UNTHSC *NEW* B.S. in Biomedical Sciences to M.S. in Medical Sciences Bridge Program (Texas) 2025

[BlackWidow88X]

*Edit*

After a whole lot of inquiring I want to edit this post to contain all the pertinent information on the program. I've deleted the contents of my original post as it was just a series of questions which I've since gotten answered. Here's everything I've gathered about the program. I hope it answers any questions users may have down the line.

BS-BMSC to MS in Medical Sciences Bridge Program

The program is called The BS in Biomedical Science to MS in Medical Science bridge program. The program is invitation only so you won't be able to find information on the UNTHSC website regarding the program. The individuals invited to the program are essentially applicants rejected from the previous MS in Med Sci online or in-person application cycle who were considered by the committee to have strong non-academic credentials but need additional academic preparation in order to gain admission in to the MS in Med Sci program, additionally, applicants had to meet the following criteria.

• Be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
• Have completed a CAS application to SBS on file for the previous entry year
• Have completed all BS-BMSC course prerequisite requirements (listed here)

Admissions Process
Applicants who are NOT accepted into the MS in Medical Sciences AND who have an overall GPA of 2.50 or higher will be provided the opportunity to be reviewed for admission to the postbaccalaureate degree in biomedical sciences. These applicants will be reviewed by the SBS UG admission committee using the BS-BMSC admission criteria and process, and up to 50 qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the BS to MS Bridge Program.

Program Conditions
Applicants accepted to the Master of Science in Medical Sciences via this bridge program must complete the SBS postbaccalaureate BS-BMSC Program offered at the University of North Texas Health Sciences Center at Fort Worth by the following August. This bridge program must be completed with a minimum overall grade point average of 3.25 and grades of B or higher in all courses.

While Bridge Program students are enrolled in the postbaccalaureate in BS-BMSC, they will be placed on deferred admission to the Master of Science in Medical Sciences. Once requirements are met, students gain automatic admission in to the MS in Med Sci program.

Curriculum

Bachelors Portion Degree Plan

Masters Portion Curriculum
This can be found on the UNTHSC webpage for the MS in Med Sci program here.

Tuition
At the moment I'm editing this post I still don't have the tuition rate because tuition is being modified for all programs for the new academic year. In an email I sent to the admissions officer she estimated 12-13k for the BS portion which would be in agreement with their average rate per credit hour which is roughly $370/credit hour. The tuition for the MS in Med Sci is usually around the same regarding the $370/credit hour figure. I'm sorry I can't get the overall tuition for the MS portion because as mentioned previously the UNTSHC website doesn't contain that information at the time this post is being edited. To conclude, tuition changes every year anyways so I would advise checking the UNTHSC webpage for more accurate information.

That's all the information I could think is worth putting. I accepted the offer to this program so I will begin this program August 19th. If down the line someone has a question about this program I will try my best to answer. Congrats to all that were offered invitations - there is yet hope for the rejected!

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[BlackWidow88X]

I spoke to the admissions officer today and she gave me a brief explanation of the program. Essentially, the program is a 35 hour long modified curriculum of their 42 hour BS in Biomedical Sciences. I'm still pending the information packet which they have yet to send to the accepted individuals. The information packet is supposed to contain the detailed curriculum as well as other pertinent information about the program. Taking a look at that curriculum, it's anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and some electives so I assumed the modified 35 hour curriculum will be similar, if not, identical. The BS portion is supposed to be completed within a year and upon completion of the BS in BMS and fulfillment of the gpa requirements for the conditional admission to the MS in Medical Sciences you can begin the MS portion of the program. From what I was told, you can choose between the online MS and the in-person one. If you choose to do the online MS you can start immediately after the completion of the BS in BMS. If you choose to do the in-person, you have to wait till the following year (2026 in my case) to start the MS portion. I'll update with more information as I receive it.

