Program Curriculum
Core Curriculum
The core curriculum consists of the following courses:
| Required Core Courses | Credits |
| General Biochemistry, Part I (BIOC-1010) | 4 credits |
| Fundamentals of Cell Physiology (PHYS-1011) | 1 credits |
| Cell Biology (CELL-1360) | 3 credits |
| Responsible Conduct of Research (BMS-2020) | 2 credits |
| Life in Biomedical Research I and II (BMS-3510, 3520) | 4 credits |
| Statistics for Basic Medical Sciences (BMS-1200) | 2 credits |
| PhD Research Rotations (BMS-9110) | 3 credits |
This is a total of 16 didactic credits and 3 research (non-didactic) credits.
First year electives
Students may elect up to 4 additional credits each semester (Fall and Spring) based on their intended major, their specific interests, or gaps in their education. The most “typical” elective choices might include:
| First Year Electives | Credits |
| Mammalian Physiology, I and II PHYS-1010 or 1013, 1020 | 7 credits |
| General Biochemistry, Part II BIOC-1020 | 4 credits |
| Biochemistry of Gene Expression BIOC-1250 | 4 credits |
| Microbiology courses MICRO-1010, 2010, 2110 | 2-9 credits |
Program-specific requirements
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
| Catalog # | Course title | Credits | When |
| BIOC-1250 | Biochemistry of Gene Expression | 4 | Fall, Year 1 |
| BIOC-1020 | General Biochemistry II | 4 | Spring, Year 1 |
| BIOC-2690 | Protein Structure & Function | 3 | Spring, Year 1 |
| Electives | 14 | Year 2 |
Cell Biology
| Catalog # | Course title | Credits | When |
| BIOC-1250 | Biochemistry of Gene Expression | 4 | Fall, Year 2 |
| CELL-1420 | Histology – Cell Biology * | 6 | Fall, Year 2 |
| BMS-1420 | Neural Science * | 8 | Spring, Year 2 |
| Electives | 7-9 | Year 2 |
* Students are required to takes either CELL-1420 or BMS-1420.
Experimental Pathology
| Catalog # | Course title | Credits | When |
| BIOC-1250 | Biochemistry of Gene Expression | 4 | Fall, Year 1 |
| BIOC-1020 | General Biochemistry II | 4 | Spring, Year 1 |
| PATH-1410 | General Pathology | 6 | Fall, Year 2 |
| PATH-1090 | Systemic Pathology | 3 | Spring, Year 2 |
| PATH-1110 | Fundamentals of Animal Research | 3 | Spring, Year 2 |
Microbiology & Immunology
| Catalog # | Course title | Credits | When |
| MICRO-1010 | General Microbiology | 4 | Fall, Year 1 |
| MICRO-1020 | General Microbiology II | 4 | Spring, Year 1 |
| Electives | 5 | Year 2 |
Pharmacology
| Catalog # | Course title | Credits | When |
| PHYS-1010 | Mammalian Physiology I * | 4 | Fall, Year 1 |
| PHYS-1020 | Mammalian Physiology II | 4 | Spring, Year 1† |
| BIOC-1020 | General Biochemistry II | 4 | Spring, Year 1† |
| PHARM-1010 | Pharmacology I | 4 | Fall, Year 2 |
| PHARM-1020 | Pharmacology II | 4 | Spring, Year 2 |
| Electives in pharmacology | 4 | Years 2-3 |
* instead of PHYS-1011. Alternatively, PHYS-1011 plus PHYS-1013.
† Because of the heavy course load, students electing these courses may defer CELL-1360 or BMS-2020 to Year 2.
Physiology
| Catalog # | Course title | Credits | When |
| PHYS-1010 | Mammalian Physiology I * | 4 | Fall, Year 1 |
| PHYS-1020 | Mammalian Physiology II | 4 | Spring, Year 1 |
| BIOC-1250 | Biochemistry of Gene Expression | 4 | Fall, Year 2 |
| BIOC-1020 | General Biochemistry II | 4 | Spring, Year 2 |
| Electives in physiology | 8 | Years 2-3 |
* instead of PHYS-1011. Alternatively, PHYS-1011 plus PHYS-1013.
Typical academic schedule
Fall, Year 1
| BIOC-1010 | General Biochemistry I | 4 credits |
| PHYS-1011 | Fund. of Cell Physiology | 1 credit |
| BMS-3510 | Life in Biomedical Research I | 2 credits |
| Electives | 3-4 credits | |
| BMS-9110 | research rotation #1 | 1 credit |
| Various workshops1 | 0 credit | |
| 10-11 didactic credits + 1 research (non didactic) credit | ||
Spring, Year 1
| CELL-1360 | Cell Biology | 3 credits |
| BMS-2020 | Resp. Conduct of Research | 2 credit |
| BMS-3520 | Life in Biomedical Research II | 2 credits |
| Electives | 4 credits | |
| BMS-9110 | research rotation #2 | 1 credit |
| 11 didactic credits + 1 research (non-didactic) credit | ||
Summer, Year 1
| BMS-1200 | Statistics | 2 credits |
| BMS-9110 | research rotation #3 | 1 credit |
| 2 didactic credits + 1 research (non-didactic) credit | ||
Total first year: |
23-24 didactic credits |
| 3 research rotations (3 research credits) |
Fall, Year 2
| Program requirements & electives | 4-8 credits | |
| Journal club | 1 credit | |
| Pre-dissertation research | 1 credits |
Spring, Year 2
| Program requirements & electives | 4-8 credits | |
| Journal club | 1 credit | |
| Pre-dissertation research | 1 credits |
Summer, Year 2
| Study for qualifying exam | ||
| Pre-dissertation research | ||
| Qualifying exam | ||
| Declare major and dissertation advisor |
Total, years 1 and 2 |
31-40 didactic credits + 2 non-didactic credits |
| 3 research rotations | |
| 2 semesters of pre-dissertation research | |
| qualifying exam | |
| selects program & dissertation advisor |
1 First-year students will receive brief training in laboratory and chemical safety, good laboratory practice, an orientation to the Health Sciences Library and its services, and an introduction to research opportunities at NYMC.