The Biomedical Science curriculum requires the completion of all core coursework (28 credit hours), at least 2 elective hours, AND a minimum of 6 credit hours for the Capstone Project while attending the program in-person in Winston-Salem. While most of the coursework is synchronous and requires in-person class attendance, our courses also meet students where they are and provide flexibility through innovative approaches that take advantage of virtual learning environments. This approach ensures that you will form strong and lasting peer relationships with members of your cohort as well as program faculty. The program’s course directors, instructors, and Academic Coaches are all Wake Forest University School of Medicine faculty. For full-time students, the program is completed in 1 calendar year (3 academic terms in the summer, fall, and spring OR the fall, spring, and summer). Those wishing to pursue the program part-time may inquire about decelerated plans of study. Our program’s curriculum is flexible to allow students to modify their plans of study due to unforeseen life events.
A crucial and innovative component of the curriculum is the Capstone Catalyst, which supports students’ Capstone Projects. Each student will complete a Capstone Project, an independent, mentored project that intersects with at least one of the following major scholarly domains of academic medicine:
- Advocacy
- Community engagement
- Medical education
- Quality improvement
- Research
The Capstone Catalyst course is a structured longitudinal learning experience that empowers you to conceptualize an idea you are passionate about that identifies a problem in healthcare or the biomedical sciences, develop and implement a Capstone Project to solve that problem during the time you are enrolled in the program, and disseminate your results. You will lead this project as the principal investigator and work with a mentoring team to coach you every step of the way. Each term, the Capstone Catalyst course director will provide milestones to keep you on track towards completing your project within the program’s plan of study timeline. The Capstone Project requires that you prepare and deliver a final presentation to the program and provides the opportunity to submit an abstract as first author to a regional or national academic conference summarizing your completed project. We empower you to submit your finished work in manuscript form to a high-impact peer-reviewed medical journal as first author.
Elective coursework is available and grouped into interest areas to allow students to personalize their educational experience and support their Capstone Project.
To assist in your elective selections, the program has grouped electives into the following interest areas:
- Addiction Management
- Clinical Trial Investigation
- Genetics and Human Development
Specific course listings for each interest area are shown under Coursework Details.
Coursework Details
The coursework is grouped as follows:
- A total of 36 credit hours are required for graduation
- 28 credit hours in core courses (required for all students)
- 6 credit hours of Capstone project (required for all students)
- At least 2 elective course hours are required for all students; a maximum of 9 credit hours in elective coursework may be taken
Below, you will find the specific course listings in each category of coursework. Core coursework includes basic biomedical science instruction in biochemistry, gross anatomy, neuroanatomy, systems physiology, pharmacology, medical genetics, and epidemiology, mixed with additional training in professionalism and ethics.
| The Graduate School Bulletin includes further information including degree requirements and all course descriptions. |