Accelerated 5-Year Bachelor of Science (Biology) to Master of Science (Physician Assistant) Program (BS/MS)

Description

The 5-year BS/MS program at Detroit Mercy, sponsored by the Biology Department and the Physician Assistant (PA) Program, was the first 5-year entry-level PA master's degree program in the state. "Entry level" means that you enter Detroit Mercy as a freshman, and five years later, you graduate with both a Bachelor of Science with a major in Biology and a Master of Science with a major in Physician Assistant.

Our traditional program requires two years after you complete a four-year undergraduate program. Those with a bachelor's degree may apply directly to the graduate program.

Detroit Mercy's 5-year accelerated track in the Physician Assistant program accepts a select number of highly qualified, entering freshmen.

Open All | Close All

  • Ìý

    Program Learning Outcomes

    Please review the catalog page for BS Biology and the MS Physician Assistant for the Program Learning Outcomes.
  • Ìý

    Admission Requirements

    Admission Requirements

    The 5-year accelerated BS Biology/MS Physician Assistant program accepts a select number of highly-qualified entering freshmen. To remain in the program, students must maintain a 3.5 overall GPA and a 3.3 GPA in the sciences. In addition, students must demonstrate maturity, leadership, academic integrity and complete 1,000 patient contact hours before beginning the graduate studies phase of the program. Â鶹APP must pass the following criteria:

    • Current seniors in high school are eligible for admission
    • ACT of 26+ or SAT 1260+
    • Cumulative high school GPA of 3.5+
    • Science and math GPA of 3.5+
    • Participation at Visit Day with a 5-year Physician Assistant Information Session
    • Admission essay and interview
    • Enrollment is capped at 25 freshmen per year
  • Ìý

    Degree Requirements - Bachelor of Science with a Major in Biology (120 credits)

    The first three years of the program comprise the undergraduate Pre-professional phase. The curriculum consists of medically related science courses, along with the components of the University Core Curriculum and general requirements for a bachelor's degree. Â鶹APP in the five-year program cannot transfer in any science classes (with the exception of physics) or PA prerequisite coursework including nutrition, developmental psychology, biostatistics, medical ethics, microbiology or physiology.

    The Professional phase (years four and five) is 24 months of continuous study and consists of additional graduate coursework in the medical sciences and related educational experiences. During the fifth year, students acquire medical expertise through a broad range of intensive clinical rotations, community health education, and health projects with medically underserved communities. Each student completes the course of study with a preceptorship in primary care medicine, and graduates are eligible to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE).

    Required Courses for the Biology Major/Accelerated Physician Assistant Program

    • BIO 1200 General Biology I (3 credits) (meets Core C1 with BIO 1210)
    • BIO 1210 General Biology Laboratory I (2 credits) (meets Core C1 with BIO 1200)
    • BIO 1220 General Biology II (3 credits)
    • BIO 1230 General Biology Laboratory II (2 credits)
    • BIO 2700 Genetics (3 credits)
    • BIO 2040 Applied Nutrition (3 credits)
    • BIO 2900 Biostatistics (3 credits) (meets Core B2)
    • BIO 4210 Microbiology (3 credits)
    • BIO 4220 Microbiology Lab (2 credits)
    • BIO 4630 Physiology (3 credits) (meets Core IT2)
    • BIO 4740 Cellular & Molecular Biology (3 credits)
    • BIO 4801 Adv. Human Anatomy for Pre-Professional Â鶹APP (3 credits)
    • Upper-Level Biology Laboratory (choose one)
      • BIO 3660 Human Anatomy Laboratory (1 credit)
      • BIO 4640 Physiology Laboratory (2 credits)
      • BIO 4750 Cellular & Molecular Biology Lab (2 credits)
      • BIO 4802 Advanced Human Anatomy Lab for Pre-Professionals (2 credits)
    • CHM 1070 General Chemistry I (3 credits)
    • CHM 1080 General Chemistry II (3 credits)
    • CHM 1100 Chemistry Laboratory I (1 credit)
    • CHM 1120 Chemistry Laboratory II (1 credit)
    • CHM 2250 Organic Chemistry Lab I (1 credit)
    • CHM 2260 Organic Chemistry II (3 credits)
    • CHM 2270 Organic Chemistry I (3 credits)
    • CHM 2290 Organic Chemistry Lab II (1 credit)
    • PHY 1300 General Physics I (3 credits)
    • PHY 1310 General Physics Lab I (1 credit)
    • PHY 1320 General Physics II (3 credits)
    • PHY 1330 General Physics Lab II (1 credit)

    Other Required Courses

    • MTH 1400 Elementary Functions (3 credits) or MTH 1410  Analytic Geometry and Calculus I (4 credits) (meets Core B1)
    • ETH 3580 Healthcare Ethics (meets Core F1)
    • PAS 1010 Introduction to the Physician Assistant Profession (2 credits)
    • HUS 4410 Multicultural Understanding (3 credits) (meets Core IT3/4)
    • HSA 4610 Health Care Economics (3 credits)
    • PYC 2500 Developmental Psychology (3 credits) (meets Core C2)

    Core Curriculum

    In addition to the courses required for this program listed above, the student must also fulfill the requirements of the  for this program. Some of these courses may be satisfied by courses in the program. 

    Â鶹APP in this Accelerated 5-Year BS/MS program who continue to the Detroit Mercy Master of Science program in their fourth year have been granted two core course exemptions:

    • Core E1, E2, E3 - one course may be waived.
    • Core D3, IT3, IT4, IT5 - one course may be waived.

    Physician Assistant Courses Required to Complete the BS Biology degree

    Â鶹APP will receive their bachelor's degree in May or August of the first year of graduate-level coursework.  These graduate courses are required to complete the undergraduate portion of the bachelor's degree. Credits from the Master of Science program will be double-counted towards the bachelor's degree to complete remaining Bachelor of Science requirements to reach 120 total credits. 

    • BIO 5450 Advanced Human Anatomy Laboratory (2 credits)
    • HLH 5500 Research Methods in Health Care (3 credits)
    • HLH 5900 Advanced Pathophysiology (3 credits)
  • Ìý

    Additional Requirements

    To remain in the program, students must maintain a 3.5 overall GPA and a 3.3 GPA in the sciences. Â鶹APP are also required to have 1,000 documented hours of patient interaction before beginning graduate-level coursework. In addition, students are required to complete the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) with a score of at least 291.

  • Ìý

    Optional Concentration - Biology Research

    Please review the catalog page for BS Biology for the concentration in Biology Research.

  • Ìý

    Optional Concentration - Applied Genetics

    Please review the catalog page for BS Biology for the concentration in Applied Genetics.
  • Ìý

    Optional Concentration - Neuroscience

    Please review the catalog page for BS Biology for the concentration in Neuroscience.
  • Ìý

    Degree Requirements-Master of Science with a Major in Physician Assistant

    Please review the catalog page for MS Physician Assistant for the degree requirements (68 credits) for the Master of Science. Three of the graduate courses are used to fulfill requirements for the undergraduate bachelor's degree. Additional graduate credits can be used to fulfill the 120 total credits for the undergraduate degree.

Program Contact Information

Biology Office

Stephanie Conant, Ph.D.
Chair of Biology Department
Email: conantsb@udmercy.edu
Telephone: 313-993-1181

Physician Assistant Program

Amy Dereczyk, PA-C, DFAAPA
Chairperson, Physician Assistant Program
Telephone: 313-993-2474
Fax: 313-993-1271
Email: dereczal@udmercy.edu

Detroit Mercy Catalogs


Undergraduate Catalog
2022-2023