Master of Science in Medical Sciences

The Master of Science in Medical Sciences is a broad interdisciplinary degree program based on courses offered in the College of Medicine Basic Science Departments. The MS in Medical Sciences may be used as a stand-alone degree by students seeking career enhancement in fields such as basic biomedical research, the pharmaceutical industry, or the health science professions; by students seeking credentials in the biomedical sciences as a preliminary to applying for medical school or other health sciences professional programs; or by students seeking to enhance their knowledge base prior to choosing a career direction. The MS in Medical Sciences may also provide supplemental or joint training for practitioners in the health professions (physicians, dentists, pharmacists), or students in professional health science programs, based on individual career goals and identified research training needs. Finally, the MS in Medical Sciences serves as a "fall-back" degree for the eight (8) basic science doctoral programs in the College of Medicine.

Participating Departments

• Anatomy and Neurobiology
• Behavioral Science
  
• Graduate Center for Nutritional Sciences
  
• Graduate Center for Toxicology
  
• Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics
  
• Molecular and Biomedical Pharmacology
  
• Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry
  
• Physiology

MS in Medical Sciences Curriculum

The MS in Medical Sciences has both a Plan A platform of 24 credit hours plus master’s thesis and a Plan B platform of 30 credit hours of coursework. For both Plan A and Plan B, 50% of the coursework must be at the 600 level or above; two-thirds of the coursework must be in formally organized courses. Plan A requires a defense of the master’s thesis; Plan B requires a Final Master’s Exam. Most students enrolling in the MS in Medical Sciences as a stand-alone degree utilize the Plan B platform. All students are encouraged to have at least a one semester biomedical research experience with a faculty member in one of the disciplines cited above. On average the program takes two years to complete.

Core Curriculum

The MS in Medical Sciences has a 10-11 credit-hour core based on courses offered in the Integrated Biomedical Sciences, the first-year doctoral curriculum in the College of Medicine:

Additional courses are selected from graduate courses offered in the basic sciences both in the College of Medicine and in allied fields, based on individual interests and career goals. Faculty in the area of specialization assist in the selection process and approves the coursework selected. For a listing of courses available, please consult the Director of Graduate Studies for the MS in Medical Sciences (see contact information below), the Graduate School Bulletin and the University of Kentucky Course Catalog.

MS in Medical Sciences Faculty Leadership

Jeff Davidson, Ph.D.
Professor, Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics
Director of Graduate Studies
MS in Medical Sciences

Requirements and Application to the MS in Medical Sciences

For the best chances to gain admission to the program, an applicant should have a 3.0 GPA, one year of general or inorganic chemistry, one year of organic chemistry (or one semester of organic chemistry and one semester of biochemistry) and at least one year of biology.

There is a dual application process for the MS in Medical Sciences. One set of application materials goes to Dr. Jeff Davidson and the Medical Sciences Office. A second application, following the requirements of the University of Kentucky Graduate School, must be submitted directly to the Graduate School.

MS in Medical Sciences Application

Please submit the following materials directly to Dr. Jeff Davidson:

• Completed Application Form for the MS in Medical Sciences
• Unofficial transcripts from all colleges and universities attended

The unofficial transcripts may be sent by e-mail to jndavid@uky.edu or by regular mail:

Dr. Jeff Davidson
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics
Combs 304
College of Medicine
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40536

Please go to the Graduate Web site for information on the Graduate School application process and the online application itself. Please note that admission to the Graduate School is your official admission to the University of Kentucky.

Contact Information

For additional information about the MS in Medical Sciences, please contact: Dr. Jeff Davidson (jndavid@uky.edu).