MS in Medical Sciences

Next Program Starts May 27, 2025. Application is open until April 15th.

• 1 year pre-professional master's program for aspiring medical and dental students
• MCAT/DAT scores are optional
• Streamlined application process with an AMCAS or AADSAS.
• Tuition and fees

The Master of Science in Medical Sciences is specifically designed to provide students with a structured opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills that will prepare them for the challenges of applying to and succeeding in medical or dental schools. The program contains didactic coursework at the graduate professional level, professional development sessions, clinical research training, and clinical exposures to form a complementary skill set to those that have been acquired at the undergraduate level. Graduates of this program will also be academically prepared to enter support positions related to clinical and translational research.

The Master of Science in Medical Sciences has a lock-step curriculum of 30 required credit hours over three consecutive semesters. It does not require a thesis. The coursework schedule for the program is laid out below. Optional research credits may be earned in Fall and Spring under the course number BSC-970.  

Year Semester Course Credit Hours

1 Summer BSC-720 Biochemistry 4
BSC-700 Histology 4
BSC-706 Professional Development 1
BSC-710 Clinical Exposures 1
Total Semester Hours 10

1 Fall BSC-702 Anatomy 4
CGS-700 Biostatistics 3
BSC-708 Grand Rounds 1
IP Elective Interprofessional Course Elective 1
Total Semester Hours 9

1 Spring BSC-714 Immunobiology 4
BSC-716 Medical Microbiology 4
MCR-736 Clinical Epidemiology 3
Total Semester Hours 11

Total Credit Hours 30

(Optional Core Clinical Research Training Digital Badge and/or Science Communication Digital Badge at no additional cost while enrolled at MUSC)

Please note that successful completion of this program is not a guarantee of an interview or acceptance into a professional school at MUSC or any other institution, however to date, 84% of our graduates who applied to professional school were accepted within one year. 

Description

The Master of Science in Medical Sciences is a one-year program specifically designed to provide students with a structured opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills that will prepare them for the challenges of applying to and succeeding in medical and other professional schools. Graduates of this program will also be academically prepared for employment as a Clinical Trial Coordinator. The program contains didactic coursework at the graduate professional level, professional skills development sessions, clinical research ethics training, and clinical exposures to form a complementary skill set to those that have been acquired at the undergraduate level.

Requirements

Prerequisites for the program include obtaining at least a baccalaureate degree with coursework appropriate for admission to medical and other professional schools. There are no specific prerequisites, but suggestions for coursework to take to apply to the College of Medicine at MUSC, can be found on the College of Medicine website.

For suggestions for coursework to apply to the College of Dental Medicine at MUSC, please see the College of Dental Medicine website.

Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) or Dental Admissions Test (DAT) scores are optional.

Application Process

Applications may be submitted at any time within the dates specified below. Offers are made on a rolling basis. If you have not applied to medical school or dental school in the past year, you need to fill in the application completely and arrange to have two letters of reference sent to the Office of Enrollment Management. All applications to the College of Graduate Studies must be submitted online. Students interested in medical or dental schools are encouraged to apply. Students interested in medical or dental schools are encouraged to apply. Students interested in other professions should inquire before applying.

Previous MUSC College of Medicine or College of Dental Medicine Applicants

If you have previously applied to the medical or dental schools at MUSC within the past year, your previous AMCAS or AADSAS application will be accepted in place of your resume, undergraduate grades, test scores and letters for the MS program application. You will, however, need to submit the electronic application form and send in official transcripts for any coursework completed since submitting the AMCAS or AADSAS. We would also appreciate you providing a short personal statement about why you are applying to this master’s program. You may use the same CollegeNet ID and password to apply for the master’s program as you used previously to apply to an MUSC professional school. Much of your information should pre-populate from your previous application. Make sure to update your contact information if it has been changed since you previously applied. If you have not previously applied to MUSC or it has been longer than one year since you applied, you must fill out all the information as described above in the Application Process section.

International Applicants

We regret that current regulations prevent us from offering this program to international applicants without a permanent resident visa due to its online component.

Links to more information

See suggestions for course work to take to apply to the College of Medicine at MUSC.

See suggestions for coursework to take to apply to the College of Dental Medicine at MUSC. (PDF)

More information for students interested in applying to Medical Schools.

More information for students interested in applying to Dental Schools.

Is a Post-Bacc Program Right for me?

Maritza Dawkins-Holnes
Program Coordinator
College of Graduate Studies
843-876-2216

Laura Kasman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Director, Master of Science in Medical Sciences
843-876-2404

Use of Marijuana and/or CBD Products

Marijuana is a Schedule 1 drug and is illegal to purchase in South Carolina. Apart from a narrow and limited scope of codified/documented medical exceptions, it is illegal for individuals to use marijuana/tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in South Carolina. Although cannabidiol (CBD) products may be purchased and used in South Carolina, please be aware that CBD products may contain higher levels of THC than represented on packaging and use of CBD products can result in a positive drug screen for THC/marijuana. Be aware that current drug testing methods cannot accurately ascertain the origins of THC metabolites (i.e., whether from marijuana or CBD products). Your academic program has the authority to conduct random and/or scheduled drug testing; if your test result is reported as positive for THC metabolites (even if you only used a CBD product), your ability to be accepted into the program, progress in the program, and/or successfully complete the program may be negatively impacted.

Scholarship Eligibility

MUSC offers scholarships for which you may be eligible. Some are awarded based on academic achievement; others are awarded based on community service, for example. However, the majority of scholarships awarded at MUSC are based on financial need. This means those scholarships are only awarded to students who need some financial assistance to cover the cost of tuition and fees. If you would like to be considered for a financial need-based scholarship, you must have an up-to-date Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file. Make sure you list Medical University of South Carolina on your FAFSA form, along with MUSC’s code: 003438. We encourage you to submit the FAFSA as early as possible. It is recommended to submit the FAFSA in January if you plan to enroll in the Fall.

Application Deadlines