Curriculum

Course Work

The master’s program consists of course work, primarily in the first year, and research leading to a master’s thesis. Fall 2023, students will be required to complete 30 credits, 12 of which must be in didactic courses.

First Semester (Fall)

Lab rotations
BMSC 405 Ethics in Biomedical Sciences (1 credit)
BMSC 410 Molecular Biochemistry (4 credits)
BMSC 412 Cell Biology (4 credits)
BMSC 416 Methods (1 credit)
IDIM 501 InDIRI Seminar (0 credit)
10 Credit Hours First Semester

Second Semester (Spring)

IDIM 400 Infections and Immunology (3 credits)
BMSC 402 Statistical Methods for Biomedical Science (3 cr hrs)
IDIM 418 Oral Presentation skills (1 cr. hr)
IDIM 492 Research (2 credits)
IDIM 501 InDIRI Seminar (1 credit)
10 Credit Hours Second Semester

Third Semester  (Fall)

IDIM 401 Infectious Diseases (2 credits)
IDIM 501 InDIRI Seminar (1 credit)
IDIM 502 Infectious Diseases Case Study (1 credit)
MIIM 503 Current Literature (1 credit)
IDIM 595 Thesis Supervision (0 credit)
5 Credit Hours Third Semester

Fourth Semester (Spring)

IDIM 403 Parasitology and Virology (2 credits)
IDIM 501 InDIRI Seminar (1 credit)
IDIM 502 Pillars of Immunology (1 credit)
MIIM 503 Current Literature (1 credit)
IDIM 595 Thesis Supervision (0 cr. hrs)
5 Credit Hours Fourth Semester
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30 Total InDIRI Program Credits



In addition to the formal, graded courses, students will enroll in IDIM 492 (Research), attend the Institute’s seminar series and Special Topics.  Students will enroll in IDIM 595 (Thesis Supervision) in their third semester.

Students will participate in the Department of Medicine’s Clinical Grand Rounds that are held once a week.  Students are expected to attend at least five Grand Rounds seminars, generally in their second year. This requirement allows Master’s students to interact with physicians, residents, and medical students. As a result, our students will leave the program with a sophisticated understanding of the language used by physicians, and the environment in which physicians and physician-researchers operate. Our students will also be especially well prepared to communicate effectively with clinical professionals and to connect their didactic and research work to the realities of the clinic, thereby strengthening the students’ understanding of the continuity of biomedical research from “bench-to-bedside”.

Research

Students will select a laboratory for research following one to three 6-week rotations during the first semester. Students will select laboratories for each rotation in consultation with faculty mentors and the program’s graduate program director.  MS candidates are expected to undertake an independent, original experimental study resulting in a new and significant contribution to knowledge.  The research will culminate in the preparation of a thesis and a final oral examination conducted by the student’s MS Thesis Committee.