Dec 14, 2024  
USC Catalogue 2024-2025 
    
USC Catalogue 2024-2025

Global Medicine (MS)


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1333 San Pablo Street
McKibben Hall, MCH 144
Los Angeles, CA 90033
(323) 442-3141

msgm.usc.edu


Program Director: Navid Pour-Ghasemi, MD, MS

The Master of Science in Global Medicine (MSGM) is offered by the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences of the Keck School of Medicine. The program prepares those planning to pursue degrees in the health professions to analyze and address critical issues in global medicine. The program provides a solid foundation in basic science while also exposing students to a broad scope of pertinent issues in global medicine. The program offers an advanced standing option for physicians, dentists, current medical/dental students and applicants with a PharmD degree from accredited institutions. Students admitted to the advanced standing option may use previous equivalent course work for 8 units of credit toward MEDS 503L Core Principles System I  and MEDS 504L Core Principles System II  course requirements. The advanced standing option allows students to bypass the foundation course work and focus on globally oriented course work.

By providing the knowledge and training necessary to address current and future global medical challenges, the MS in Global Medicine program responds to the Institute of Medicine’s recommendation that the education of health professionals include course work that promotes literacy in global medicine. In addition to gaining a strong medical science foundation, students are immersed in course work that examines methods used to create innovative programming, solutions, and responses to global health challenges, thereby furnishing them with the problem-solving skills and analytical frameworks essential to their future career paths. Through partnerships with the Marshall School of Business and the Viterbi School of Engineering, the MS in Global Medicine also includes a Management Track for students who intend to pursue international health management. The MS in Global Medicine also offers the Interprofessional Health Track for students seeking an understanding of the interplay of various clinical specialties in providing comprehensive and integrated care to patients and the resultant impacts on healthcare administration. Upon completion of the MS in Global Medicine, students will be equipped to serve as leaders within the health field, including, but not limited to: medicine, pharmacy, dentistry and nursing. In addition, graduates will be prepared to collaborate with, or seek employment from, a variety of international aid, nonprofit and global health organizations.

Admission

Applicants for admission to the program must have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution and have earned a GPA of 3.0 (A = 4.0) in undergraduate work. Prerequisite undergraduate course work for Clinical Track applicants must include one year of general biology, one year of general chemistry, one year of organic chemistry and one semester of either calculus or statistics. Applicants to the Management and Interprofessional Tracks must have prerequisite undergraduate course work that includes one year of general biology, one year of general chemistry, and one semester of either calculus or statistics. Organic chemistry courses are recommended but not required for Management and Interprofessional Health Track applicants.

Applicants must supply three letters of recommendation from evaluators qualified to assess their potential for graduate work. If applying for the advanced standing option, U.S. applicants must have successfully completed their first year of an MD (Doctor of Medicine) or DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) program or earned a PharmD degree from a U.S.- accredited institute; international applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree in medicine and surgery or a degree equivalent of DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) or a PharmD degree from an accredited institute. Applicants must supply a completed application for graduate studies including transcripts from all institutions previously attended and three letters of recommendation. Applications are considered for enrollment in both fall and spring semesters. For further information contact: Master of Science in Global Medicine Program, (323) 442-3141, email: msgm@med.usc.edu.

Advisement

The program recommends that students meet with an academic adviser of the program each semester prior to registration.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

A graduate GPA of at least 3.0 is required at all times. Any student whose graduate GPA falls below 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. Students on academic probation who do not raise their GPA to 3.0 after two semesters of written notification of academic probation will be academically disqualified. A minimum of 32 units of graduate level course work is required for graduation from the clinical, interprofessional health, and management tracks. A minimum of 24 units of graduate-level course work is required for graduation from the advanced standing option.

Degree Requirements


Global Medicine students in the Clinical, Interprofessional Health, and Management Tracks must complete a minimum of 32 total units to earn the degree. (The Clinical Track offers an Advanced Standing Track option for qualified students that requires a minimum of 24 units).

Students are required to take the core and elective courses specified for the track in which they are matriculating and must complete enough courses to complete 32 or more total units.

Core Courses


GM Clinical Track Core


Clinical Track students must complete the following 12 units of core course work:

GM Advanced Standing Track Core

The Clinical Track offers an Advanced Standing Track to those deemed eligible for the track, including: physicians, dentists, pharmacists, and current medical and dental students who have previously taken course work that is equivalent to MEDS 503L  and MEDS 504L 

Advanced Standing Track students must complete the following 4-unit core course and must select 20 units of MEDS electives.

GM Interprofessional Health Track Core


Interprofessional Health Track students must complete the following 14 units of core course work:

GM Management Track Core


Management Track students must complete the following 7 units of core course work:

Elective Courses


GM Clinical Track Electives


Clinical Track students must complete a minimum of 20 units of 500-level MEDS electives.

GM Interprofessional Health Track Electives


Interprofessional Health Track students must complete a minimum of 18 units of 500-level MEDS electives.

GM Management Track Electives


Management Track students must complete a minimum of 16 units of MEDS electives and 9 units (3 courses) from the following:

Notes:


On a case-by-case basis and with pre-approval, GM students may take classes outside their particular group. 

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