One of the things I love most about being a professor in the Biomedicine program is teaching students about research and the important role it plays in medicine and health.  

Discovering something truly new is one of life’s greatest privileges!  

I love that our students get to participate in original research projects as a part of their program – we have always prioritized research because it helps our students to develop those invaluable important to their future healthcare goals¹.   For me, teaching the research class gives me the chance to live a little bit vicariously through our students.  I still clearly remember the first time (wow, 20 years ago?) that I was able to pour over all the data I gathered in my first major project in graduate school.  The was to understand how the brains of kids in southeast Africa (Malawi) were impacted by the malaria parasite.  We catalogued forms of brain and retinal damage in those kids that no one in history had observed previously².  The malaria parasite has been around for millions of years, and the opportunity to add to the human story in a small way was an important personal victory. 

It’s fun to watch my MS Biomedicine students pursue their own paths and gain confidence in their ability to do novel research!  Students are both nervous and excited about taking on their thesis projects. Everything worthwhile is that way.  Some comments from early student reflections sum it up nicely:

“I’m more nervous about this course than any of my other classes.  I’ve never taken a project from start to finish on my own!”

“I have so many interests, I don’t know where to start.”

“I’m excited to do something clinical!”

We are halfway into the class now and we are gaining momentum – we’ve picked our projects and we’re thinking about all the variables and sampling methods and controls we need to keep track of.  The statistics can be a bit of a bear, but we know that we are developing a sound selection of tools we can use to get the job done.  Students are thinking about the advisors they might choose. Faculty from across the university, in math, biology, chemistry, nursing, psychology and more, have partnered with students in the past.  Our students will work on these questions this summer and next fall.  While they are developing their questions independently, having the support they need is essential to finishing strong!   I’ve been so impressed with our students and how they’ve moved from nervous excitement towards realistic plans to develop new knowledge.  We are not there yet, but we are certainly well on our way!  

Here is a short list of just a few of the project we are planning:

• Examining land surface temperature (LST) and urban-heat-islands on incidences of COVID-19.
• Patient satisfaction among African Americans visiting the emergency room: A comparison of two sites.
• Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism to study the impact of autism-spectrum-disorder (ASD) homologous genes in innate immunity.
• Using graphic novels and visual narratives in public health education.

Wish us luck! Kris

¹“The Core Competencies of Entering Medical Students” (AAMC).  https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/core-competencies/

²Dorovini-Zis K, Schmidt K, Huynh H, Fu W, Whitten RO, Milner D, Kamiza S, Molyneux M, Taylor TE. The neuropathology of fatal cerebral malaria in malawian children. Am J Pathol. 2011 May;178(5):2146-58. doi: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2011.01.016. PMID: 21514429; PMCID: PMC3081150.

While this is not the typical route that students will take to enter a healthcare field, there are those who eventually find their way into the field of Nursing. Hannah shares more about choosing this pathway, how the pandemic has impacted her schooling, and highlights from both programs.  An accelerated second degree in Nursing is 15-16 months and is very fast-paced.

What changed? What’s drawing you to Nursing now? 

Getting into medical school is a long process, and Hannah devoted a lot of effort into this pathway. She loves biology but hadn’t truly considered nursing until recently. Hannah has a passion for healthcare. After graduation with a MA in Biomedicine in 2016, Hannah prepared for the MCAT and applied to a number of medical schools- such as West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, Liberty University, and St. George’s. After an interview and acceptance at St. George’s, Hannah reconsidered her career plans.

 “there’s a lot of factors. But ultimately, it came down to… I have two children now. I felt how much I love my kids and wanted to spend time with them.” The other considerations for Hannah were relocation to Grenada, the financial burden of medical school tuition, and the concerns about practicing medicine in areas others than pediatrics or family practice, the specialties of St. George’s, upon return to the United States.

What do you enjoy about the accelerated nursing curriculum?

“I am very excited to be in clinics, interacting with patients, talking to them, giving them patient education, administering medications, and learning more about the nursing diagnosis[1].It’s great that I’m finally implementing things that I’ve wanted to do for a long time.”

