Program Overview

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Introduction to the Master's in Medical Sciences, Pre-Professional Program (MSP3)

The University of South Florida's one-year Master's 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.

Program Objectives

The Master's 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.

Program Highlights

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 several medical schools to provide interviews for our students who meet specific academic metrics. Additionally, some of these partnerships offer conditional acceptance to students who meet academic benchmarks set by the program.

MCAT Preparation

The Graduate Affairs office has partnered with a test preparation company to offer an MCAT preparation course. 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.

Alumni Testimonials

• Quinn Frier: 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.
• Ekaterina Halivelakis: MSP3 is an excellent program to be a part of, whether you're pre-Medical, pre-PA, pre-PhD or pre-Dental. I attribute my success in medical school to how well this program prepared me.
• Randy Ceballos: 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.

Meet Our Student Ambassadors

• Paula Akhigbe: Enrolling in the MSP3 program has been one of the most impactful choices I have made in my academic journey. This program has truly been one for the books.
• Ladasjah Brown: I chose the USF MSP3 program because it offered the perfect opportunity to rebuild my foundation. I really like that the curriculum is taught by medical school faculty, includes a gross anatomy lab, and is relatively affordable.
• Emily Garman: The duration of this program is only one year which really appealed to me, but that means it is quite accelerated. I definitely feel like the pace and content of this program is setting me up for success for my future at a medical school.
• Dante Ntiganzwa: MSP3 has done that. It’s challenging, for sure, but it’s also given me room to grow, adapt, and connect with people who get what this journey takes. The coursework will push you, but so will the people around you, and in the best way possible.