SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCES
Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences Degree Programs
The School of Medicine and Health Sciences offers programs to prepare health sciences professionals in selected disciplines, emphasizing the interdependent roles of the network of professionals who constitute the health care team.
In addition to the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences degree programs listed below, certificate programs are offered in several areas—some in conjunction with degree programs, others freestanding. All undergraduate health sciences programs are designed for upper-division transfer students who have completed a minimum of 60 credit hours of specified course work at an accredited postsecondary institution.
The Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences may be earned via distance education with majors in clinical management and leadership and in clinical research administration. The didactic course work for the clinical laboratory science major and the concentration in emergency medical services management within the emergency health services major are also provided via distance education. Students must have specified hardware and software and meet the technical requirements outlined on the Distance Learning Programs website www.gwumc.edu/hsci/technical_requirements.
For specific information on the content and requirements of the undergraduate degree programs described briefly below, see www.gwumc.edu/healthsci or contact the Office of Admissions, Health Sciences Programs, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C. 20037.
Pharmacogenomics
The field of pharmacogenomics is emerging as more is learned about the genetic structure in the human body. Students enrolled in the pharmacogenomics major may apply for admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy degree program in Shenandoah University’s Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy; students accepted for admission may be enrolled in the second year of Shenandoah’s Pharm.D. program upon completion of their GW degree. Alternatively, graduates of the pharmacogenomics program are qualified to pursue a graduate degree or work in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical field.
Applicants to the 126-credit-hour major in pharmacogenomics must have a grade-point average of 3.0 in 60 credits of specified prerequisite courses. Requirements for the major include 21 credits of health sciences courses and 45 credits of specified basic science and pharmacogenomics courses.
Clinical Laboratory Science
Clinical laboratory scientists perform and evaluate various laboratory procedures to determine the absence, presence, extent, and basis of disease. As medical investigators, program graduates perform complex examinations on state-of-the-art instruments and computers in the areas of hematology, chemistry, microbiology, immunology, and blood banking.
Students applying to the 120-credit-hour clinical laboratory science program must have satisfactorily completed 65 credits in specified courses, complete a telephone interview, and submit letters of recommendation and an Essential Functions Acknowledgement Form. Once matriculated at GW, students must complete 55 credits in the major, including 15 credits of health sciences courses and 40 credits of specified clinical laboratory science courses. A comprehensive examination is required at the completion of all course work.
Emergency Health Services
Emergency health services personnel may plan and organize programs, supervise emergency department clinicians, assist in projects that require expertise in emergency medical procedures, and function in the network of information systems that is central to emergency care.
All applicants to the emergency health services major must hold certification as an Emergency Medical Technician. Where applicable, the following records should be provided: proof of current participation in an emergency medical services system and photocopies of scores or certificates from national registry examinations or certifying board examinations. Before the first day of classes, students admitted to the emergency paramedicine concentration must submit documentation from a physician attesting to their ability to satisfy the Functional Job Requirements of a Paramedic and must provide proof of immunizations as required by the program prior to the first day of class.
The program requires 126 credit hours, including 60 credits in specified prerequisite courses, 15 credits of health sciences courses, and 51 credits of emergency health services courses specific to a selected concentration either in emergency paramedicine or EMS management.
Clinical Management and Leadership
The major in clinical management and leadership has been developed for health care professionals prepared at the associate’s degree level (e.g., radiographers, respiratory therapists, nurses, medical laboratory technicians) to broaden knowledge and experience in the management and leadership of health sciences services and develop pathways for career advancement.
Applicants must submit documentation of an associate’s degree or equivalent preparation in a health sciences discipline and current professional certification or other appropriate health science credential. The 123-credit-hour degree program includes 30 credits of general education courses, 15 credits in general health sciences courses, and 18 credits of courses specific to the major.
Clinical Research Administration
Clinical research administration is a large and expanding field that involves the processes in which products (drugs, devices, biologicals) and treatment protocols are developed for patient care. This major prepares health sciences professionals to participate in the science and business of developing these patient care products and protocols.
Applicants must submit documentation of completion of at least 60 credit hours of college-level course work and current professional certification or other appropriate health sciences credentials. The 124-credit-hour degree program includes 30 credits of general education courses, 15 credits in general health sciences courses, and 19 credits of courses specific to the major.
Sonography
Using ultrasound technology, diagnostic medical sonographers scan patients to obtain images that help physicians diagnose disease. Students in the bachelor’s degree program develop competencies in at least four subspecialties of ultrasound imaging.
Students applying to the 128-credit-hour sonography program must have satisfactorily completed 60 credits in specified course work, of which up to 48 credits may be from completion of an approved program in diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine technology, radiation therapy technology, or diagnostic medical sonography, provided students hold or will hold current registration during the first semester of study at The George Washington University. In addition to 15 credits of health sciences courses, students must complete 53 credits of specified sonography courses.See Health Sciences in the course listings section for courses that pertain to a secondary field in that subject, offered by the School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
The Doctor of Medicine Early Selection Program
The School of Medicine and Health Sciences offers an early selection program intended to give talented and committed students early assurance of admission to the M.D. program. Students of exceptional promise are chosen for the early selection program at the end of their sophomore year and are expected to modify their planned curriculum for the junior and senior years toward more creative and difficult course choices. Early assurance of admission is planned to provide students the freedom to pursue a rigorous liberal education, while completing minimal premedical requirements without concern for the grade-point average. Specific details about the early selection program are available through the Office of Admissions of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
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