 

[premed902]

I spoke to the admissions officer today and she gave me a brief explanation of the program. Essentially, the program is a 35 hours long modified curriculum of their 43 hour BS in Biomedical Sciences. I'm still pending the information packet which they have yet to send to the accepted individuals. The information packet is supposed to contain the detailed curriculum as well as other pertinent information about the program. Taking a look at that curriculum, it's anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and some electives. The BS portion is supposed to be completed within a year and upon completion of the BS in BMS and fulfillment of the gpa requirements for the conditional admission to the MS in Medical Sciences you can begin the MS portion of the program. From what I was told, you can choose between the online MS and the in-person one. If you choose to do the online MS you can start immediately after the completion of the BS in BMS. If you choose to do the in-person, you have to wait till the following year (2026 in my case) to start the MS portion. I'll update with more information as I receive it.

hmmm. sounds promising. I mean if you didn't get into any other SMP's, sounds like the way to go. I'm no longer pre-med, but I can vouch for the MS program, it's excellent. Also, the opportunity to improve your uGPA with a year of science coursework is incredibly valuable to adcoms. My only thing is the face to face program is a significantly better than the online, and I would recommend waiting if possible for the traditional program. I'm not saying you can't be successful in the online program, many ppl are, its just the the adjustment to the curriculum seemed to go a lot smoother for the face to face cohort.

 

[BlackWidow88X]

hmmm. sounds promising. I mean if you didn't get into any other SMP's, sounds like the way to go. I'm no longer pre-med, but I can vouch for the MS program, it's excellent. Also, the opportunity to improve your uGPA with a year of science coursework is incredibly valuable to adcoms. My only thing is the face to face program is a significantly better than the online, and I would recommend waiting if possible for the traditional program. I'm not saying you can't be successful in the online program, many ppl are, its just the the adjustment to the curriculum seemed to go a lot smoother for the face to face cohort.

Thank you for the reply! I haven't been able to find any matriculation data on the online program. I'm not too eager about waiting an entire year because that would push my expected med school start date to 4 years which is not an idea I love. However, the matriculation statistics of the in-person are no joke and I've seen as high as 75-85%. Do you have any specifics on the online program? Possibly statistics on matriculation rates to medical/professional schools?

One of the plus sides I can see with this bridge program is that with the completion of the BS portion I could possibly start applying to med schools during the year I'm completing the MS portion. I know it's not typically recommended if you are just doing the Med Sci because you simply wouldn't have enough credits to show that academic turnaround. With the bridge program you'll already have 35 credits from the BS + another 16 - 25 or so from the first half of the MS portion when apps open. My thing is that if the matriculation stats for the online portion are good enough I might really consider doing that instead even if my heart is set on the in-person. What are your thoughts?

 

[premed902]

From what our program director said, the online program has similar success rates. However, that 85% success rate is based on the number of people who finish the program, and the online program has a higher attrition rate than the face to face. As such, the matriculation rate for the online is probably slightly lower in total, just not any different for those who finish. (I interviewed at a medical school with a member of my online cohort, just to give you an idea that the online is taken seriously).

To be honest, it is all about GPA when it comes to the MS program. Whichever program you pick, just work for the best GPA you can attain and you'll be successful. A lot of times, people sign up for the online program and assume they don't have to take serious steps in adjusting their lives to prepare for the course load. They maintain their old ways, and they don't do good. Some drop out (a lot of this is bc the minimum GPA to graduate is a 3.0, a C is essentially a failing grade). Whereas those of us who had to move to Fort Worth were kind of forced to set ourselves up for success because we weren't in our normal environments. That being said, you can do all of these things as an online student, you just have to be very intentional about it. I only wanted to explain this because the difference in successful outcomes between the two programs is more than likely due to the aforementioned factors as opposed to adcoms looking down on the online curriculum.

Yes, as you said you have strong EC's, and assuming you have your MCAT, I think applying in between programs would be perfect.

Either way, Medsci is an incredible program and it is very respected regionally, it was a major point of discussion at my interview.

Also, pro tip for getting that 4.0 in med sci; there is a feature on notability and good notes called "tape", I highly suggest you use this as your active recall method. (Yes, there are premade Anki decks, but it takes too long, and the exams aren't hard, they are purely memorization, but the material comes at an incredible pace, and this makes for expeditious memorization). I found it after med sci, unfortunately, but it would've been a game changer. (I can't speak for the undergrad courses, this applied only to the MS.

