Graduate Medical Education Sciences - GB-MS-GMDS
Dan Webster, Ph.D., Program Director and Graduate Advisor
About the Program
Click Here to View The Program Guidelines for Graduate Medical Education Sciences
Graduate Medical Education Sciences is a two-year non-thesis Master of Science degree. It is designed for students whose goal is either a teaching career in the anatomical sciences or the acquisition of additional preparation for healthcare related professional schools.
Students take courses in the anatomical, biochemical and physiological sciences with the first-year medical students and complete projects in modern instructional methods and design. Additionally, they will participate in the teaching mission of the medical school as teaching assistants.
Students will be required to design and carry out an education project in anatomy, biochemistry or histology under the direction of a faculty advisor. The project will be designed according to the needs of the curriculum and matched to the interests of the students.
Prerequisites for the program include a bachelor’s degree in any field, but must include typical science courses (chemistry, biology, zoology/animal science, etc.). A strong science background, including completion of an undergraduate biochemistry course, is encouraged.
Graduate Medical Education Sciences Core Curriculum
Students entering the Graduate Medical Education Sciences master’s degree program begin the first-year curriculum in early August. The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences offers required core courses for Graduate Medical Education Sciences students throughout the two-year curriculum. This curriculum was designed to give all Graduate Medical Education Sciences students a foundation in medical sciences that would serve as a basis for further study in professional programs (Ph.D., M.D., D.D., etc) or to pursue a career in education. This curriculum is designed to accommodate students seeking a deeper experience in basic medical sciences including current theory of learning and delivery of medical education. Core curriculum courses will be taken during both years, and include Graduate Human Anatomy; Introduction to Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Inflammation & Infection; Introduction to Immunology, Hematology and Cardiovascular System; Teaching Assistant Rotations (Advanced Training in Anatomy, Histology & Embryology Education; Advanced Training in Biochemistry & Infectious Disease; and Advanced Training in Immunology, Hematalogy & the Cardiovascular System) Pedagogical Concepts in Medical Education, and Research Project. For more information please see the Graduate Medical Education Sciences Guidelines.
Admissions
Applicants apply on the GSBS application website, Applicants apply on the GSBS application website, http://www.bioraider.com where they will create an account and choose the program application.
All applications must be submitted and all required supplemental items received by the application deadline.
A completed application consists of the following items: submitted application, unofficial transcript(s) from U.S. institutions and/or course-by-course transcript evaluation, GRE or MCAT, at least two letters of recommendation, essay/statement of purpose, description of teaching/counseling/research/ lab experience, resume/CV, GPA calculation, and application fee.
Incomplete applications at the application deadline are not and will not be processed or reviewed for admission. No exceptions are made.
After the application deadline, two members of the GMES (Graduate Medical Education Sciences) Admissions Committee reviews the applications independently. Committee membership is comprised of GMES faculty members selected by the Program Director. Reviewers are assigned at random as the processing is completed and applications are sent out in batches of approximately 5 applications at a time per reviewer. Each reviewer then notifies staff if the applicant warrants an interview, should be waitlisted for interview, or outright rejected.
Each applicant is reviewed holistically, where GPAs, test scores (GRE or MCAT), letters, essay, and extracurricular activities are reviewed. The program requires applicants to calculate multiple GPAs on a GPA calculator: science and math GPA, overall GPA minus first 30 hours, and a single science weighted GPA. The multiple GPA calculations are used to look for patterns and trends in their academic history in addition to overall GPA. The committee scores each component of the application during their review process.
After all applications have been independently reviewed by two members of the GMES Admissions Committee, the entire committee meets to determine the final interview list, waitlist to interview, and the rejection list. The program interviews approximately 36 applicants each year to fill 15 to 18 slots in the class. If both independent reviewers arrived with different decisions, the committee will discuss until they arrive at the same conclusion. If both reviewers reached the same conclusion for an applicant, that decision stands. The initial lists are reviewed and ranked based on thoughts from each of the reviewers until all 36 interview slots are filled.
Interviews are then conducted over two days, either in person or via Zoom (video conferencing). Each applicant interviews with the entire GMES Admissions Committee for 15 minutes as a panel interview. The Applicant Scoring Rubric has a second section to score each applicant interview.
After all interviews are complete, the committee meets to conduct a final ranking. The top 15 to 18 applicants are selected in addition to a waitlist of 15 to 20 that is maintained until July. The top 15 to 18 are determined by a combination of average committee member scores after the interview and discussion on program fit. Once these two lists are determined, ballots are prepared for each applicant for final independent approval by the GSBS Admissions Committee.
99-Hour Rule
Purpose: To define enrollment limits sanctioned by the Texas Legislature and outline the process masters student approaching maximum limits.
Students who accumulate more than 99 credit hours may be required to pay non-resident tuition. Master's students may not reduce hours unless they are designated by the GSBS office as "off-campus" students. Students who are designated as off-campus students should review the guidelines under "semester of graduation" within the Enrollment section. Reduced enrollment hours may affect financial aid status and/or payroll FICA exemptions. Students are encouraged to check with the financial aid office and the payroll office before taking the reduced hours. International students should also check with the TTUHSC DSO to verify hours for compliance with the Department of Homeland Security. Typically, international students may only reduce hours in their last semester. Any exceptions must be approved and updated in SEVIS.