Hannah went on to describe the challenge of learning nursing diagnosis and the support of her

advisor, Dr. Laura Yoder and professor, Dr Audrey Myers.

What do you continue to use from the biomedicine curriculum?

Self-efficacy: Hannah is clear that one of the things she learned in the biomedicine program is self-awareness and her own capabilities. The curriculum includes scaffolded reflective activities that help students know who they are, how to use metacognition, to know their strengths and how to improve on areas of weaknesses. “Nursing school is hard. But I can do this.”

Human Physiology Content : Hannah spoke of highlights from the biomedicine curriculum that help her now. The cadaver based human anatomy class is a highlight for many students and affirmed Hannah’s desire to continue with healthcare. But the class she refers back to the most “was like a pathophysiology course- the renal system, Dr. Roman Miller, emeritus, taught that section-I use that a lot.” The foundational nature of that course (co taught by Dr. Julia Halterman) continues to inform Hannah’s work in clinical and course settings. She also praised the writing assignments in Dr. Jeff Copeland’s courses (he teaches immunology and medical microbiology).

What have been some challenges related to COVID in your nursing education?

“It was hard. Oh, my goodness. The summer was tough.”

The nursing program kept their high standards, but the online zoom format required adjustments on the part of everyone. There was stress related to the unknowns. However, by the fall, things seem to be falling into place.  Hannah expressed her gratitude to the faculty. “To be a professor, kudos to you for doing all the hard work. The faculty understand that it was hard; they are very understanding.”

Do you have any advice for others?

“Find your ultimate goal, and then be practical with it”

Hannah acknowledges that her family has also helped focus the way she approaches school work. “When I have that one hour or two hours to get work done, I get work done. You go to bed. I have a routine. I wake up early in the morning, and I know that they’re sleeping. The house is quiet. I can have my hot coffee. I can crank out this work. Yeah, it actually pushes me. I think it’s been helping my grades in an odd way.”

What’s next?

I’m looking towards acute care in a hospital setting.  I am going to continue my education. Either through certifications or going back to school to become a CRNA or NP. This mindset started with the biomedicine program at EMU. The CRNA (certified nurse anesthetist) requires at least a year of ICU experience.

[1] is a clinical judgment about individual, family, or community responses to actual or potential health problems/life processes. Nursing diagnosis provides the basis for selection of nursing interventions to achieve outcomes for which the nurse is accountable.”

My first “official” service trip took place the summer before I turned 16 in Mexico. When I heard we were going to be working with children I was immediately on board. In preparation for the trip we were told that we would be helping run a yearly vacation Bible school  for children ranging from 4-15 who came from various backgrounds where many of them had experienced abuse, neglect and even abandonment. In my mind, I was going to help them. I was going to show them love and was eager to teach each one of them, not thinking I would gain anything beside the experience itself. Little did I know the significance of that summer. 

My most vivid memory is of a young homeless child who had experienced domestic violence and was being housed at the church with his mother and 4 siblings. He was tall, skinny and always wore the same pair of worn-down jean shorts. We quickly made a connection and on our second day there, he turned eight. With limited funds, the director took him to the plaza to pick out a gift. He was so excited and invited me to go with them so I tagged along. He picked a box of caramel gummies with 11 individual pieces. He was beaming and offered me a piece as soon as we left the store. I declined, thanked him and thought he was just being polite in offering me some. 

But the first thing he did when we arrived was offer his family a piece of candy. Then, with 5 pieces left, he offered each teacher a piece. He continued until he had asked everyone present if they wanted a piece of his birthday caramel after which he finally ate a piece with only 3 pieces to spare. 

I was speechless. I had never experienced something so self-less. Here was this child, who was so young, had so little and yet was willing to give everything he had to others. I reflected on this and my other experiences with the children on the plane ride back. Upon my arrival to the states, I felt…different. In those 7 days I learned. I grew. I matured. I felt such gratitude for all that I had. As a young female of color, I had never felt privileged or at least acknowledged my privilege but that trip changed everything. It put my life and my purpose into perspective. I wanted to have a heart for others like that young child. I wanted to reach that level of love and service and was eager to be involved in service again. 