 

[BlackWidow88X]

From what our program director said, the online program has similar success rates. However, that 85% success rate is based on the number of people who finish the program, and the online program has a higher attrition rate than the face to face. As such, the matriculation rate for the online is probably slightly lower in total, just not any different for those who finish. (I interviewed at a medical school with a member of my online cohort, just to give you an idea that the online is taken seriously).

To be honest, it is all about GPA when it comes to the MS program. Whichever program you pick, just work for the best GPA you can attain and you'll be successful. A lot of times, people sign up for the online program and assume they don't have to take serious steps in adjusting their lives to prepare for the course load. They maintain their old ways, and they don't do good. Some drop out (a lot of this is bc the minimum GPA to graduate is a 3.0, a C is essentially a failing grade). Whereas those of us who had to move to Fort Worth were kind of forced to set ourselves up for success because we weren't in our normal environments. That being said, you can do all of these things as an online student, you just have to be very intentional about it. I only wanted to explain this because the difference in successful outcomes between the two programs is more than likely due to the aforementioned factors as opposed to adcoms looking down on the online curriculum.

Yes, as you said you have strong EC's, and assuming you have your MCAT, I think applying in between programs would be perfect.

Either way, Medsci is an incredible program and it is very respected regionally, it was a major point of discussion at my interview.

Also, pro tip for getting that 4.0 in med sci; there is a feature on notability and good notes called "tape", I highly suggest you use this as your active recall method. (Yes, there are premade Anki decks, but it takes too long, and the exams aren't hard, they are purely memorization, but the material comes at an incredible pace, and this makes for expeditious memorization). I found it after med sci, unfortunately, but it would've been a game changer. (I can't speak for the undergrad courses, this applied only to the MS.

That's great to know! Thank you for the input and the advise! I emailed all Texas med schools to inquire how they feel about students who undertook academic reinvention. Specifically, how they feel about academic reinvention via SMPs and their opinion of online coursework. I've heard back from about half of them so far and the general consensus is that they don't particularly care, they just want to see that you do well. Some schools such as Long School of Medicine event went so far as to say that they love applicants from UNTHSC because they produce strong medical students. At the moment, I think I'm going with the online option just to save a year of my life. I'm gonna speak to admissions to inquire about the statistics for the online matriculants and I'll probably make a final decision with that data. On a side note, I'm not entirely sure if it's possible to finish the BS early in time for the MS in-person next summer. I'm sure they devised the structure of the program as to not allow for that but I'll inquire nonetheless.

 

[Kitty18]

Yesterday I got an acceptance in to a new UNTHSC program called the Postbacc BS in Biomedical Sciences to MS in Medical sciences bridge program. It seems to be a 1 year bridge program where you graduate with their BS in Biomedical Sciences and if you maintain a gpa of 3.25 or higher you get an automatic acceptance in to their MS in Medical Science program. The email said that this is a new program that just began this year and that all the applicants invited were essentially rejected applicants from the MS in Medical Sciences 2024 application which were considered to have strong non-academic background. The total amount of people invited to this program is supposed to be less than 50 people. if you want to see my academic and non-academic background you can find them in this thread here. I contacted the school and I'm waiting for a reply because I need more information. There is no material online about this program which I assume is due to how new it is given that it's the first year they're implementing it.

From the info available on the quick info sheet they sent me the program starts in August 2024 and seems to run a duration dependent on how fast the student completes their BS in BMS. However, it states you need to finish the program by August 2025 to gain admission in to the MS in MS program in 2025. The BS in Biomedical Sciences portion is virtual. Upon completion of the BS-BMS I don't know if the bridge is to the in-person MS Medical Sciences or the online which is the most vital piece of information in my opinion given that their MS in Medical Sciences program is only really worth it if it's the in-person cohort and not the online option.

Did anyone else that got rejected for the MS in medical sciences in-person 2024 get an acceptance in to this program? I forgot to mention that I never actually applied to this bridge program. An acceptance was essentially just offered to me because:

1. I applied to the 2024 MS in Medical Science and got rejected
2. I met minimum academic requirements (more than a 2.5 gpa)
3. Was recommended by the MS admissions committee because of my strong non-academic background from my 2024 MS in Medical Sciences application.

