Why study Medical Sciences?

This major is jointly housed in the UC College of Medicine and Cincinnati Children's Hospital, and is designed to ensure students interested in a pre-medicine or biomedical sciences who successfully complete the program are well prepared to enter a medical or graduate school. UC offers a range of pre-med programs and support services to help students find the best pathway to achieve their goals.

Medical Sciences comprises biological sciences, applied sciences, informatics, and and technology, with an emphasis on human health and disease. Medical Sciences provide the scientific basis for modern medical practices and research.

The Bachelor of Science in Medical Sciences will develop firsthand skills in scientific research, creative inquiry, writing and presenting, and working in medical facilities. Along with a strong foundation of knowledge in the core academic disciplines including chemistry, biology, physics, calculus, statistics, as well as the humanities, and social sciences, the program offers new foundational courses in integrative medicine. All students are assigned an upper-class peer mentor, medical student mentor, and faculty mentor from the College of Medicine or Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Additionaly, depending on the student's interest they will also obtain mentors in research, clinical-activities, and service. This academic and mentoring foundation will serve as the platform for advanced courses in physiology, genetics, pharmacology, biochemistry, and other medical sciences courses, which uniquely define this Major. Our expectation is that each student will navigate their studies within a close cohort of peers, and develop into a skilled person able to make informed decisions to successfully enter a field that they find satisfying, rewarding, and fascinating.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Medical Sciences Program is very competitive. Students are expected to have a minimum 29 ACT or 1300 SAT, an unweighted High School GPA of 3.5 or higher, and meaningful involvement in extracurricular activities. With these criteria in mind, the program pays very close attention to co-curricular activities as well as the personal statement and essay that is submitted as part of the application for admission to UC. Applications are reviewed holistically keeping all of these aspects in mind.

Note: Meeting the above academic standards does not guarantee admission.

We are dedicated to your success. Students who successfully complete the program are prepared to enter a medical school, or a graduate program in a health/biomedical sciences or other scientific discipline. These can include traditional medicine (MD), Osteopathic Medicine (DO), Physician Assistant (PA), Anesthesia Assisting, pharmacy, dentistry, optometry, Chiropractic Medicine (DC), or a doctoral degree (PhD) in chemistry, biology, neuroscience, physiology, pharmacology, or a variety of other medically-related disciplines. Some of our students choose to enter graduate degree programs such as a master's in Public Health (MPH). This career path requires a very strong academic commitment. Not only should students maintain excellent academic performance, but also develop an intellectual curiosity. They must acquire the analytical skills and logical abilities to conduct scientific research, as well as excellent critical thinking and communication skills. Students should also possess a strong sense of social responsibility and a desire to contribute to human society.

If your objective is a career in medicine, UC's Pre-Professional Advising Center should be your first stop in preparing for medical school. In addition, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) provides information for prospective medical students at its website:

Additional Online Resources:

UC Pre-Medical Programs:

  • Pre-Medical School Programs—UC offers a range of programs to enrich the experience of undergraduate students whose goal is medical school, including summer programs and MCAT review
  • Master's in Physiology Program—UC's gap-year or special master's program designed to help students improve their credentials for admission to medical school

Find out more about careers in medicine at the AAMC website

Exploring Other Health Professions

Find everything you want to know about a wide variety of health careers at ExploreHealthCareers.org

UC Master's Programs in Health Sciences/Health Professions:

The information provided is sourced from a third party, Lightcast. Their product, called Career Coach, combines extensive labor market data from Lightcast and the U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics. It provides insights on industry, occupation, compensation, and projected growth for each profession. Economic and workforce information is available for various geographic regions. Some careers may require additional training or education.

In addition to the major program, the Medical Sciences program also offers a minor for students in other programs. The minor is competitive with applications reviewed annually. Click the links below to learn more, and to apply. There are also numerous minors and certificates that are designed to integrate into the Medical Sciences program.

College of Medicine, Medical Sciences Minor Website

University Honors Program (UHP)

The UHP is a university-wide program offering enrichment to undergraduate students through experiential, reflective, integrative and interdisciplinary learning. The UHP recognizes that there are many outstanding, high achieving undergraduates who are not admitted to the program as incoming freshmen. We encourage interested UC students to apply to the UHP through the transition admission process during their first or second year.

Opportunities for Academic and Professional Development

Applying for a prestigious fellowship will advance a student professionally and personally, and it signals to future employers that a student has the vision, transformational thinking skills, and drive to make significant contributions wherever their career takes them.

UC’s Office of Nationally Competitive Awards (NCA) is a resource for outstanding students who wish to compete for these highly competitive fellowships. We encourage students to meet with us in their freshman year to identify appropriate opportunities and to receive guidance on developing themselves as competitive candidates. Contact nca@uc.edu to schedule an appointment.

UC Biomedical Research Programs:

The Medical Sciences program also provides numerous experiential learning opportunities in research, service learining, clinical shadowing, and healthcare exploration. Certain opportunities may incorporate paid positions.

Explore unique opportunities, faculty, and resources available in Undergraduate Program in Medical Sciences

The University of Cincinnati and all regional campuses are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Contact Information

Kevin Haworth, PhD
CVC 3939
231 Albert Sabin Way
Cincinnati, OH 45267
(513) 558-3536
kevin.haworth@uc.edu

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Program Code: 26BAC-MEDS-BS