I quickly started teaching Sunday school, volunteering at my high school and making care packages for children. Initially I thought I wouldn’t have the same profound experiences here, like what I had felt that week in Mexico but realized that there were many opportunities for service around me. With each “act of service” I learned something. My heart, my perspective on life and my mindset changed. My love for people grew. I saw that I didn’t need to travel 2,000 or even 20 miles to find those types of experiences. Service became a part of me, it became my lifestyle.

In undergrad I continued to do service, started mentoring and organized community service events for my fellow centennial scholar dukes. Currently, I direct the high school youth group at my church, Manantial de Vida, volunteer at the free clinic and pick up any other service opportunity I can get my hands on when not in class or at work.  

Service is now my lifestyle. I actively try to reflect it in my interactions at work as a Spanish medical interpreter, with my family as the oldest daughter and sibling, and with my friends by simply being someone they can count on to be present and offer my support in whatever way that is to them.  

Ultimately I’ve learned that service is: continuous, has to be willingly given and cannot be produced from an empty well. It is more than a one-time event. It cannot be forced and must come from a willing heart. 

Once you practice and adopt a mindset of service, you begin to realize that service opportunities are all around us. It could be asking a classmate or co-worker to lunch who you’ve noticed has been acting differently. It could be stopping to talk to the homeless individual. Service is so much more than physical resources or “big picture” events. True service to me, goes unacknowledged by others. It is not seeking recognition for your action but rather an engrained practice that actively pauses the focus on oneself to check on others. There is a joy and fulfillment in helping or giving to others that I haven’t experienced anywhere else.  But we cannot give what we do not have and therefore we must practice self-care in every aspect. This is different for each person but can be spiritual, emotional, physical or mental self-care.  We have to be aware of ourselves and continuously self-evaluate our intentions and our heart. 

To this day, 8 years later, I reflect on that experience of that summer and ask myself if I’m on that child’s level of love and service to others. 

Biomedicine graduate programs tend to cater to two main audiences: the seasoned pre-med students and the career changers. When I was researching programs that could meet my specific pre-professional health career goals, I found that I didn’t neatly fit into either category.  In some programs, I would need to complete several years’ worth of additional courses for a post-baccalaureate certificate, let alone a Master’s degree. I searched far and wide for a pre-medicine program that accepted my undergraduate work and wouldn’t make me feel as if I was completely starting over. At the same time, I hoped to earn a Master’s degree from somewhere that took into consideration that I had never been on a pre-med track before. As the first candidate for ��ݮ����’s Premedicine Master of Science, I can tell you that this is where EMU stands out from the rest!

The Premedicine curriculum recognizes where you are, is flexible enough to fit your needs, and allows you to graduate with a Master’s degree in only two years. To top it off, EMU has articulation agreements with numerous professional health schools that MS in Premedicine students can qualify for. You are still very much a part of a larger Biomedicine program, and you’ll often take classes (and socialize) with the MS in Biomedicine students. One of the great benefits of this is that you can learn from your peers who have already gone through some of the course work you are being introduced to. Likewise, you have the opportunity to provide insight on subjects that you are well-versed in, but may be less familiar concepts to them.

 In addition to sharing classes with other Biomed students, you will be spending time with undergraduates. I have found that many of them are also pre-professional health students who are highly motivated and welcoming of the diversity our programs bring. There are students of a variety of backgrounds at EMU who contribute to a rich academic experience that is inclusive of our individual and cultural differences. The EMU students (both undergraduate and graduate) I have personally encountered are often driven, yet have a tendency to lean towards support and encouragement in contrast to the unhealthy level of competition that can too frequently be seen in our discipline.