I don't know if this will be a new program from this year moving forward. IMO if you're someone in a similar boat as myself who was someone who had a weak undergrad performance but strong ECs and was going to do postbacc work before reapplying to the MS in MS program anyways it seems worth it. It's virtually a guaranteed acceptance in to their MS program which is the gold mine. I'm yet to find out if it's their MS in person or online. I'll update when I get additional info. I'd love to hear if anyone else got offered an acceptance and if they might know more information.

Hi there I got accepted into this program too. However, I applied to a couple out-of-state online programs (listed below) because I work full-time. I received acceptances from USF and UNCO, but I’m torn between UNTHSC and UF (which I haven’t heard from yet).

I’m a non-traditional pre-med and earned an engineering degree in 2014 and an MBA in 2018. TBH I really wanted to be accepted into UNTHSC’s online master’s program 😭 and I don’t want to spend another year working towards a second bachelor’s. Their BS curriculum is also not as appealing to me, as their master’s.

I’m located in the DFW area (about a 1.5 hrs. from Fort Worth). This is the only reason why I’m still considering their bridge program. I’d love to attend medical school in Texas and their program is highly regarded. The deadline to accept/reject is quickly coming up. I’m hoping to hear back from UF before I make a decision.

• University of South Florida (USF): Master of Science in Medical Sciences (Health Sciences)
• University of Northern Colorado (UNCO): Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences
• University of Florida (UF): Master of Science in Medical Sciences (Physiology & Pharmacology)

 

[BlackWidow88X]

Hi there I got accepted into this program too. However, I applied to a couple out-of-state online programs (listed below) because I work full-time. I received acceptances from USF and UNCO, but I’m torn between UNTHSC and UF (which I haven’t heard from yet).

I’m a non-traditional pre-med and earned an engineering degree in 2014 and an MBA in 2018. TBH I really wanted to be accepted into UNTHSC’s online master’s program 😭 and I don’t want to spend another year working towards a second bachelor’s. Their BS curriculum is also not as appealing to me, as their master’s.

I’m located in the DFW area (about a 1.5 hrs. from Fort Worth). This is the only reason why I’m still considering their bridge program. I’d love to attend medical school in Texas and their program is highly regarded. The deadline to accept/reject is quickly coming up. I’m hoping to hear back from UF before I make a decision.

• University of South Florida (USF): Master of Science in Medical Sciences (Health Sciences)
• University of Northern Colorado (UNCO): Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences
• University of Florida (UF): Master of Science in Medical Sciences (Physiology & Pharmacology)

Hey! Thanks for chiming in! I barely got their follow up email today with all the additional details. I totally feel the not wanting to do an additional year just for the BS. I can see how someone in your shoes wouldn't benefit from the program given that you already have a masters. I feel that this program is only beneficial to a specific kind of applicant, namely, someone like me. I essentially had subpar undergrad performance so I was already planning on doing 30-40 postbacc credits anyways to make myself a more attractive applicant for next cycle when I planned on reapplying to UNTHSC and applying to other SMPs I didn't apply to. The bridge program essentially allows me to do the postbacc gpa repair while obtaining a second bachelors degree (which boosts my overall undergrad cgpa) and guaranteeing me an acceptance in to the med sci masters program. The tuition is also 12-13k for the bachelors portion so you'd be paying that when you might not even need to since the BS portion might not even serve you all that much.

 

[Kitty18]

Hey! Thanks for chiming in! I barely got their follow up email today with all the additional details. I totally feel the not wanting to do an additional year just for the BS. I can see how someone in your shoes wouldn't benefit from the program given that you already have a masters. I feel that this program is only beneficial to a specific kind of applicant, namely, someone like me. I essentially had subpar undergrad performance so I was already planning on doing 30-40 postbacc credits anyways to make myself a more attractive applicant for next cycle when I planned on reapplying to UNTHSC and applying to other SMPs I didn't apply to. The bridge program essentially allows me to do the postbacc gpa repair while obtaining a second bachelors degree (which boosts my overall undergrad cgpa) and guaranteeing me an acceptance in to the med sci masters program. The tuition is also 12-13k for the bachelors portion so you'd be paying that when you might not even need to since the BS portion might not even serve you all that much.

