We prepare students for their career advancement by providing advanced training in health sciences including biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, microbiology, genetics, anatomy, neuroscience, pathology, pharmacology and physiology. Emphasis is placed on providing individualized counseling, academic skills development including critical thinking and verbal reasoning, as well as rigorous professional development in teaching and project management.
The MHS is a 30-credit-hour program divided into two semesters. Students must have a 3.0 GPA after the spring semester to receive the MHS diploma.
Five pipeline partnerships of the MHS program are in place. One is with the Howard University (HU) College of Pharmacy for Pharm-D, the second is with Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM) for an Early Assurance Program (EAP) for DO degree program, the third is with The Norton College of Medicine at Upstate Medical University (SUNY Upstate) for MHS graduates, the fourth is with the University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine, and the fifth is with the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.
The Master’s in Health Sciences program focuses on educating students in health sciences. The primary objective of this 10-month master’s degree program is to strengthen the participant’s competitiveness for future career advancement, including preparing students to:
The curriculum of the program provides advanced training in the basic biomedical sciences including cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, microbiology, physiology, anatomy, neuroscience, pathology, and pharmacology to prepare students for the rigors of professional programs. Support in academic skills development including verbal reasoning and critical thinking is offered to help ensure the success of students in achieving their career goals.
Beginning in the Fall of 2025, students will have the option to incorporate DAT/MCAT preparation in conjunction with their coursework for the duration of the program through Princeton Review. Students also have the option to participate in laboratory/virtual research during the break between the Fall and Spring semesters. To be considered for admission into medical school or dental school from this program, students should plan to take the MCAT/DAT before the spring semester starts.
Q. What is the start date for the program?
A. Orientation will be held Thursday and Friday July 31st – August 1st, 2025, and classes will start Monday August 4th, 2025.
Q. What are the outcomes data for MHS into medical or dental school?
The overall acceptance rate for School of Medicine is <1.25% (~115 slots for >8,000 applicants). The MHS acceptance rate for School of Medicine (2015-2023) is 64%. The overall acceptance rate for School of Dentistry is ~5%. The MHS acceptance rate for School of Dentistry (2015-2023) is 81%.
Q. I heard a rumor that MHS will no longer be a linkage program to MMC medical school and dental school, is this true?
A. This is not true. The MHS program remains a preparatory program for all other MMC programs. MHS applicants receive an expedited application review by the MMC medical and dental schools, as well as our pipeline institutions; however, admission into any professional program is not guaranteed through our MHS program.
Q. What resources are provided to MHS students?
MHS students have access to a wide number of resources, including but not limited to the library, which has books and other resources available online, tutoring services through the Center for Academic Success and Achievement (CASA), mental health services, and student affairs services. Admissions is a resource, providing information regarding MMC admissions. For the School of Graduate Studies, Ms. Nicolle Patterson is the Director for Professional Development and all resources from her office are available to you. Dr. Ochieng is the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, Dr. Sakwe is the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and Mr. Brandon Battle is the program manager. Brandon will be in frequent contact with you, including check-ins to see how everyone is doing. MHS alumni are a strong resource, including the peer mentoring system. All of the faculty who teach in the MHS program are resources for both health science knowledge and advice. The biggest resource available to you is Dr. Tultul Nayyar, who is a constant source of guidance and support.
Q. For MHS students who are accepted to medical or dental school, how do they do in those programs?
A. Our colleagues in SOD and SOM tell us that our MHS students are at the top of the classes for dental and medical school and come into their programs very well prepared to succeed. This is also true for our students that have been accepted into our Physician Assistant program.
Q. Will MCAT/DAT prep time be provided?
A. Yes. The prep course through Princeton Review will be incorporated into the curriculum throughout the entirety of the program should students elect to particiapte.
