MD/PhD Program Curriculum
Yearly Overview
First 2 Years:
The program begins with Phase I of the UNM School of Medicine
curriculum.
Next 3-4 Years:
The student takes graduate courses and completes their PhD dissertation research.
Last 2 Years:
The program ends with Phase II and III of the UNM School of Medicine
curriculum and fulfillment of a teaching requirement.
Curriculum
A total of 48 credits hours plus 18 dissertation hours and good standing throughout the SOM curriculum is required for the MD/PhD degree. The only change from the MD curriculum takes place during the summer of the first academic year. In place of the Practical Immersion Experience (PIE) the MD/PhD students take laboratory research rotations (BIOM 506). In addition to the MD degree curriculum the MD/PhD students are required to take the following courses in the BSGP:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|
BIOM |
Fundamentals for Graduate Research | 1 |
|
BIOM |
Special Topics in Biomedical Research (rotations) | 3 |
|
|
Advanced Molecular Biology | 4 |
|
|
Advanced Cellular Biology | 4 |
|
|
Cell and Molecular Basis of Disease Journal Club (2 semesters, year 1) | 4 |
|
|
Cell and Molecular Basis of Disease Seminar | 1 |
| BIOM 555 | Problem Based Research Bioethics | 1 |
MD/PhD students must also take 3 credit hours from the courses listed below. Other available courses offered for MD/PhD students through the BSGP are listed here.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|
|
Principles of Neurobiology | 3 |
|
|
Physiology | 3 |
|
|
Immunobiology | 3 |
|
|
Cancer Biology | 3 |
|
|
Molecular Genetics and Genomics | 3 |
To view the program's curricular map as a suggested time line to follow,
click here.
Course Descriptions
BIOM 501 Fundamentals for Graduate Research
This course provides first year students with information for making an educated
choice of a dissertation research advisor, of various teaching and research
resources and facilities, and teaching and communication skills.
BIOM
506 Special Topics in Biomedical Research
In this course, first year graduate students will participate in
research with potential thesis or dissertation mentors and gain first-hand
experience in a variety of techniques and approaches to biological problems.
Offered on a CR/NC basis only.
(Laboratory Rotations)
BIOM
507 Advanced Molecular Biology
This course covers the structures and functions of nucleic acids and
proteins, mechanisms and macromolecular synthesis and principles of enzymology.
BIOM
508 Advanced Cellular Biology
This course covers advanced topics in cell biology, including
microscopy, the nucleus, protein and membrane trafficking, cytoskeleton signal
transduction, cell cycle and division and extracellular matrix.
BIOM 509 Principles of Neurobiology
This course covers cellular structure of neurons and glia, the
electrical properties of neurons, intercellular communication, and the
formation, maintenance and plasticity of chemical synapses.
BIOM 510 Physiology
This is a course in regulatory and systems biology, and cardiovascular
and pulmonary biology.
BIOM 514 Immunobiology
This is a comprehensive, fundamentals-based immunology course for
graduate students in the biomedical sciences or related fields. The course will
have a problem-based component that will introduce students to experimental
design inimmunological research.
BIOM
515 Cancer Biology
This course
will focus on fundamental elements of cancer development and progression. Basic
biochemical and genetic mechanisms of tumorigenesis, including genomic
instability, principles of tumor cell invasion and growth dysregulation will be
emphasized.
BIOM
516 Molecular Genetics and Genomics
This course
covers genetic and genomic approaches in model organisms
(prokaryotes, fungi, worms, mouse and fruit flies) and
humans to study biological processes at the molecular, cellular, tissue,
organism, population and evolutionary levels. It provides an introduction to
bioinformatic and computationalmethods used in such studies.
BIOM
525 Cell and Molecular Basis of Disease Journal Club
This course
offers new graduate students experience in oral presentation skills, experience
in reading and discussing scientific literature and exposure to research
seminars. Student led discussions partner with weekly Cell and Molecular Basis
of Disease Seminar.
BIOM
530 Cell and Molecular Basis of Disease Seminar
This seminar
is a crosscutting, interdepartmental seminar series offered for graduate credit.
Weekly seminars are presented by preeminent scientists on a wide variety of
broadly relevant research topics.
BIOM 555 Problem-Based Bioethics
This course is a problem-based discussion course on topics in bioethics such as publication credits and authorships, conflict of interest and fraud, scientific misconduct, human genomics and other relevant issues.