Core classes you share with Biomed students include Interdisciplinary Seminar I and II, Practicum, and Cross Cultural Health Care. Depending on your interests, you may also share classes such as Anatomy and Physiology, Organic Chemistry I and II, Infectious Disease, and more. The plan of study on our MS in Premedicine page provides a helpful outline of which courses you’ll take and when, but if what you’re seeing doesn’t address the prerequisites you’re looking for, no worries! I entered fresh out of undergrad with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Philosophy, and I’m on the pre-physician assistant track. We were able to make adjustments accordingly. In case you’d like a preview of another kind of route you could take, here’s how my schedule was initially laid out (some adjustments were made due to COVID-19):

First semester 

• Animal Form and Function
• General Chemistry I
• Interdisciplinary Seminar I

Second Semester 

• Molecules, Genes, and Cells
• General Chemistry II
• The Healthcare Delivery System

Summer

• Practicum
• Cross Cultural Health Care
• Infectious Disease

Third Semester

• Organic Chemistry I
• Cell Biology
• Human Gross and Microscopic Anatomy
• Interdisciplinary Seminar II

Fourth Semester

• Molecular Genetics
• Medical Microbiology
• Human Physiology

It’s certainly an individual process to decide whether the MS in Premedicine at EMU is the right fit for you, but what I will say is that this program is formatted with you in mind. We value holistic approaches to health care, which lends itself to valuing perspectives from other areas of study. There is a place for you here regardless of what your undergraduate major was or at what stage of education you became interested in the medical profession. This is a program where you can transition into the healthcare field on a schedule that is tailored to your needs, alongside people who appreciate your unique strengths.

Over the summer, EMU faculty prepared to teach both in-person with social distancing protocols and online, in order to allow for the greatest flexibility in delivery and continuity of teaching. We planned to be responsive to changing health needs of faculty, staff, and students and changing public health requirements. While a number of our lab courses require students to be residential, it is possible to limit the number of days on campus.  Classes began online and are gradually transitioning to on-campus. Second year students continue to work on their research projects. One student is gaining practical experience by working with our campus COVID tracer. 

Typically orientation is the afternoon before classes commence, and it ends with an evening meal for all of our students and some faculty. This year we started our orientation session online the week before classes started. The first meeting served to make connections for our incoming students. We held several shorter orientation events for students to learn more about policies, resources on campus (writing tutor, career services, library services, and telehealth counseling), and new practices related to COVID. Our social was a distanced, outdoor  ice cream event.  

First year students meet with their academic advisor more than once during the first semester. In the entrance advising appointments, students already express appreciation that faculty are accessible and eager to contribute to their success. 

Creating New Study Habits

During one orientation session, students reflected on their current study techniques and were encouraged to commit to trying one new approach.  Students took a quiz to see if they operated from more of a fixed or a growth mindset.  Being aware of your patterns and creating a plan to address challenges is the first step in a successful graduate school journey.  We encourage students to prioritize a balanced life by making sure they get enough rest, exercise, and eat healthily. The study skill of srequires strong time management skills and encourages you to take an active approach to studying. It works by encouraging repetition, recognizing attention spans, and is the opposite of a single, intense session. It’s more like HIIT – high intensity, interval training.  Learning involves creating a lasting foundation of knowledge that can be built upon to ensure subsequent course work will be absorbed easily. Students were encouraged to explore multiple modalities for studying: flash cards, summarizing reading, concept mapping notes or reading, teach to learn, etc.   A review of Bloom’s taxonomy helped to distinguish between memorization tasks (remember or understand) and those that are more complex (such as apply, analyze, evaluate).  

Making Connections on and off campus 

Networking is a key skill that is never too early to start practicing. We encourage you to start with your fellow EMU colleagues and faculty.  New students can look to returning students for advice on study tips and how to navigate the EMU culture.  All students should take advantage of faculty office hours, even if those that occur through Zoom. 

This fall, we are inviting professional health programs to hold online (zoom mediated) sessions.  These are exceptional opportunities to hear presentations, to ask questions, and to meet school representatives in a more intimate setting.  

Online is different, so how do I make the best of this? 

• You should attend “zoom” sessions from a location with a strong wi-fi signal and some level privacy.
• While smaller groups of students (8-10) can join the meeting from the Rutt Classroom and use the owl technology, you’ll need to be masked.  Know that it will be more difficult to be heard. 
• You should plan to leave your camera on the whole time. 
• Do your homework: look up the program and come with at least one specific question for the representative.  This question is something that should not be easily answered by looking at the website.   Professional health programs look favorably on applicants who have taken the time to know what they offer. 
• Plan to be interactive & engaged. Close other tabs, use just one screen, avoid multitasking. 

