Health Professions Education, MS

The Master of Science in Medical Education Program is designed to help academically oriented health care professionals enhance their education, strengthen their teaching skills, and expand their ability to facilitate the learning process of students and residents in a variety of clinical teaching environments. This program is typically completed over 2 years of part-time study. Alumni of this program have gone on to make valuable contributions to the field of medical education, many of them through leadership positions in top training programs across the country. 

Institute for Clinical Research Education 
200 Meyran Ave., Suite 300 
412-586-9632 
Fax: 412-586-9672 

Email: icre@pitt.edu 
Learn more. 

Admissions 

Admissions Criteria 

• Candidates must have completed one of the following degrees: MD, DDS, DMD, DO, ND, OD, PharmD, PhD, DNS in nursing, PhD with clinical responsibilities, or other professional degree as deemed appropriate by the selection committee. 

• Candidates must have a clinical appointment within UPMC (faculty, fellow, or resident) and/or an academic appointment within a University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences school, since successful participation in and completion of our courses depend on having clinical and classroom environments in which to teach, concurrent with the program. 

• Candidates must have a high level of interest in and potential for the pursuit of innovative medical education as a major focus of their career plan. 

• Candidates must be based in departments that ensure adequate protected time to participate in courses and complete a research project during their pursuit of the degree. 

• A minimum GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale 

• TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo scores (when applicable) 

• GRE and MCAT scores not accepted 

Timeline 

The Master of Science in Medical Education Program has two application cycles per year. The application period for the Spring Term occurs from September 1 through October 31. The application period for the Summer Term occurs from December 15 through February 28. In order to guarantee that you are considered for admission, we must receive your application and all component parts by the last day of the admission cycle. Students will be notified via email of admission decisions 1-2 months following the close of the application cycle. 

Financial Assistance 

The Institute for Clinical Research Education does not provide financial aid. Unless students have other funding sources, they are responsible for covering the tuition costs, taxes, and fees associated with their course enrollment. 

Degree Requirements 

The University requires the successful fulfillment of a minimum of 30 credits for awarding a Master of Science in Medical Education. The degree is granted upon the completion of a tightly integrated curriculum with three components: (1) coursework plus observed teaching activities focusing on adult learning, classroom and clinical teaching skills, curriculum development, innovation in medical education, professional development, and medical administration; (2) additional courses to provide trainees with fundamental research skills; and (3) a project on curriculum development or a mentored research project. 

Core Curriculum 

All Master of Science trainees in the Medical Education Program enroll in 11 required courses that cover the fundamental aspects of the field of medical education. Below are the required courses: 

MEDEDU 2005 - COMPUTER METHODS FOR CLINICAL RESEARCH  

MEDEDU 2010 - CLINICAL RESEARCH METHODS  

MEDEDU 2020 - BIOSTATISTICS  

MEDEDU 2040 - MEASUREMENT IN CLINICAL RESEARCH  

MEDEDU 2080 - MASTERS RESEARCH  

MEDEDU 2100 - ENHANCING TEACHING SKILLS  

MEDEDU 2111 - FUNDAMENTALS OF ADULT LEARNING PART 1  

MEDEDU 2120 - PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT  

MEDEDU 2125 - ASSESSMENT OF MEDICAL LEARNERS  

MEDEDU 2130 - CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT & EVALTN  

MEDEDU 2140 - SCIENTIFIC WRITING & PRESENTATION SKILLS (ONLINE)      

Electives 

Trainees choose elective coursework to reach the required 30 credits. These courses may be offered through the Medical Education or Clinical Research program. 

Independent Research Project 

Trainees pursuing the Master of Science in Medical Education are required to complete a substantive research project. This thesis requirement can take the form of a curriculum development project, survey research, qualitative research, or other type of research project. The trainee must be the principal investigator for their thesis project and plan to publish their research in a peer-reviewed journal. 

More Information 

To learn more about the Medical Education Academic Programs, please visit the program  page and review the  program handbook