Bethel Launches New Master of Science in Medical Sciences Program

Bethel University’s Graduate School is now accepting applications for its new Master of Science in Medical Sciences (MSMS) program. In as few as 11 months, the program will equip students with the foundations needed to pursue a healthcare career. Classes are scheduled to begin fall 2022. 

The MSMS program serves as a stepping stone for students between their undergraduate experience and their next career move, whether that’s pursuing additional schooling or entering the workforce. “Graduates of the MSMS program will leave Bethel with new knowledge, new experiences, and new relationships—all of which will equip them to excel in whatever is next on their health science pathway," says Chad Osgood, Bethel's dean of business, leadership, health, and social sciences.  

The curriculum parallels the first year of medical school, preparing graduates to outperform their medical school peers, however, medical school isn’t the only option after program completion. The MSMS provides a firm medical science foundation, spring-boarding students into a variety of medical pathways including physician assistant, chiropractic, pharmacy, and others. 

Students of the MSMS program will experience a flipped classroom environment, which means they’ll watch lectures and complete their readings before class. Then during class time, they’ll work through real clinical scenarios and participate in collaborative group work, helping them to visualize the ways their studies will apply in real-world health science settings. 

Students completing the MSMS program are guaranteed an admissions interview with Bethel's physician assistant program, as long as they meet all of the program's admission requirements. MSMS students who finish in the top 20% of their class are guaranteed an admissions interview with the Ponce Health Sciences University medical education program.

In addition to world-class academics, students of the MSMS program will experience mentoring and faith-based co-curricular activities. Through these experiences, students will grow in community and in character, cultivating a values-based approach to ethical issues they may encounter in the field. 

“Overall, the program is well-suited to students with a variety of career interests. The primary thing that students are prepared to do is to further pursue healthcare-related educational programs,” Osgood explains. “But with a specialty degree in anatomy, biochemistry, and physiology, program graduates could also go into pharmaceutical sales, or they could pursue a career at an entity like Medtronic or Boston Scientific, or they could work in a lab or research setting. This program really gives students a variety of health science pathways to pursue.”