Developing a plan to submit your application when the application cycle opens will relieve some of the stress. We recommend our students begin the process approximately six months before the cycle begins. Below are some tips for a smoother application experience.

1. Schedule and prepare for the MCAT or other admissions tests – Research and select a test date that works for your schedule. Allow six to eight months to prepare. For those taking the MCAT, investing in an MCAT course will help refresh concepts and develop test-taking strategies, but will also offer scheduling and discipline to keep you on task. Take the test when you are ready, but the sooner, the better. You will want to know your test score before you hit the submit button on your application. If your test score is not competitive, you may want to consider delaying your application to the next cycle.

• Strong personal statement – Your academic performance and readiness will speak for itself in your transcripts, test scores and in the recommendation letters. Use the personal statement to address your reasons for pursuing a career as a healthcare practitioner. Expand beyond the “I want to help people” statement. Consider including the defining moment when you were called to this career. Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses; how have you grown and developed in areas that needed improvement, and how can you continue to grow.

• Secure recommendation letters – You will want to select your references carefully. Natural science professors are a must, as well as a practitioner you have spent time with shadowing/observing. It goes without saying, you should be confident they will provide an honest but positive recommendation. Give them ample time to prepare and send the letter. Remember that they are busy professionals and should not be expected to provide a letter on short notice.

• Begin the application – Don’t wait until you have all of your documents ready before beginning the online application. The application is a work in progress, and it is set up to allow you to update with additional information. You will want your part of the application to be finished when recommendation letters, transcripts, and test scores are uploaded.

• Advocate for yourself – Monitor your application and supporting documents carefully. If there is a delay in the uploading of some documents, it is fine to inquire why and when they may be ready. Just be sure to be respectful when following up, but remember – you are responsible for your future and assuring everything is in place for review.

• Prepare for the interview – It is imperative to carefully review your application and personal statement before the interview. Schedule a practice interview with Careers Service or a friend. Get plenty of rest the night before. Dress professionally and be yourself. Be prepared to ask questions; you are interviewing the school as much as they are interviewing you. You’ve come this far, and the interview is to determine if you and the school are a good fit.

• Stay in touch – When you’ve been accepted, share the good news with your professors and others who have supported you during the process. They want to share your excitement and joy.

Be intentional in preparing your application to professional health school by scheduling self-imposed due dates for certain tasks as you move through the process. Having a plan is a great way to combat being overwhelmed and stressed, which allows you to give proper attention to continued academic studies or work. The professional school application process is a marathon, not a sprint; a stronger beginning will translate into a stronger finish.

The United States health care system is permeated with racial disparities and biases. As physicians, we are inclined to perform several tests to confirm a full diagnosis; however, during this process, racial bias is fairly common. Today, African Americans are less likely to receive necessary examinations than White Americans with similar health issues. Therefore, I ask, what if the health care system developed their own artificial intelligence to help minority groups and reduce racial bias? In my opinion, artificial intelligence (AI) can offer the potential to provide personalized care to all by taking into account the glandular patient differences. With AI, bias can be encoded by modeling choices or within the data itself. This can be used to allow quick access to databases such as Electronic Health Record (EHR) in order to create representative models for diagnosing diseases, predicting adverse effects, and recommending ongoing treatments. AI will serve as a neutral party within the health care system, as opposed to a possible health care provider that portrays racial biases. This will provide an advancement within the system, and likely lead to equal treatment for all populations. Minorities are less likely to possess sufficient health insurance in comparison to the white population. Thus, providing sufficient and necessary examinations without monetary issues such as increasing medical bills is essential. In my mind, the future will consist of multiple AI systems in order to make an optimal impact for all populations. I sincerely hope that AI will be able to aid with solutions and assistance for things such as, administration of birth control at a low cost for all, vaccinations to low-income families, and/or translation services for non-native speakers. If artificial intelligence works as I imagine it, it would democratize health care by boosting access for under-served communities, lowering all costs, and assist with an abundance of other services.