Happy Saturday! I just accepted the offer from UNTHSC 👀 I reached out to the all of the schools I was accepted to and requested the percentage of students who successfully complete their program and are granted an interview and/or acceptance to medical school. Here is the breakdown:

1. UNCO: 85% of interviewees, matriculate
2. USF: 22% for MD and 40% for DO
3. UF: not available
4. UNTHSC: 88% of applicants, matriculate

UNCO and UNTHSC rates seemed similar at first glance because I didn’t notice the “interviewees” vs. “applicants” part. Hence, I believe my chances are higher by completing UNT’s program 🤞🏻 alike you, my undergrad GPA is low (3.15) and while I earned As in all my post bacc courses, it wasn’t enough to offset my undergrad grades. I also met with the Director of Admissions at Texas Tech for a review of my (rejected) medical school application and he recommended UNT’s master’s program. If you’re still attending, I look forward to being your peer ☺️ thank you for your valuable input!

 

[cherriefizz90]

This sounds like a waste of money TBH.

 

[BlackWidow88X]

This sounds like a waste of money TBH.

I could see how for certain students it could definitely be a waste of money. I feel like it's only really worth it for individuals who might require a large amount of credit hours for gpa repair. The program essentially allows you to do 35 hours of gpa remediation through the BS portion with the added incentive of auto acceptance in to the med sci program which allows for further remediation. Success in the med sci program is just the cherry on top to mark a complete academic reinvention for aforementioned students with bumpy academic records. I feel like if you are not someone who needs such a large amount of credits hours for gpa repair it'd probably be best to just reapply to med sci the next year or apply to other SMP programs.

 

[BlackWidow88X]

Happy Saturday! I just accepted the offer from UNTHSC 👀 I reached out to the all of the schools I was accepted to and requested the percentage of students who successfully complete their program and are granted an interview and/or acceptance to medical school. Here is the breakdown:

1. UNCO: 85% of interviewees, matriculate
2. USF: 22% for MD and 40% for DO
3. UF: not available
4. UNTHSC: 88% of applicants, matriculate

UNCO and UNTHSC rates seemed similar at first glance because I didn’t notice the “interviewees” vs. “applicants” part. Hence, I believe my chances are higher by completing UNT’s program 🤞🏻 alike you, my undergrad GPA is low (3.15) and while I earned As in all my post bacc courses, it wasn’t enough to offset my undergrad grades. I also met with the Director of Admissions at Texas Tech for a review of my (rejected) medical school application and he recommended UNT’s master’s program. If you’re still attending, I look forward to being your peer ☺️ thank you for your valuable input!

I will be attending. Adding on to what you gathered, I reached out to all TX allopathic programs and a handful mentioned how they look favorably upon UNTHSC med sci applicants. I'm on the same boat, ~3.0 undergrad and I was barely starting to do some postbacc credits with UCLA Extension. I completed 12 credits this past quartermester and was prepared to do another 25 or so in the coming months but then I got the invitation to UNTHSC. I was only planning on doing UCLA Extenison solely to have a shot at reapplying to UNTHSC and applying to other SMPs next year. Now I can do the gpa repair with the BS portion and hopefully perform really well on the MS portion to maximize my chances of an acceptance.

 

[cherriefizz90]

If that's the SMP you want to attend I understand....but there are many SMPs...I would apply to more than one

 

[premed902]

I will be attending. Adding on to what you gathered, I reached out to all TX allopathic programs and a handful mentioned how they look favorably upon UNTHSC med sci applicants. I'm on the same boat, ~3.0 undergrad and I was barely starting to do some postbacc credits with UCLA Extension. I completed 12 credits this past quartermester and was prepared to do another 25 or so in the coming months but then I got the invitation to UNTHSC. I was only planning on doing UCLA Extenison solely to have a shot at reapplying to UNTHSC and applying to other SMPs. Now I can do the gpa repair with the BS portion and hopefully perform really well on the MS portion to maximize my chances of an acceptance.

