Health Sciences MHS: Gateway to Professional Studies track

Program Overview

The Gateway to Professional Studies (GPS) program at Fairleigh Dickinson University prepares students for admission to healthcare-related professional schools through a 33-credit curriculum in biomedical sciences, including biochemistry, pharmacology, anatomy, and physiology. The program also provides a pathway to careers in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industries. Graduates are well-equipped for success in challenging professional school environments and in various healthcare-related fields.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

Overview:

The 33-credit Gateway to Professional Studies (GPS) program at Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) is designed to prepare students for admission to healthcare-related professional schools, including medical, dental, veterinary, and pharmacy schools. The program can be completed in as little as one year and provides a solid foundation in biomedical sciences through a curriculum that includes courses in biochemistry, pharmacology, communication skills, histology, anatomy, physiology, and other relevant topics.

Objectives:

• Enhance students' knowledge and improve their application credentials for competitive admission to professional schools.
• Prepare students for academic success in challenging professional school environments.
• Provide a career pathway for those seeking opportunities in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industries, including pharmaceutical sales, business and management, regulatory science, and science teaching.

Outline:

Content and Structure:

The GPS program consists of 33 credits, divided into two components:

Core Health Science Requirements (15 credits):

• HSCI6200: Ethics of Health Care Research
• HSCI6250: Psychology for the Medical Sciences
• HSCI7302: Epidemiology and Study Design Evaluation
• HSCI7401: Biostatistics
• HSCI8806: Project Management
• Introduction to Health Policy and Systems

Gateway to Professional Studies Track Requirements (21 credits):

• BIOL6891: Histology
• BIOL6892: Human Physiology
• BIOL6893: Human Anatomy
• CHEM6663: Introductory Medicinal Chemistry
• CHEM6685: Pharmacology
• CHEM6781: Biochemistry for the Medical Sciences
• CHEM7500: Technical and Scientific Writing

Course Descriptions:

• BIOL6891: Histology: Structure and functional correlations of body tissues, cells, organs, and organ systems.
• BIOL6892: Human Physiology: Molecular, cardiovascular, respiratory, urinary, immune, endocrine, and reproductive systems.
• BIOL6893: Human Anatomy: Fundamental organization and structure of the human body, with a focus on clinical observation and observation skills.
• CHEM6663: Intro to Medicinal Chemistry: Focuses on improving a drug's therapeutic effect while minimizing its undesirable side effects.
• CHEM6685: Pharmacology: Study of drugs, their history, sources, properties, effects, mechanism of action, absorption, distribution, and therapeutic uses.
• CHEM6781: Biochemistry: Chemistry of substances of biological significance, structures and mechanisms of hydrolytic and respiratory enzymes, biosyntheses of proteins, bio-oxidations, and molecular structures of complex molecules.
• CHEM7500: Technical & Scientific Writing: Introduction to written and oral communication of technical information.
• HSCI7401: Biostatistics: Descriptive and influential statistical procedures, including z tests, t-tests, analysis of variance, correlation and regression analysis, and nonparametrics.

Careers:

• Graduates of the GPS program are prepared for careers in healthcare-related fields, including:
• Admission to medical, dental, veterinary, pharmacy, chiropractic, optometry, podiatric, or physical therapy schools
• Careers in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industries, including pharmaceutical sales, business and management, regulatory science, and science teaching