Professional Science Master’s (PSM) Brochure

Professional Science Master’s Program A career in research that starts now

Contact us Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Admissions Office Phone: 570-504-9068 Text: 570-600-1142 GradAdmissions@som.geisinger.edu geisinger.edu/gcsom

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine is committed to non-discrimination in all employment and educational opportunities.

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The lure of the lab without a PhD If you love the lab and are energized by the prospect of advancing scientific knowledge but don’t relish the lengthy pathway to a PhD, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine’s Professional Science Master’s (PSM) program may be right for you. The PSM is designed for students seeking a graduate degree in science that simultaneously develops the workplace skills necessary in order to obtain a science-driven career in business, government or at a nonprofit.

Understanding both the science aims and the business goals of an employer makes a candidate with a PSM degree an invaluable asset. With a PSM degree, your list of potential employers ranges from large, multinational pharmaceutical companies to startup biotechnology companies.

Preparing you for a scientific research career in academia, industry or government research labs Geisinger Commonwealth’s PSM program prepares you for a job as a research technician or technology specialist in the biomedical research industry, including biotech, life science, pharmaceutical companies, academia or government labs. The 42-credit program includes a graduate thesis research project in which you will demonstrate expert knowledge of biomedical theories and technologies gained in the program.

With your PSM, you will: • Sharpen your critical thinking skills • Learn to foster leadership and to promote scientific integrity • Hone your technical competence • Master safe laboratory procedures and practices

As a successful PSM student, you will be wellversed and experienced in biomedical sciences, and a skilled technical specialist suitable for the jobs now in high demand in government, academic or corporate environments.

Description The PSM is an intense, 21-month program designed to train you to master the techniques necessary to complete biomedical research and prepare you to become an excellent technical specialist in academic and corporate settings.

Due to the small class size, you will enjoy oneon-one relationships with course instructors and researchers. We train you in scientific technology with an emphasis in business so that you will have several career path options within the biotech sector. Geisinger Commonwealth partners with local, regional and national companies interested in giving our Professional Science Masters students marketable, hands-on laboratory experience in an internship setting.

Admissions requirements Applicants to the PSM program must: • Have a bachelor’s degree (BS or BA) in a lifescience field (biology, chemistry, neuroscience, molecular biology or related field) • Complete an online application • Provide two letters of recommendation Qualified applicants will be invited for an interview.

An optional submission of GRE or MCAT score may be made.

Program overview Term 1 • Cell Biology – Three credits • Seminars in Biomedical Science – One credit • Management – One credit • Lab Rotations – Three credits

Doylestown Campus Geisinger Commonwealth partners with the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute (BSBI) to offer our PSM classes inside the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center of Bucks County, an innovative, marketminded biotechnology incubator, located at 3805 Old Easton Road, Doylestown, PA 18902.

The Biotech Center, operated by BSBI, is a multipurpose, state-of-the-art research facility, which maximizes synergies between nonprofit scientists and their commercial colleagues. BSBI is the home of the largest concentration of nonprofit scientists working toward a cure for hepatitis B and liver cancer.

Term 2 • Bioethics – One credit • Epidemiology/Biostatistics – Three credits • Human Genetics – Three credits • Journal Club – One credit • Thesis Research – Four credits

Term 3 • Thesis Research II – Eight credits

Term 4

• Develop key managerial and business skills

• Thesis Research III – Eight credits

• Cultivate collaboration and encourage team-based problem-solving in the lab

Term 5 • Thesis Writing/Defense – Six credits