Important questions about UMDNJ's graduate program

[ndoc]

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Hi,

I just got accepted to UMDNJ's graduate school of biomedical sciences and I had a few questions for those who have already been through this program and have gotten into medical school. First of all does the program take 2yrs to complete? They say it is 30 credits and according to the website you can take 22 of these credits in the first year as shown below:

Fall

Molecular and Genetic Medicine (medical school course, 7 credits)
or Dental Physiology (5 credits)
• Seminar (1 credit)
• Electives (3 credits) or lab rotation (2 credits)

Spring

• Medical Physiology (5 credits) or Dental Biochemistry (4 credits)
• Electives (6 credits)

Is there any way you can finish the remaining 8 credits in the summer? If not I read in the handbook that if you get into med school before finishing the degree requirements you can use a maximum of two med school courses to finish the degree requirements. How does this work and how many credits does each med school course count as? I am going to ask the academic administrators at the college these questions as well, but if anyone who has already gone through this programs can answer, I would really appreciate it because I don't want to have to wait another additional year before applying to medical school because I have to finish this. Thanks in advance.

 

[lifehousefan123]

Have you talked to anyone at the school since you last posted? I, too, am also curious about how long the program is, because that calendar on their website (which you posted above) is not very clear. If you could share any information you learned since your last post, that would be very helpful. Thanks!

 

[gdawg102]

Hi,

I just got accepted to UMDNJ's graduate school of biomedical sciences and I had a few questions for those who have already been through this program and have gotten into medical school. First of all does the program take 2yrs to complete? They say it is 30 credits and according to the website you can take 22 of these credits in the first year as shown below:

Fall

Molecular and Genetic Medicine (medical school course, 7 credits)
or Dental Physiology (5 credits)
• Seminar (1 credit)
• Electives (3 credits) or lab rotation (2 credits)

Spring

• Medical Physiology (5 credits) or Dental Biochemistry (4 credits)
• Electives (6 credits)

Is there any way you can finish the remaining 8 credits in the summer? If not I read in the handbook that if you get into med school before finishing the degree requirements you can use a maximum of two med school courses to finish the degree requirements. How does this work and how many credits does each med school course count as? I am going to ask the academic administrators at the college these questions as well, but if anyone who has already gone through this programs can answer, I would really appreciate it because I don't want to have to wait another additional year before applying to medical school because I have to finish this. Thanks in advance.

I'm not in med school, but I am finishing this program. To answer your question, during summer time, the only courses that you can take so far that I know of is doing your thesis (5 pts), a course in virology (3 pts), and a lab rotation (2 pts).

The medical school course in biochemistry is 7 pts and the one in human physiology is 5 pts. I know people who have finished the program in 1 year to 1.5 years. So if you fit in 15 points per semester, then 1 year. If you do it 10 pts per semester, than 1.5 years. Dr. Ingoglia explains this at orientation on your first week of entering the program, including premedical information.

Hope this helped.

 

[ndoc]

Thanks so much for the information gdawg. It definitely helped. I also just got off the phone talking to Dr. Ingoglia himself and he also told me pretty much the same things, that many people do finish the program within a year and you can take as many credits as you want per semester there is no limit. Also lifehousefan, there is another way you can get the degree without having to take 15 credits per semester, you can take 12 credits each semester totaling 24 and then you can transfer 6 credits from medical school once you get in.

Also if you don't mind answering I have a few more questions for you gdawg since you are in the program right now: Overall did you like the program, was it a good experience and do you think it has helped you become a better applicant for medical school? Also are there any other suggestions or things that you think me or lifehousefan should know like a class to look out for or anything else about this UMDNJ program. Again thanks for all of your help and good luck in finishing the program and getting into medical school.