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Aspiring doctors boosted by new MA in biomedicine

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Gaining admittance into medical school can be a challenge for college graduates. Eastern Mennonite University now offers a way to make that challenge less daunting.

Starting in the 2012-13 academic year EMU will be offering an MA in Biomedicine. The two-year program is designed to prepare students for entrance into medical, dental, physical therapy, physician assistant, and other grad-level health care schools with doctoral programs.

“The MA in biomedicine program is designed to prepare students to serve and lead in the medical field,” said Roman Miller, PhD, professor of biology. In our program students explore not only the physical aspects of the person, but also the mental, spiritual and social dimensions.”

EMU far exceeds the national average of undergraduates who apply and are accepted into medical school. Over the past 10 years, more than 90 percent of EMU students who completed the pre-medical program were accepted to medical school, compared to the current national average of 46 percent.

“Our faith-based approach and trans-disciplinary studies make EMU’s program unique,” said Miller. “We use natural science courses as our core curriculum, and students immerse themselves in the physical, social and spiritual dimensions of biomedicine.”

The MA in biomedicine program adds integrative seminars, practicums and cross-discipline requirements in social science and theological ethics to accent the intersection of faith and science. In addition, students will enroll in a cross-cultural practicum to further hone their skills in a unique cultural setting.

“Unlike other programs, our approach is to educate broadly by combining social science, cross-cultural, theology and ethics courses with our core curriculum in the natural sciences,” said Miller.

One-on-one attention and guidance from faculty mentors is integral to the program.

“As a result of my education at EMU, I feel that I am more prepared to take on a medical school curriculum than my fellow classmates,” said Ian Koons ’07, a post-baccalaureate student who is a first-year medical student at American University of the Caribbean. “The EMU education encourages students to explore an eclectic education which instills a strong foundation on which to build a career.”

For more information on the MA in biomedicine contact (540) 432-4400 or [email protected].

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