Accelerated Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences Master's Program

The highly competitive, one-year Accelerated Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences (Accelerated iBMS) master’s program track is an accelerated post-baccalaureate pre-medical program in which you can take select pre-clinical medical school courses alongside our first-year School of Medicine students. If you want to improve your chances of getting accepted into medical school, this program can be a tremendous benefit.

Is the Accelerated iBMS a “Special Master’s Program” iBMS

Yes, this is not a post-baccalaureate program in the traditional sense; it is considered a Special Master’s Program or academic enhancer for students who wish to improve their credentials and preparedness for admission to medical school after they have completed the pre-med requirements.

Is the Accelerated iBMS Program Right for Me?

The accelerated track is very competitive, as the program is capped at 25 students per year. Although the coursework is rigorous, our faculty advisors work closely with you to ensure you meet the degree requirements and provide you with comprehensive guidance for your applications to medical school.

Although there is no guarantee of acceptance to NYMC’s School of Medicine (SOM), students who have successfully completed the didactic portion of the program enjoy an impressive medical school acceptance rate of greater than 85 percent.

“What will always stand out to me as the most exceptional and essential component of NYMC, both in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and the School of Medicine, is the level of collaboration and support between its students. One person’s success is everyone’s success. We all do our best to not only get ourselves through this seemingly impossible process, but to make sure we take as many of our peers with us as possible.”

- Jessica Rakonza, M.S. '18, M.D. '18 (Read the full interview here)

Specific Degree Requirements for the Accelerated Program

Courses are completed during one academic year, from August to June. You must maintain an overall GPA of 3.00 or better to graduate with your degree. Although all of the didactic credits can be completed by the end of the spring semester, the Accelerated iBMS program also requires a literature review or thesis project to earn the master’s degree.

The thesis project takes longer to complete and involves lab research in your field of study in a NYMC lab. The literature review can be completed during the summer semester, so you can begin medical school the following Fall semester.

Entering Medical School in the Fall Term

Since some medical schools require completion of the master’s degree before matriculation, the literature review option allows you to graduate in time for admittance. You can complete your literature review by the third week of June and receive your degree in August.

Deferring Entry into Medical School

If you defer entry into medical school for a year following completion of the Accelerated iBMS curriculum you may complete the literature review during the subsequent year.

Admissions Criteria

• Overall undergraduate GPA of 3.1, including a 3.1 GPA in math and science courses
• Undergraduate pre-medical course requirements taken prior to enrollment in the Accelerated iBMS program:
  • English 2 semesters (or equivalent or successful completion of the English requirement(s) at your undergraduate institution)
  • General Biology with lab, 2 semesters (or equivalent)
  • Physics 2 semesters with lab (or equivalent)
  • General Chemistry with lab, 2 semesters (or equivalent)
  • Organic Chemistry with lab, 1 semester only (or equivalent)
  • Biochemistry 1 semester with or without lab (or equivalent)
• A minimum total MCAT score falling in the range of the 70th percentile
• Clinical/research experience
• interview

The Accelerated Master's Program accepts applications directly through the PostBac Centralized Application Service (PostBacCAS) or Touro's Online Application System. Applications are reviewed once they are complete and/or verified.

Guaranteed Interview Agreements

For our master’s students, we have a guaranteed interview agreement with the School of Medicine here at NYMC. Visit guaranteed interviews to learn more about additional guaranteed interview agreements with several colleges and universities.

Kaplan Test Prep

We have partnered with Kaplan Test Prep to allow GSBMS students in good standing to register for one of Kaplan’s MCAT prep courses at a substantial discount from the regular retail price. Online courses are available throughout the year; our academic advisors help you decide if/when such a course would best fit into your schedule and planned application to medical school. If there is sufficient interest, an in-person course with a live instructor can also be arranged.