When I ask other students why they became interested in the medical field, the most common sentiment I hear is, “I want to help people.” When I dig deeper into their histories, I often hear stories of a grandfather with cancer, a mother who was a nurse, or a little sibling with diabetes. It’s true that watching someone you love experience the ins and outs of the healthcare system firsthand can be deeply moving. Something within us says, “I see you, I hear you, and I want to help you too.” But does this still resonate when the patient is you?

When it comes to healthcare, I was always the patient first. I was the one being diagnosed, treated, and accommodated for. When you’re chronically ill, it is understood that some days you will experience pain, fatigue, and setbacks. Unlike a mild sprain or catching a cold, what we live with is not going to be a temporary thing. With that understanding, I didn’t believe being a healthcare provider was achievable for me. I felt weighed down by stigma that many of us living with chronic illnesses face, and we question what is realistically within our reach. In hindsight, I think this was partially because I didn’t see people like me on the other side of this equation (at least not that I was aware of).

Truth be told, we want to help people too. We want to help people because we thoroughly understand what it’s like to be a patient. We want patients to know that they can still live happily and productively, however that may manifest in their lives. We know that the diagnosis of a chronic illness is not the end, but a map to help navigate us on our respective journeys. We know we need representation, including in the medical field, where it can feel like our roles have already been laid out for us. Deciding to pursue medicine was, by no means, me chasing after a lifelong dream. In every way, it was a lifelong dream chasing after me.

 I’m not going to sugarcoat this though, I was running from it for a reason. It is challenging to go through professional health programs, and it is uniquely challenging to be chronically ill while doing so. If you’re like me, I invite you to remember just a few things when considering this program and a career in healthcare:

1. Know your rights! Being a student and being someone with a chronic illness are not mutually exclusive. You are entitled to reasonable accommodations, and the Office of Academic Access at EMU is such a helpful resource for you to be able to achieve your academic goals while caring for your health and wellbeing.
2. Chronic illnesses can feel like our baggage. It’s the thing dragging us down, making things heavy, wearing us out. It’s time to unpack that here. This is the place where you hold the key to some valuable insight. You have an important voice.
3. You are inevitably going to be surrounded by people who care. We all want to help people, remember?

Financial responsibility isn’t a subject that’s commonly discussed with or amongst students, and many students feel they haven’t been given the proper tools or advice to save and spend their money wisely. The cost of an undergraduate or graduate degree is a significant financial investment, and it can be a very wise investment if that degree will launch you to your desired career and dream job.

The Master’s in Biomedicine and Health Care Management programs at EMU decided to start the dialogue on this important conversation. We invited a local financial planner to speak with our students about financial responsibility.

Here are some of the highlights he shared with our students:

• Our views about finances are strongly rooted in the experiences we’ve had in our families growing up.
• It’s smart to start thinking about money now and to make a plan.
• The reality is that not many students know how to budget or currently live on a budget.
• Work to set up a budget – there are online tools like that can help you do just that.
• Try using an “envelope system” containing cash (especially if you’re an impulsive spender) to spend on eating out and other fun expenses each month. Once that cash is gone for the month, it’s gone.
• Practice being different from others when it comes to spending your money – if others are spending too much, it’s ok for you to not be spending as much as them!
• People’s financial habits don’t change for the better because they get older or make more money. You have to choose to change your financial habits now. Don’t bank on the fact that you will simply make more money one day.
• What are your expectations for your time and your life when you become a doctor, dentist, physician assistant, etc.? Should you automatically get a nice car like the other people you work with? Should you buy that expensive home before you’re financially ready because others have expensive homes? Think about these things now, and when you’re done with your medical training, focus on prioritizing paying back your loans first before you adopt a lifestyle you’re bank account isn’t ready for.

He left our students with the final take-home message:

You can be building healthy financial habits now that can have a significant impact on your future financial security.

Aspiring pre-health students who have an interest in oral healthcare and preventing oral pathologies often hope to become dentists one day. However, getting into dental school is not as easy as it seems. There is a very rigorous one-year application process that consists of writing and submitting a primary application, supplemental essays and interviewing. According to the admissions statistics from the American Dental Association (ADA) for the year of 2018-2019, only 55.3% of dental school applicants were admitted into the 66 accredited dental schools in the US. With each dental school having its own set of requirements and admissions criteria for acceptance, obtaining a MS in Biomedicine at ��ݮ���� will give applicants a competitive edge.

