ms in biomedical sciences degree program (mbs) - Home | Tufts ...

Medicine is a rigorous, rewarding professionthat demands the best of those who chooseto pursue it. To become tomorrow’s health careproviders, today’s medical students need theright skills to master an ever-expanding baseof knowledge.If your goal is to go to medical or dental school, butyou feel you need more knowledge and experiencebefore applying, Tufts University School of Medicine’sMaster of Science in Biomedical Sciences (MBS)degree may be right for you.A pioneer in medical education since 1893, Tufts’School of Medicine offers the full-time MBSprogram to help students strengthen theiracademic credentials and improve their chancesof being accepted to medical or dental school.THE TUFTS MBS ADVANTAGEMedical School Curriculum The MS in BiomedicalSciences program closely follows Tufts UniversitySchool of Medicine’s (TUSM) first-year medicalcurriculum and is taught by our award-winningfaculty — the same professors who teach our medicalstudents. The MBS program also offers uniquecourses in computer-based anatomy, basic humanpathology, and clinical medicine.Early Clinical Exposure Our introductory course inclinical medicine gives our students a taste of patientcare even before entering medical school.Individual Attention Our faculty and senioradministration are very accessible, creating anurturing and supportive environment for our MBSstudents. Class sizes are smaller than Tufts’ medicalclasses, and each student is assigned a facultyadvisor (Academic Partner). Academic Partners eachmentor nine MBS students or fewer on all matters ofthe program; in addition, Academic Partners serve asstudents’ personal premedical advisors.Innovative Technology Our award-winning onlinecurriculum database, known as TUSK (TuftsUniversity Sciences Knowledge base), covers virtuallyevery course in the curriculum and contains a wealthof multimedia resources, including course syllabiand texts, lecture slides, medical imaging, videostreaming, and links to full-text journal articles.Culturally Rich Environment Classes are held at theuniversity’s health sciences campus, home to severalTufts health research and teaching institutions. Thecampus is located in downtown Boston, a cityrenowned for its biomedical research.MBS CURRICULUM OVERVIEWThe MBS curriculum is designed to give studentsan intense, immersive experience that closelyfollows the first year of medical school. The coursework, examinations, and clinical training that MBSstudents undergo match those taken by Tufts firstyearmedical students. In addition, MBS studentsreceive specialized training and faculty mentoring thathelps them master fundamental skills and knowledgeintrinsic to the medical curriculum.The MBS core curriculum consists of 12 requiredcourses, nine of which are identical to or based uponour current School of Medicine courses. Studentstake one full course or two half courses of electivesfrom courses offered by our Graduate BiomedicalSciences and Public Health Programs. Students alsocomplete a literature- or laboratory-based thesisfollowing the course work.MBS students may also choose to pursue eithera joint Master of Public Health (MPH) degree or aMaster of Business Administration (MBA) degree,both of which can be completed during a secondyear. Students interested in these options enroll inepidemiology or biostatistics as their spring electivesduring the second semester of the first year. Theremaining requirements are completed during thesummer, fall, and spring of the following year. MPHcandidates have a choice of concentrations.“The physician professional is defined notonly by what he or she must know, but most”importantly by a profound sense of what thephysician must be.— Dr. Jordan Cohen, former president of medical staff,Tufts Medical Center, and president emeritus of theAmerican Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC)MBS CORE CURRICULUMCourse TitleCreditsMolecular Biology (MBS 201) 0.5Cell Biology (MBS 202A) 0.5Tissue & Organ Biology (MBS 202B) 1.0Biochemistry (MBS 203) 1.0Immunology (MBS 204) 0.5Introduction to Clinical Medicine (MBS 205) 0.5Physiology (MBS 206) 1.5Basic Human Pathology (MBS 207) 1.0Intro to Human & Clinical Anatomy (MBS 208) 1.5Nutrition (MBS 209) 0.5Medical Genetics (MBS 212) 0.5Pharmacology (MBS 213) 0.5Elective(s) 1.0 (2 times 0.5)MCAT Tutorialsno creditThesis (Literature- or Laboratory-based) (MBS 210) 0.5ADMISSIONS CRITERIAStudents are admitted to the MBS Program on arolling basis beginning in mid-January of the sameyear of enrollment. Admissions are based on fiveprincipal criteria: student’s entire academic record,successful completion of all pre-medical courses,MCAT or DAT scores (preferred; GREs acceptable),letters of recommendation, and personalstatements. Interviews are not provided.For more specific admissions requirements andinformation on how to apply, please visit:http://go.tufts.edu/mbs.GRADUATION REQUIREMENTSEarning an MS in Biomedical Sciences degreerequires students to complete their course workand a literature- or laboratory-based thesis. Inaddition, students may extend their training for asecond year, leading either to a Master of PublicHealth (MPH) degree or a Master of BusinessAdministration (MBA) degree.