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Program Overview
Master Personalized Medicine
The Master Personalized Medicine trains students to become a bridge builder between the clinic, scientific research, and technological development. The Master Personalized Medicine educates students to become research scientists. The programme aims to train (bio)-medically oriented bachelors and related bachelors in Life Sciences to become independent researchers with in-depth knowledge on different aspects of clinical and translational research, imaging, and personalized medicine.
Programme Description
The Master Personalized Medicine is a two-year international programme of 120 ECTS and is taught completely in English. The Master is embedded in the Faculty of Medicine VU Amsterdam, which facilitates interaction with healthcare providers and investigators in the field of Oncology and Epidemiology.
Programme Structure
The two-year programme consists of the following components:
- Compulsory courses
- Optional courses
- Internships
- Literature study
- Academic Core
Compulsory Courses
The programme consists of 36 EC compulsory courses and 12 EC optional courses. The programme includes lectures, workshops, demonstrations, and literature sessions. Students can make an individual choice regarding the optional courses, and it is encouraged to follow courses at other faculties or even other universities.
Course Overview
The compulsory courses in the Master's programme are depending on the year in which the student started the Master's programme. Currently, the following courses are compulsory:
| Course | ECTS | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Personalized Medicine | 6 | September |
| Basics of Clinical Research & Regulations | 6 | October |
| Data Science & Biostatistics | 6 | November |
| Imaging Principles | 6 | December |
| Specialization Medical Imaging* | 12 | January - February |
| Specialization Technological Development* | 12 | January - February |
| Specialization Biomarkers & Medicines* | 12 | January - February |
| Scientific Writing in English | March-April | |
| Academic Core | Throughout the programme |
Students follow one specialization of their own choice (12 EC). A maximum of 20 students can be placed in each specialization.
Optional Courses
The Master Personalized Medicine has reserved 12 EC for optional courses. Students can make a choice of the optional courses listed for the Master programme or follow a course at another faculty or university.
Optional Course Overview
- Cardiac Development: 2-25 September, Prof. dr. Roelof-Jan Oostra
- Next-Generation Cardiovascular Disease Models: 13 November- 11 December, Dr. Elza van Deel
- Proteomics in Biomedical Research: TBA, Prof. dr. Connie Jimenez
Internships
In total, a student has to obtain 60 EC with two internships: a minor internship (24 EC) and a major internship (36 EC). Both internships have to be performed at a research laboratory or other research department acknowledged by the Examination Board Science Masters.
Internship Procedure
- Orientation: Students are encouraged to look for an internship at least 3 months before the start of their internship.
- Duration and content: One week full-time (40 hr. / week) is an equivalent of 1.5 EC.
- Approval and paperwork in advance: Before starting an internship, a student always has to request approval of the Examination Board.
- Internship portfolio: During the internship, students should provide several documents, including a List of Agreements, Research Proposal, and Interim Assessment.
Literature Study
The Literature Study will be carried out under supervision, but in this stage of education, it is expected that students act highly independently. The aim of the Literature Study is that students will be able to select, evaluate, and critically discuss relevant literature.
Literature Study Procedure
- Orientation: For the Literature Study, students need to find a Personalized Medicine-related subject that interests them.
- Approval and paperwork in advance: The Literature Study needs to be approved by the Examination Board.
- Literature Study portfolio: The Literature Study also has a portfolio, which contains a summary of the assignment and the Survey Outline.
Academic Core
The Academic Core is a component of the Master program designed to prepare students for the transition from student to scientist. During the Academic Core, students learn several academic and transferable skills like career development, legal and ethical judgment, presenting skills, conference participation, and networking.
Graduation
- Are you in the process of completing your Master's programme? VU Amsterdam will automatically start your graduation.
- Once you have completed the final part of your studies, you will receive an email from VU Amsterdam, containing an overview of your results and the date of your graduation.
- The graduation ceremony is an official part of the Master Oncology and not a formality. Therefore, your presence is mandatory.
