Interdepartmental Degree Programs

Graduate and Professional education in the College of Medicine is overseen by the Graduate and Professional School. The College of Medicine also has a dedicated Office of Graduate Studies that supports and enhances the graduate training activities of the college and facilitates the achievement of nationally recognized excellence by our faculty, staff, and trainees. Functions of this office include:

  • administrative support for the college's graduate programs
  • development of policies and procedures pertaining to the college's graduate programs
  • coordination of interdepartmental and intercollegiate graduate programs
  • providing leadership for strategic planning efforts in graduate education
  • advising the Dean and the college administration on graduate issues

There are currently two interdepartmental graduate programs residing in the college, Medical Sciences and Education for Healthcare Professionals (EDHP). The Medical Sciences program is available in Bryan/College Station, and Houston, Texas campuses, with distinct research strengths opportunities and equivalent coursework. The Education for Healthcare Professionals program is delivered fully online. Our programs also have a flexible and interdisciplinary curriculum that allows our students to have a highly personalized and individually tailored training program. In addition to our own programs, our faculty also participate in several interdisciplinary graduate programs, including Genetics, Neuroscience, and Toxicology.

Masters

The purpose of the graduate program in Education for Healthcare Professionals (EDHP) is to provide the training necessary to produce effective leaders in health professions education. Accordingly, the program recruits health professionals who have, or are preparing for, educational leadership positions but who lack formal training in education and/or leadership. This program provides the opportunity for individuals to develop the background and skills necessary to be excellent teachers in their areas of specialty and conduct research to improve and develop innovative educational programs in health professions education. This interdisciplinary Master of Science degree is ideal for individuals who have an interest in an academic career.

For more information about the EDHP program, please visit the EDHP website.

The college also offers a Master of Science in Medical Sciences. The MS in Medical Sciences degree prepares future researchers to bridge the interface between patient care and bench research, interact effectively with the spectrum of healthcare providers and community members, and function efficiently within large research teams. The curriculum is flexible and designed to provide a strong foundation in biological sciences along with scholarly activities that will encourage team-oriented projects, enhance interdisciplinary communication, develop leadership skills, and provide the foundation for a broad understanding of scientific, medical, and regulatory issues. Currently, we have a pre-med track in the MS in Medical Sciences that allows students to better prepared to apply for Medical School.

For more information about the MS in Medical Sciences, please visit the MS in Medical Sciences website.

Doctoral

Our Medical Sciences program provides students with formal course work and experimental research leading to a PhD degree. The Interdisciplinary Graduate Program offers specialization in the following areas: (1) Cancer, Cell, and Developmental Biology (2) Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation (3) Brain, Behavior, Psychiatric, and Neurological Disorders (4) Cardiovascular, Lymphatic and Metabolic Disease (5) Genetics, Genomics and Network Biology (6) Biomedical Engineering and Regenerative Medicine. Students are expected to demonstrate professional-level knowledge and research skills in their chosen area. The first-year curriculum is meant to provide a broad-based foundation for students through course work in medical sciences and through research rotations leading to the selection of a faculty research advisor. Ultimately the student will conduct an independent research project that will constitute a significant contribution to the field in general, should be publishable in a peer-reviewed journal, and form the basis for the student’s dissertation. 

The College of Medicine also offers an MD/PhD Combined Degree Program and detailed information on this program can be found at the MD/PhD Program website.