New M.S. prepares students for health care studies

A new track in the master’s program offered through the UNMC Department of Genetics, Cell Biology & Anatomy will prepare students for health science careers with an intensive focus on medical anatomy, an area that often provides the toughest challenge for first-year health care students.

This new master of science degree program is designed for individuals aspiring to health science careers and will enable them to better prepare themselves for professional and graduate studies in medicine, physical therapy, education or research.

The one-year, 24-credit program includes courses in whole body anatomical dissection, system-based histology and neuroanatomy. Students also will have the opportunity to shadow clinicians and researchers, as well as interact with health professionals through a weekly seminar series.

Creating the program Department Chair Vimla Band, Ph.D., developed the idea for a new intensive M.S. program in anatomical sciences during her fellowship in the “Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine” certification program, which she will complete in April. Vimla Band, Ph.D. “Translating this idea into reality could not have been possible without the exemplary team of anatomy teachers in GCBA working together,” Dr. Band said. “A team of talented anatomy teachers consisting of Graduate Program Director Karen Gould, Ph.D., along with Carrie Elzie, Ph.D., Shantaram Joshi, Ph.D. and Ryan Splittgerber, Ph.D., developed the curriculum to implement the new M.S. program.” “Since our department is central to teaching the anatomical sciences to the medical, PA and PT students at UNMC, we are in the ideal position to meet this need,” Dr. Band said. “As a result, we developed the new M.S. in medical anatomy program.” For more information about the program, including application information, click here.

The newly approved program will be admitting students for fall of 2014, said Karen Gould, Ph.D., graduate program director for the department.

“The program involves intensive, hands-on, laboratory-based coursework in anatomical sciences,” Dr. Gould said. “The curriculum is geared to students interested in careers in medicine, allied health fields, or biomedical sciences who want to enhance their knowledge of anatomy prior to going to medical school or entering physician assistant, physical therapy or graduate programs.”

The program will create a base of knowledge to enhance the students’ performance in subsequent degree programs.

“Students that complete this new master’s program will have a very strong foundation in the core sequence of anatomical sciences,” said Carol Lomneth, Ph.D., vice chair for medical education in the department

The initial student cohort will be approximately 12.

“Multiple courses will involve whole-body dissections, in which students will work in very small groups to maximize hands-on learning,” Dr. Lomneth said.

The program was developed in response to demand from potential students.

“Each year, we get many inquiries from students who are looking for programs to enhance their credentials in their pursuit of a career in medicine and the allied health professions,” Dr. Gould said. “Although we already have a M.S. program in our department, we felt that this existing program was not optimal for students interested in careers in medicine.”

“We also get inquiries from students who are looking for a program to help them determine which career path — medicine or research — is the right one for them,” added Vimla Band, Ph.D., chair of the department. “A program that provides opportunities to shadow both clinicians and researchers can help such students select the right career path.”