MS in Medical Sciences, Pre-Professional Program (MSP3)

The University of South Florida's one-year Masters of Science in Medical Sciences program provides a high-quality “pre-professional” program that will significantly enhance and extend the academic development of future healthcare professionals and contribute to a diverse student body. This innovative, interdisciplinary program — the first in Florida to provide an integrated approach to the subject areas that comprise the “basic” biomedical sciences — is designed to provide students with a solid academic foundation prior to continuing in a variety of healthcare-related professional programs. The pre-professional program was founded on the premise that future clinicians, researchers, educators and healthcare professionals in the biomedical sciences will require extensive interdisciplinary training in order to develop novel solutions to current health care problems.

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Open houses are offered on-ground and virtually via Microsoft Teams.

For dates and more information, please see the Graduate & Postdoctoral Affairs News & Events page.

Prospective Applicant Profile

The ideal applicant to the MSMS pre-professional program:

Is interested in improving their academic credentials before applying to a health professional school (e.g., MD, DO, DDS, Pharmacy, Physician Assistant, etc).
Wants to academically prepare themselves before entering a health professional school.
May have missed the deadline to apply to a health professional school.
Wishes to experience an interdisciplinary biomedical sciences curriculum.

Curriculum

The interdisciplinary curriculum has been designed to provide the background training that will equip students with the essential tools for a successful career in the biomedical sciences.

This program is designed to be completed with full time enrollment in one year (Fall, Spring, and Summer). Courses are held on-ground. The full curriculum can be found in the MSP3 degree worksheet. Please note that degree worksheets are subject to change.

The Masters of Science in Medical Sciences, pre-professional program aims to:
- Provide advanced scientific training in the basic medical sciences which require greater knowledge than delivered in most undergraduate or non-degree post-baccalaureate professional programs.
- Further develop the training of future physicians and other health-care practitioners.
- Support the academic progress and development of students who wish to pursue future healthcare or biomedical science careers.
Discover features that make this program unique

Program

Our accelerated pre-professional program is designed to be completed in one-year. The curriculum offers an interdisciplinary approach to the medical sciences, encompassing a wide range of topics. Students will complete a minimum of 32 credit hours and earn their master’s degree within this time frame.

Location

The MSMS pre-professional program is located on the University of South Florida’s highly recognized USF Health north campus in Tampa. The USF Health campus is comprised of numerous professional schools, allowing master’s students to interact and learn alongside other health professional students and faculty.

Tuition

USF offers affordable graduate level tuition rates, one of the lower rates in the state of Florida, and one of the lowest in the country.

Faculty

Our master’s students are taught by highly trained faculty from USF Health's Morsani College of Medicine.

Workshops

The Graduate Affairs office supports our students by hosting various workshops throughout the year. These workshops can range from learning how to enhance study skills or write a personal statement, to information sessions hosted by admission representatives from various professional schools.

Advising

Our students receive one-on-one advising regarding their application to professional schools, as well as academic advising throughout the program.

Teaching Assistants

We hire outstanding alumni as teaching assistants (TAs) for our current students. TAs will host review sessions for each course to reinforce course materials. TAs also serve as a point of contact for additional individual review supplementing primary course instruction.

Partnerships

The Graduate Affairs office has partnered with the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM) and the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) to provide interviews for our students who meet specific academic metrics.

MCAT preparation

The Graduate Affairs office has partnered with the Princeton Review to offer an MCAT preparation course, GMS 6000 Medical Sciences Success Skills. Students will pay graduate tuition rates for this 2-credit course.

Gross Anatomy Lab

Our students have the option of taking the Gross Anatomy Lab elective. Students will have access to the state-of-the-art facility to enhance their education through cadaver dissection under the supervision of Anatomy faculty.
Hear from current students on why they chose MSP3

Jennifer Bollinger

Bio: Hi everyone, I’m Jen! I am a proud alumna of the University of South Florida, where I graduated with a BS in Biology with a concentration in Medical Biology. My journey has been quite non-traditional, including a gap year and three years of playing college basketball before finishing up at USF.

After graduating, I knew I needed to strengthen my medical school application and demonstrate my academic potential in ways my undergraduate GPA did not. I chose the MSP3 program because it offers the opportunity to be taught by medical school faculty and graduate within a year at an affordable tuition rate.

A major draw of the program for me was the chance to return to the Gross Anatomy Lab, as I had previously conducted undergraduate research with cadavers. I recently completed Gross Anatomy I which deepened my appreciation for the intricate anatomy of the human body. This summer, I’m looking forward to taking Gross Anatomy II and further expanding my knowledge.

In my free time, you can find me wedding planning, working out, or spending time with my family in Clearwater Beach!

Juan "David" Brand

Bio: I decided on MSP3 because I needed to prove to MD/DO admission committees that I am ready for the rigors of medical school, and show a stark improvement in my grades. This program has helped me in several ways: I've improved my study techniques, built my stamina, and learned a great deal that will surely aid me on the MCAT. As a bonus, at the end of the program I will have a master's degree, which will make me eligible for higher paying positions at the research hospital I was previously employed at.

