Accelerated 5-Year Bachelor of Science (Biology) to Master of Science (Physician Assistant) Program (BS/MS)
Description
The 5-year BS/MS program at Detroit Mercy, sponsored by the Biology Department and the Physician Assistant Program is the first 5-year entry-level PA master's degree program in the state. "Entry level" means that you enter Detroit Mercy as a freshman, and five years later, you graduate with both a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Biology and a Master of Science degree with a major in Physician Assistant.
Our traditional program requires two years after you complete a four-year undergraduate program. Those who are not currently high school students or those with a bachelor's degree may .
Detroit Mercy's 5-year accelerated track in the Physician Assistant program accepts a select number of highly qualified, entering freshmen.
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Program Learning Outcomes
Please review the catalog page for BS Biology and the for the Program Learning Outcomes. -
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Admission Requirements
Admission Requirements
The 5-year accelerated BS-Bio/MS-PA program accepts a select number of highly-qualified entering freshmen. To remain in the program, students must maintain a 3.5 overall GPA and a 3.3 GPA in the sciences. In addition, students must demonstrate maturity, leadership, academic integrity and complete 1,000 patient contact hours before beginning the graduate studies phase of the program. Students must pass the following criteria:
- Current seniors in high school are eligible for admission
- ACT of 26+ or SAT 1260+
- Cumulative high school GPA of 3.5+
- Science and math GPA of 3.5+
- Participation at Visit Day with 5-year PA Information Session
- Admission essay and interview
- Enrollment is capped at 25 freshmen per year
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Bachelor Degree Requirements (120 credits)
The first three years of the program comprise the undergraduate Pre-Professional Phase. The curriculum consists of medically related science courses, along with all the components of the University Core Curriculum and general requirements for a bachelor's degree. Students in the five-year program cannot transfer in any science classes (with the exception of physics) or PA prerequisite coursework including nutrition, developmental psychology, biostatistics, medical ethics, microbiology or physiology.
The Professional Phase (Years four and five) is 24 months of continuous study and consists of additional graduate coursework in the medical sciences and related educational experiences. During the fifth year, students acquire medical expertise through a broad range of intensive clinical rotations, community health education, and health projects with medically underserved communities. Each student completes the course of study with a preceptorship in primary care medicine, and graduates are eligible to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE).
Required Courses for the Biology Major
- BIO 1200 General Biology I (3 credits) (meets Core objective C1 with BIO 1210)
- BIO 1210 General Biology Laboratory I (2 credits) (meets Core objective C1 with BIO 1200)
- BIO 1220 General Biology II (3 credits)
- BIO 1230 General Biology Laboratory II (2 credits)
- BIO 2700 Genetics (3 credits)
- BIO 4210 Microbiology (3 credits)
- BIO 4220 Microbiology Lab (2 credits)
- BIO 4801 Adv. Human Anatomy for Pre-Professional Students (3 credits)
- BIO 2900 Biostatistics (3 credits) (meets Core objective B2)
- BIO 4630 Physiology (3 credits)
- BIO 4740 Cellular & Molecular Biology (3 credits)
- Upper-Level Biology Laboratory (2 credits)
- CHM 1070 General Chemistry I (3 credits)
- CHM 1100 Chemistry Laboratory I (1 credit)
- CHM 1080 General Chemistry II (3 credits)
- CHM 1120 Chemistry Laboratory II (1 credit)
- CHM 2270 Organic Chemistry I (3 credits)
- CHM 2250 Organic Chemistry Lab I (1 credit)
- CHM 2260 Organic Chemistry II (3 credits)
- CHM 2290 Organic Chemistry Lab II (1 credit)
- PHY 1300 General Physics I (3 credits)
- PHY 1310 General Physics Lab I (1 credit)
- PHY 1320 General Physics II (3 credits)
- PHY 1330 General Physics Lab II (1 credit)
Other required courses
- BIO 2040 Applied Nutrition (3 credits)
- MTH 1400 Elementary Functions (3 credits) or Calculus 1 (4 credits) (meets core objective B1)
- ETH 3580 Healthcare Ethics
- PAS 1010 Intro to P.A. Profession (2 credits)
- HUS 4410 Multicultural Understanding (3 credits) (meets Core Obj IT3/4)
- HSA 4610 Health Care Economics (3 credits)
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Physician Assistant Courses Required to Complete BS-Biology degree
Students will receive their bachelor degree in May of the first year of graduate-level coursework. Credits from the PA program will be double-counted towards the bachelor degree to complete remaining BS Biology requirements.
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Core Curriculum
In addition to the courses required for this program listed above, the student must also fulfill the requirements of the University Core Curriculum for this program. Some of these courses may be satisfied by courses in your program.
Students in this Accelerated Five-Year BS/MS program have been granted two core course exemptions:
Core E1, E2, E3 - one course may be waived.
Core D3, IT3, IT4, IT5 - one course may be waived.
Please review your Degree Evaluation or consult your academic advisor for more information.
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Additional Experience Required
Students are also required to have 1,000 documented hours of patient interaction before beginning graduate-level course work.
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Optional Concentration-Biology Research
Please review the catalog page for for the Concentration in Biology Research.
Program Contact Information
Biology Office
Stephanie Conant, Ph.D.
Chair of Biology Department
Email: conantsb@udmercy.edu
Telephone: 313-993-1181
Physician Assistant Program
Amy Dereczyk, PA-C, DFAAPA
Chairperson, Physician Assistant Program
Telephone: 313-993-2474
Fax: 313-993-1271
Email: dereczal@udmercy.edu