Early Outcomes of the Duke Master of Biomedical Sciences Program: An Interprofessional Special Master’s Degree
Pathways to health professions careers are increasingly competitive with a widening scope of competencies for aspiring applicants. Approximately 15% of medical students pursue a post baccalaureate program. (1) The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) postbaccalaureate database lists over 250 programs which lack consistent structure or curriculum. (2) Few systematic outcomes have been reported (2-5). Students tend to be older, minority (6) not children of physicians (7-8), more likely to enter primary care and serve the underserved. (9-11) Dental initiatives report similar gains. (12) We helped to address a “gap” in Duke’s participation in the health professions, biomedical sciences, and health-related workforce by designing a unique special master’s program in the School of Medicine’s (SoM), the Master of Biomedical Sciences (MBS). We aimed to 1) prepare students to be highly competitive candidates for admission into health professions schools, biomedical careers and other health-related professions; 2) increase integration of biomedical content and professional formation through experiential learning facilitating the achievement of essential competencies (13); 3) promote efforts to create and sustain workforce diversity; and 4) enhance educational innovation. The MBS was approved by the Duke Board of Trustees in December, 2014; our first class matriculated in June, 2015, and graduated in May 2016.
- 2017