Arianna Robinson

Bio: The program's design to prepare students for health professional school initially interested me. Having obtained my Bachelor's degree, I knew I wanted to further my education before applying to medical school. As soon as I discovered USF's Master in Medical Sciences program, I knew it would push me academically and professionally. This program encompasses everything I need to be successful in medical school. It has opportunities that I can take advantage of including shadowing, volunteering, and workshops that will prepare me for the next cycle. It embodies a rigorous curriculum that covers topics that I will see in my first and second years of medical school. Additionally, I'll be able to connect with professionals and students in similar fields. On top of everything, this program currently resides in my second home. I am beyond grateful to continue my journey as a Bull!

Upon completing this program I want to create a website for premed students who may not have access to all the information or resources needed for medical school. After attending Harvard's Skills Workshop for minorities, I realized that there is a lot of untapped potential because of the lack of information. Many minority students there, including myself, were first-generation pre-med students not aware of everything that comes with being premed. To pave a path for these students, I will cover everything about medical school, including requirements, the application process, how to succeed, and what follows on my website, with the knowledge gained from this program.

Fanchao Zhu

Bio: Hi! My name is Fanchao Zhu, and I am one of the ambassadors for the MSP3 program this year. I graduated from University of Florida with a degree in Chemical Engineering, and I have worked as a research specialist at University of Florida before I decided to go back to school and pursue a career in healthcare.

The reason I choose the MSP3 program at USF is that this is simply the best program of its kind in the state of Florida. After working in academic research for a few years, I have completed many projects with different practicing physician scientists, and I was fascinated by their ability to translate clinical questions and challenges into research projects and find solutions that can benefit their patient community. After consultations and deliberations with my physician collaborators, many of them felt that it is important to be a practicing physician who can identify challenges faced by patients, and utilizing the knowledge of medicine to resolve these challenges that can significantly improve treatments and outcomes. Therefore, I made the decision to pursue a graduate level pre-medical academic program to enrich my experience in medicine and to demonstrate my current academic ability to medical school admission committees during the application process. The MSP3 program is tailored for students who are interested in pre-professional programs such as medical school, dental school, physician assistant programs etc. Not only that, the MSP3 program is highly regarded by many pre-health advising committee and medical school admission committee members here in Florida. Lastly, before I applied, I have consulted with different alumni of the MSP3 program, many of whom are already matriculated into medical school or other professional programs, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. When I submitted my application, the Admission Recruiter Amanda, as well as many other staff members of the MSP3 administration team were very attentive and helpful, and they made the entire process very straightforward and efficient. And that’s why overall I choose to attend the MSP3 program at USF, with the goal of apply to medical school after completion of the program.

I have just moved to Tampa for about 6 months, and my current favorite thing to do is go out with friends to the Armature Works in the Heights district. You will get a fantastic view of the Hillsborough River while enjoy many of the events held nearby. It has become my go to spot when I have friends visiting me in Tampa. In the vicinity, it is also fun to explore downtown Tampa, and occasionally visit the USF Morsani College of Medicine’s new campus on Channelside Drive to get a taste of what medical school life looks like.
Hear from former students who matriculated to professional school

Quinn Frier

Where you're from: Mayo, Florida

Year you graduated from the MSP3 Program: 2015

Current School/Program: The Florida State University College of Medicine

Advice for future USF MCOM MS applicants/students: For many of you, this program is an opportunity to prove yourselves academically to professional programs. While others are using this program as a "gap year" activity. Whatever the case, I advise you to use this opportunity wisely. Merely completing this program will not guarantee you admittance to professional schools, you have to do well. Reinvent yourself as a student, develop new study methods, and take advantage of all the advantages the program/faculty has to offer. Get involved and give back to the community, Tampa is rich with volunteer opportunities that will allow you to make a difference and grow as a member of society. The program is challenging, but if you buckle down and do well it will get you where you want to go and prepare you very well for the next level. All of the MSP3 graduates in my class at FSUCOM, including myself, have all done well in medical school thanks in part due to the experiences and exposure gained from this program. In closing, remember that stats (MCAT/GPA) aren't everything admissions committees consider and you should strive every day to make yourself more than "just a number."

Ekaterina Halivelakis

Where you're from: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Year you graduated from the MSP3 program: 2015

Current School/Program: Creighton University School of Medicine (M.D.) Class of 2020

Advice for future USF MCOM MS applicants and/or students: MSP3 is an excellent program to be a part of, whether you're Pre-Medical, pre-PA, pre-PhD or pre-Dental. I went into the program initially because I was unsure of which route I wanted to take between academic medicine and clinical medicine. Not only was I able to explore what I am truly passionate about, but the program does a fantastic job preparing you for medical school course loads and boosting your MCAT score. I am proud to say that I am excelling through my medical school education now, and I attribute it to how well this program prepared me for medical school. I am adamant about recommending this program to my friends who also are either undecided or want the extra edge on their medical school applications. If you're thinking about it now, I promise you will thank yourself later once you apply and progress through the program. It is quite challenging and on par with medical school course work, but you will be surprised at how well you can handle the course loads and how accessible your professors will be for help if you need it.

Randy Ceballos

Where you're from: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Year you graduated from the MSP3 program: 2015

Current School/Program: Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine

Advice for future USF MCOM MS applicants and/or students: My best advice would be to not give up on your dreams. The road to medical school is not supposed to be easy, but there is a lot to learn during the journey. The best decision I made was to attend the MSP3 program at USF. I felt ready for medical school and my academic success demonstrated that. In addition to preparing me with the knowledge I needed, it was the reason I created lifelong friendships and was forced to go out of my comfort zone and become a well-rounded student.