medical Physiology II | 3.0 |
| IMSP 542S | Medical Microanatomy I | 4.0 |
| IMSP 543S | Medical Microanatomy II | 2.0 |
| IMSP 562S | Medical Neuroanatomy | 6.0 |
| Optional | ||
| IMSP 544S | Medical Immunology I | 2.5 |
| IMSP 545S | Medical Immunology II | 1.5 |
| IMSP 552S | Medical Nutrition | 1.0 |
| Additional Electives | ||
| CR 609S | Innovative Product Development | 3.0 |
| IHS 505S | Healthcare in Spanish I | 3.0 |
| IHS 515S | Exploring Diversity in Healthcare | 2.0 |
| IHS 516S | Strategic Communication and Professional Development | 2.0 |
| MFSP 585S | Clinical Forensic Emergency Medicine and Traumatology | 2.0 |
| MFSP 588S | Advanced Topics in Cell Biology | 2.0 |
| MSPP 512S | Psychosocial and Behavioral Factors in Health and Medicine | 3.0 |
- *
Please see your advisor for the course numbers and topics that are acceptable.
Sample Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| IHS 500S | 1.0 | IHS 501S | 1.0 |
| IHS 510S | 3.0 | MSPP 525S | 2.0 |
| IHS 513S | 2.0 | IHS 507S*** | 2.0 |
| Minimum of 6.0 additional credits selected from list of electives in conjunction with program director | 6.0 | Minimum of 6.0 additional credits selected from list of electives in conjunction with program director | 6.0 |
| 12 | 11 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| IHS 508S | 1.5 | IHS 509S | 1.5 |
| Additional credits selected from list of electives in conjunction with program director, with at least 5.0 credits coming from concentration track† | 10.0 | Additional credits selected from list of electives in conjunction with program director, with at least 5.0 credits coming from concentration track† | 12.0 |
| 11.5 | 13.5 | ||
| Total Credits 48 | |||
- *
Students taking the Medical Sciences track are also required to take all IMS fall courses except for IMSP 544S, IMSP 545S, IMSP 552S.
- **
Please see your advisor for acceptable course numbers.
- ***
Students may also take this course in the Fall of Year two with approval of the Program Director.
- †
Number of credits is only a suggestion and may be split differently between Semesters.
Program Level Outcomes
- Demonstrate academic success in biomedical and health science courses with content relevant to the student’s health profession career goals
- Become a competitive applicant for the student’s chosen health professional school, or for direct entry into the healthcare workforce via academic success, competitive standardized exam scores, and other key metrics.
- Demonstrate independence and creativity in designing and completing a cohesive, concentration-specific research project, and honing critical thinking and analysis skills
- Demonstrate an ability to effectively communicate complex scientific information in a variety of formats to scientific and non-scientific audiences
- Develop an ability to self-assess by critically evaluating strengths, weakness etc., and applying this knowledge toward appropriate decision making with respect to health profession career goals and outcome evaluation
- Attain a high level of ethical standards and professionalism compatible with a career in the health professions
- Develop leadership skills that will enhance future training in the health professions.
- Demonstrate medical sciences knowledge and competencies comparable to Drexel's first year medical school curriculum.
- Develop the ability to be creative, critical, and analytical thinkers.
- Demonstrate knowledge base and skill set compatible with success in health professional programs and careers.
- Demonstrate knowledge and awareness of multiple areas of potential synergy and/or conflict between medicine and society.
- Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively.
- Develop as a well-rounded, competitive applicant for future educational endeavors in the medical and health sciences.
- Attain a high level of ethical standards and professionalism compatible with a career in the health professions