
With every advance in laboratory and biomedical science, we are one step closer to reducing the impact of disease globally. You can play a crucial role in solving the puzzles of Alzheimer’s, HIV, cancer and other devastating illnesses.
With every advance in laboratory and biomedical science, we are one step closer to reducing the impact of disease globally. You can play a crucial role in solving the puzzles of Alzheimer’s, HIV, cancer and other devastating illnesses.
Advanced study in biomedical sciences is excellent preparation for entry into medical school, PhD programs in areas like genetics, neuroscience and immunology, and other professional programs. It also provides a strong foundation for cutting-edge careers in a range of fields, from biotech and pharmaceuticals to laboratory and academic research.
As biomedical science becomes more sophisticated, there is a growing demand for professionals who have a background in the biological sciences and experience in laboratory operations, clinical research and diagnostic testing. Our program prepares you for advanced study or career success through hands-on experience in our state-of-the-art labs, along with opportunities to be involved in research and projects across a range of health science fields that will help build your knowledge and resume.
Graduates of the program are prepared to immediately join the workforce and pursue careers in the pharmaceutical industry or as clinical researchers for biotech companies, for example, or as analysts in hospital labs, among other settings. Students planning on medical school, a doctoral program or other advanced degree are well positioned through our program to showcase their ability to tackle complex study and sophisticated laboratory research.
Depending on your professional goals, you’ll have the option of choosing a thesis or non-thesis plan of study, both of which take one and a half to two years to complete. For students planning to continue their studies in medical school or another health-professional school, we offer pre-med and pre-health advising to help guide you toward the best course offerings, along with guidance and insights into the medical school or professional school application process.
As the industry expands, so do the opportunities for our graduates.
Our master’s in biomedical sciences program provides two distinct program paths for students — a thesis option and a non-thesis option. Each path grants students the flexibility to get the most out of their time in the program by offering opportunities to explore particular areas of interest or build a more complete research portfolio. These and other elements of the program are designed to accommodate your needs as you move toward your career goals.
If you are looking for an accelerated option to earn your degree, our challenging but rewarding gap-year biomedical sciences (BMS) 1-year non-thesis option might be a great fit.
This program is designed for students who already possess a strong extracurricular profile, with significant research or clinical experience. Our one-year program also serves students who want to demonstrate to medical and physician assistant schools that they can handle a rigorous, graduate curriculum by improving their GPA and academic resume during a gap year.
Shannon Murray ’18, MHS ’19
Shannon Murray, BS ’18 MHS ’19, spends each day learning about the same cutting-edge surgical procedures she hopes to practice as a physician.
Murray, a clinical research coordinator at the University of Michigan’s Frenkel Cardiovascular Center, plans to enroll in medical school next year. She credits the flexibility of Quinnipiac’s MHS in biomedical science program with helping her get hired at Frenkel and preparing her for the rigors of medical school.
Choosing a concentration in microbiology enabled Murray to tailor her schedule to pursue her interests, including clinical parasitology, drug discovery and development, and antimicrobial therapy. She also gained hands-on experience with blood typing analysis, blood transfusion matching and antibody testing in the immunology lab at Quinnipiac’s Center for Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences.
“These are all applicable for an aspiring physician,” Murray said.
Those proficiencies also helped her excel at Frenkel as a clinical research associate, a position she held since she was undergraduate biology student at Quinnipiac. Each Summer, Murray, a Michigan native, split time between working on research projects and shadowing surgeons in the operating room and mitral valve clinic.
“I was fortunate enough to have experienced both the research and clinical sides of the field there,” Murray said.
One of the projects Murray worked on—Anticoagulation after Mitral Valve Repair—became the focus of her graduate thesis. The abstract was accepted for presentation at the American Association for Thoracic Surgery’s 98th Annual Meeting in San Diego, California, one of the most prestigious conferences in the world for cardiothoracic surgery. Murray’s manuscript is also under review for publication in The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.
“The whole experience profoundly impacted my life,” Murray said. “I am interested in pursuing a career in structural heart surgery because of it.” – Shannon Murray ’18, MHS ’19
Tiana Clemons, MHS ’19
Tiana Clemons, MHS ’19, knew that to realize her dream of practicing medicine, she would need to earn her master’s degree in biomedical sciences at a university with small classes and engaging professors.
Clemons’ previous work drawing blood from patients as a phlebotomist as well as interviewing and recording the life stories of dementia patients at Yale New Haven Hospital has given her a unique opportunity to better understand and prepare to work with patients.
“Patients and their families are people. If I can bring a sense of empathy and compassion to health care and medicine, then I can change our health care culture one patient experience at a time,” she said. “I have learned that people will forget what you said and what you did — but they will never forget how you made them feel.”
“Quinnipiac prepared me well for the critical thinking part of medicine,” said the Chicago native who hopes to ultimately become an orthopedic surgeon. “The graduate focus on the North Haven Campus enabled me to interact with the medical school students who have been very vocal about why they chose Quinnipiac — which directly impacted my decision to apply to the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac.” – Tiana Clemons, MHS ’19
Soren Jonzzon ’16, MHS ‘17
Studying the sciences is not always a walk in the park. Biomedical sciences students study subject areas such as DNA, neuropharmacology, immunology and other specialties that are producing major breakthroughs globally. Our faculty and staff work with students to customize a program in these and other areas to help them explore options that fit their goals and aspirations. Students looking to excel in the sciences and who have a desire to prepare for their future will find a home within our program.
Take men’s ice hockey winger Soren Jonzzon ’16, MHS ‘17.
A member of the ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team and a finalist for the ECAC Hockey Student-Athlete of the Year award, Jonzzon was selected as captain and was a key member of the team. The Mountain View, California, native also was working toward an even larger goal — landing a spot at a leading medical school. Jonzzon was able to work closely with faculty and staff advisers to allow him to achieve his goals on the ice and in the classroom.
Jonzzon was accepted to the University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine in 2016 — and continues to cheer on the Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey team while staying in touch with his former professors. He credits his master‘s degree with giving him an advantage over other students who applied to medical school with only an undergraduate degree. He was on target to complete his medical school education in 2020 and pursue a residency.
Our graduate admissions representatives are here to answer any questions you may have and help you navigate the application process.