Yes, I can’t emphasize enough that while med sci isn’t the most nationally known program, it is very highly regarded regionally. Also, yes while the BS is an additional expense, and there are other SMP’s, med sci is actually on the affordable side of most masters programs.

 

[premed902]

If that's the SMP you want to attend I understand....but there are many SMPs...I would apply to more than one

Most online SMP’s run $30-40k, (Baylor, VCOM), assuming they’re a TX IS, it will be less than $15k for med sci, and probably as much for the BS. So for online, I’d say they’re in a cost neutral situation.

 

[BlackWidow88X]

If that's the SMP you want to attend I understand....but there are many SMPs...I would apply to more than one

I'm a native Texan and I've only ever considered in-state, particularly, UNTHSC. I personally never had plans of applying out of state for SMPs. As @premed902 mentioned, the UNTHSC med sci program has great matriculation rates and is held in high regard. I would say that the only other programs that hold some weight in Texas would be Baylor and Texas Tech, the former, having the price tag of a private institution, and the latter, being extremely competitive with a class size of less than 20. UNTHSC is the best bang for the buck given that its under 15k and is only 12 months long. I would greatly benefit from the 35 hours from the BS portion and seeing as to how I was technically already not a great applicant academically for the med sci program (hence my rejection) or other SMPs for that matter, the possibility of me not being accepted again next year if I reapply is still a possibility, even with the 36 credit hours I planned on doing with UCLA Extension. The auto acceptance from the bridge alone is worth it all for me. As I said before, I feel like for someone in my situation it's perfect but for others its definitely not in their best interest to do this bridge program if they can just reapply the next year.

 

[Lau98]

I am currently waiting for enrollment to open for me but so far things to note:
1. Financial aid office at UNTHSC said there's no reason that my FAFSA shouldn't cover my enrollment.
2. At the end of the bridge program you can matriculate into the Master's of Medical Science cohort without applying (if you get more than the 3.25) OR you can apply to the health professional school of choice.
3. The semesters are broken up into halves/terms so you'll take a Fall I set of courses and a Fall II set of courses per the sample degree plan I was sent so the classes are accelerated.
4. I haven't read any information explicitly describing the modality of this program but the Bachelor's program it is adapted from is completely online and you're supposed to be taking the same courses so my understanding is that it is also completely online. Will update after enrollment about if its synchronous or not.

 

[BlackWidow88X]

I am currently waiting for enrollment to open for me but so far things to note:
1. Financial aid office at UNTHSC said there's no reason that my FAFSA shouldn't cover my enrollment.
2. At the end of the bridge program you can matriculate into the Master's of Medical Science cohort without applying (if you get more than the 3.25) OR you can apply to the health professional school of choice.
3. The semesters are broken up into halves/terms so you'll take a Fall I set of courses and a Fall II set of courses per the sample degree plan I was sent so the classes are accelerated.
4. I haven't read any information explicitly describing the modality of this program but the Bachelor's program it is adapted from is completely online and you're supposed to be taking the same courses so my understanding is that it is also completely online. Will update after enrollment about if its synchronous or not.

I emailed the advisor regarding the modality of the program and she said that the entire program, including the MS, is entirely asynchronous. The BS portion is a modified version of the existing 42 hour online BS in BMS. The only I difference I saw in the curriculum is that in the 42 hour BS you take 3 electives and in the modified bridge BS you only take 1. This accounts for the hour difference. Other than that, the curriculum is exactly the same. On the webpage for the 42 hour BS the amount of electives is large with ~25 classes to choose from. However, in the information sheet I was sent that shows the bridge program curriculum there are only 4 classes to choose from. Genetics, applied anatomy and physiology, epidemiology, and biomedical entrepreneurship.

 

[BlackWidow88X]

I got a reply back from the advisors and they said that the matriculation statistics for the online med sci is between 75-90%.

 

[mj2579]

I recently got accepted into the UNTHSC-BS-MS Online Program and I wanted to know if anyone who did the program could talk about the difficulty of the courses in the program?