Hands-on experience with cadavers

It is rare for a pre-health student to have experienced cadavers in their collegiate education. The Anatomy & Physiology cadaver lab helps many students not only get comfortable with dissecting but also helps build manual dexterity, which is required from pre-dental students. Manual dexterity is the ability to use your hands in a skillful, coordinated way to grasp and manipulate objects and demonstrate small, precise movement. Past pre-medical and pre-dental alumni have expressed gratitude towards being able to improve upon their hand-eye coordination and ambidexterity through the hands on experience that cadavers offered. 

Networking with alumni who are current dental students

Students in the program can contact past alumni to ask any questions about the application process as well as dental school. Being in a close-knit community of students, many of the past alumni are eager to help as much as possible which makes it extremely beneficial for the current students. Previous MS in Biomedicine graduates have gone on to attend VCU School of Dentistry and Howard School of Dentistry. 

Shadowing local dentist

EMU is located in heart of the Shenandoah Valley in Harrisonburg with plenty of dentists in the area to shadow. Many of the dentists are also affiliated with EMU, giving the MS in Biomedicine student an advantage when completing shadowing hour requirements. The program also has a practicum component added in the program, where a student is required to shadow a doctor, dentist, PA, etc. for 40 hours over the summer.

Biomedical research

Although not always a requirement, having research experience may be advantageous in creating a competitive dental application. When many students think of research, they automatically think of laboratory-based bench research. However, students of the MS in Biomedicine program are able to be involved in a plethora of other research experiences some of which include: clinical, social science, and epidemiological. Pre-dental track students in the past have done lab research on topics such as “the effect of kombucha on a cow tooth” as well as social research on topics like “determining the link between smile symmetry and character perception at ��ݮ����.” 

Challenging courses that prepare you for dental school

Courses a student takes in the program are a great introduction of courses in dental school. The program requires you to work hard with challenging assignments, exams, and presentations. It is through the rigors of the program that a student can build a good work ethic. Although the classes are challenging, EMU also has a 12:1 student to facility ratio which makes the professor readily accessible to students.

DAT prep courses

The DAT can a big hurdle for a pre-dental students. It is seen as a monster of exams and requires 2-4 months of preparation on average. When taking challenging classes, it can be hard to start studying for the DAT.  The MS in Biomedicine program has a DAT prep course added as a part of the curriculum. This allows students to take a lighter course load that semester to study for the DAT. With the program advisor doing regular check-ins, you are required to keep on top of your studying for the DAT.

Cross-cultural experience

As a dentist, you’re bound to have patients from all different walks of life. As a MS in Biomedicine student, after your second semester, you spend 3 weeks in a different country learning about their healthcare system as well as delving deep into the culture of the country. This past summer, 2^nd year MS in biomedicine student went to Peru, where the pre-dental students were able to shadow and work with the local dentists as well as visit, tour and learn about a dental school in Lima, Peru.

Peer support of your peer

One of the main aspects that separates this program from many others is the camaraderie among the students. Students often collaborate on assignments, projects, and study for exams with each other. Not only does this help students form a long-standing relationship with each other, but it also helps hold each other accountable to get the work done.

Committee Letter Recommendation

If you’ve successfully completed one or two years of the program, the pre-health advising committee at the school will send a committee letter/packet for your application. This can be a huge advantage as you wouldn’t have to wait on individual letters from professors.

Overall, EMU’s MS in Biomedicine not only prepares a pre-dental student for the rigors of dental school but also provides various resources so they can stand out during the application process. Each student is given individualized attention so they can put their best foot forward. That being said, the program is CHALLENGING and will require you to give your greatest effort. If you know dentistry is the path you wish to pursue and you’re ready to give your 110%  then EMU’s MS in Biomedicine will make sure you get to your goals.

Resources

• The Importance of Manual Dexterity, .
• “How to Get Into Dental School and Become a Dentist.” U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News & World Report, .
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