Q. Are MCAT/DAT scores required to apply for admission to the MHS Program?
A. No, MCAT/DAT scores are not required. GRE scores are also not required.
Q. What changes are there in the MHS Curriculum this year?
A. There are no changes in the curriculum. We are beta testing the use of Turbolearn to help the students study for their courses and MCAT/DAT. We are also beta testing Labster, a new Anatomy & Physiology lab platform. The courses taken each semester of the 10-month MHS program are as follows:
Fall Semester:
Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, Microbiology, and Physiology
December elective (choose one option: MCAT/DAT preparation of your choice or research)
Spring Semester:
Neuroscience, Anatomy, Pathology, Pharmacology
Q. For the mid-November to mid-January electives, can we pick the research project we want and are there options for virtual research?
A. The answer to both questions is yes. More details will be provided for you regarding the research options in the Fall.
Q. What is the class schedule?
A. Lectures are synchronously scheduled, with classes generally from 8 am to 3 pm on most days. Some days class extends to 5 pm and some days class ends at 12 pm. The Fall classes are completed by mid-November, the elective is from mid-November to mid-January, and the Spring classes are from end of January until mid-April. Your exact schedule will be given to you at orientation.
Q. Are MMC faculty able to write letters of recommendation for MHS students?
A. Yes, and we do.
Q. How do students interact with faculty and the program director as a virtual program?
A. In addition to the lectures and review sessions that are delivered synchronously, MHS faculty are available for virtual office hours. Students email faculty for individual meetings that are set up in Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Facetime, or by phone. For those students who reside in Nashville, meetings can be scheduled to be in person. For urgent matters, Dr. Nayyar and Mr. Battle provide their contact information and you can email or text either of them.
Q. Should I move to Nashville?
A. Residency in Nashville is not a requirement for the MHS program.
Q. Do I have to complete the Life Insurance Beneficiary, Proximity Card forms?
A. Yes. All students must complete the Life Insurance Beneficiary Form. This does not require any action regarding your insurance coverage. The institution carries a policy and must have emergency contact information on file in the case of an emergency for all members of the Meharry community. The Proximity Card form is used to create your campus ID. The ID badge is used for access to all buildings on campus and is recommended by Campus Security if you plan to be on campus for any appreciable amount of time.
Q. Can we waive health insurance if we have it already?
A. Yes. The waiver form can be completed here. You can also reach out to Ms. Sharon Glover, syglover@mmc.edu, for additional questions.
Q. How do I complete my Background Check?
A. The Background Check is initiated via an email from a third-party agency Meharry retains for this service. You will receive an email under separate cover approximately three weeks prior to the start of the academic term. You cannot initiate the background check independently as the Office of Admissions and Recruitment is responsible for supplying the class roster for the company that provides the service.
Q. How do I get through the portal set-up process?
A. The portal set-up process is initiated once an applicant receives an offer of admission from the School of Graduate Studies. You will receive an email directly from the Office of Admissions to begin the set-up process. If you have not received an email please check your spam email before contacting the admissions office. You must enter the correct start term and academic program. Once that has been done, within 24-28 hours you should receive an email prompt to check your portal page. At that time, you should see a checklist item entitled “Reply to Offer of Admission”. Complete that item and then notify the Office of Admissions and Recruitment so that we may verify the portal set-up. Once the set-up has been verified, your portal page should then allow you to submit your enrollment deposit. That is the end of the set-up process. All questions about set-up should be directed to admissions@mmc.edu.
Q. Do I have to resend official transcripts to Meharry if I have already sent them to CAS?
A. Yes, if you are offered admission to a program. The transcripts sent through CAS are fine for evaluation and review but the Offices of the Registrar and Financial Aid require official transcripts as support for eligibility. The preferred method of transcript delivery is electronic to admissions@mmc.edu, but for those whose institutions do not send electronically, the proper address is:
Meharry Medical College
Office of Admissions & Recruitment
Division of Student Affairs
Cal Turner Family Center for Student Education
1005 Dr. D. B. Todd Jr. Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37208
Q. I have not received my last transcript yet, do I still need to send that to you?
A. Yes, send us your final transcript as soon as you receive it. For the application process, the latest transcript available to you is fine.
Nicolle Patterson, MS
Assistant Dean for Student Affairs
Director, Office of Professional Development
npatterson@mmc.edu
Brandon Battle
Program Manager, Biomedical Sciences
bbattle22@mmc.edu
$41,577* per year
*Additional fees apply
