Medical Sciences
- Application Deadline
- Application Requirements
- Contact Information
- Curriculum
- Degree Program (M.A.)
- Faculty
- Overview
Overview
Loyola University Chicago's Master of Arts in Medical Sciences degree program, offered by the Department of Biology, is designed to help students enhance their understanding of the biological disciplines that are the intellectual foundation for medical school curricula. The program helps students develop formal skills in the analysis of ethical questions that impact the medical profession.
Faculty members are well-respected leaders in pre-medical education and have helped provide Loyola graduates with the intellectual tools needed to attain a 75 percent acceptance rate to medical school. M.A. in Medical Sciences students will also be supported and guided by Loyola's highly effective Office of Pre-Health Professions as they progress through the medical school application process.
To gain entrance to medical school, students typically must have a combination of a strong GPA, good scores on the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), strong letters of recommendation and extensive work or volunteer experience demonstrating leadership skills, knowledge of the medical profession and concern for others. Students with a good overall application package, who need an additional opportunity to demonstrate their ability to master challenging coursework will benefit greatly from this program. Students completing the M.A. in Medical Sciences with a strong performance, as indicated by a high GPA, will have acquired strong intellectual and ethical skills and will be compelling candidates for medical school admission.
Degree Program (M.A.)
The Department of Biology offers the M.A. in Medical Sciences degree program. Students in the M.A. in Medical Sciences program receive:
- Challenging graduate-level coursework and the services of our highly successful Pre-Health Professions Office, which places about 75 percent of its applicants into medical schools
- A guaranteed admissions interview at the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine if they meet all the following criteria: 1) A minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA, 2) A GPA of 3.5 or better in the M.A. in Medical Sciences program, and 3) an MCAT score of 28 or better on the most recent two MCATs. The interview guarantee applies to the medical school application cycle beginning after the M.A. in Medical Sciences program is completed*
- An academic environment designed to challenge students without placing them in direct competition with each other for course grades
- Assistance in securing internships and volunteer opportunities to enhance the students' skills before matriculation to medical school
- The personal attention of academic counselors to guide them on the path to success in their classes
* Note: The guaranteed interview at the Stritch School of Medicine is not available to international students, as Stritch admits only U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Curriculum
The M.A. in Medical Sciences program focuses on the development of the intellectual skills and mastery of scientific concepts needed to succeed in medical school.
The program is completed in one year and is an intensive, full-time, course-based program offered to highly qualified students.
To receive the M.A. in Medical Sciences degree, students must earn 24 credit hours and show satisfactory performance in coursework. Courses include:
- Neurobiology
- Advanced Developmental Biology
- Reading of the Clinical Literature
- Anatomy and Physiology (two semesters)
- Biochemistry
- Advanced Cell Biology
- Advanced Genetics
- Medical Ethics
- Pharmacology
Scholarships: Loyola University Chicago provides full tuition-scholarships to a small number of students (student fees, books and living expenses not included). The primary criterion for awarding the scholarships is financial need. Applications for scholarships will be made available to students who have been admitted to the program and are enrolled for classes.
Faculty
Martin B. Berg, Ph.D., University of Notre Dame
Ian A. Boussy, Ph.D., University of California, Davis
Domenic Castignetti, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts
Jeffrey L. Doering, Ph.D., University of Chicago
Terry Grande, Ph.D., University of Illinois, Chicago
Robert W. Hamilton, Ph.D., Ohio State University
Warren Jones, Ph.D., Indiana University
John J. Kelly, Ph.D., Rutgers University
Stefan M. Kanzok, Ph. D., University of Heidelberg
Howard M. Laten, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin
Louis Lucas, Ph.D., Tulane University
John G. New, Ph.D., Wesleyan University
F. Bryan Pickett, Ph.D., Indiana University
William Rochlin, Ph.D., University of North Carolina
Emma Rosi-Marshall, Ph.D., University of Georgia
Albert J. Rotermund, Ph.D., State University of New York at Buffalo
Jan Savitz, Ph.D., Indiana University
Eric H. Shroeter, Ph. D., Washington University
Diane E. Suter, Ph.D., Colorado State University
Nancy Tuchman, Ph.D., University of Louisville
William J. Wasserman, Ph.D., University of Toronto
Kim C. Williamson, Ph.D., Boston University
Staff
Sally Fell, M.S., L.P.C., N.C.C., C.A.D.C., Advisor, Pre-Health Professions Office
James Johnson, Director, Pre-Health Professions Office
Kathryn Hills, Administrative Assistant
Application Requirements
Ideal applicants are students who are good candidates for admission to medical school and who wish to strengthen their skills in the sciences. Applicants must hold the baccalaureate with an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better. All medical school prerequisites must have already been completed (one year of biology, two years of chemistry, one year of physics and one year of math). Applicants are strongly encouraged to have completed at least the equivalent of an undergraduate minor in one of the natural sciences.
- A $50 application fee
- A completed application form. To apply, go to www.luc.edu/gpem
- Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work
- A copy of the AMCAS application for those applicants who have applied to medical school, or a detailed resume for those applicants who have not applied to medical school
- Official MCAT scores, with a minimum required score of 25
- Three letters of recommendation appropriate for a medical school application
- A statement of purpose that describes the applicant's history of prior or current applications to medical school, as well as an assessment of how the M.A. in Medical Sciences program would be valuable to the applicant
- Either a TOEFL or IELTS score report is required for international applicants whose native language is not English. For the TOEFL, a score of at least 213 on the computer-based test or 550 on the written test is required. The minimum score for the new TOEFL iBT (Internet-based test) is 79. For the IELTS, a minimum score of 6.5 is required
- International applicants, or U.S. applicants who completed school abroad, are required to submit non-U.S. transcripts to Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE). For more information, contact ECE at 414-289-3400 or visit www.ece.org
Please request a general evaluation report and have the official report sent to Loyola University Chicago, Graduate Enrollment Management, 820 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611.
Application Deadline
Fall admission: July 1 (applications will be reviewed as soon as they are complete)
Deadlines and application requirements are subject to change. Visit www.luc.edu/medicalsciences for the most up-to-date information.
Contact Information
The application and all supporting documents must be sent to Graduate Enrollment Management at the following address:
Graduate Enrollment Management
Loyola University Chicago
820 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60611
Phone: 312.915.8950
E-mail: GradApp@luc.edu
For more information about the academic program, or to arrange a visit, contact:
Office of Biology Graduate Programs
Department of Biology
Loyola University Chicago
6430 N. Kenmore Ave.
Chicago, Illinois 60626
Phone: 773.508.3285
E-mail: mams@luc.edu
www.luc.edu/medicalsciences
Department Chair
Phone: 773.508.3620