Pre-Health Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program

September 18, 2015

Dr. Abigail Panter

Senior Associate Dean

Office of Undergraduate Education

Steele Building, Room 3010

Campus Box 3504

Chapel Hill, NC

27599-3504

Dear Abigail and CAS Administrative Board Members:

I am writing in support of the proposal to create a Pre-Health Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program at

UNC-Chapel Hill. This program provides an exciting opportunity for UNC-Chapel Hill to assist non-

degree-seeking students to succeed in medical and health science careers.

My participation in a planning meeting this summer regarding this initiative, combined with review of the

market analysis initiated by the Friday Center for Continuing Education, leads me to believe there is

ample room in the market for this type of certificate program in North Carolina. There is a strong

likelihood that the program at UNC-Chapel Hill could increase graduate school placement rates for

students pursuing careers in medicine and health science.

The Friday Center has committed to providing administrative support and academic advising services,

and the Department of Biology has offered to serve as the home academic department. The Summer

School Office, along with the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, Math, and Physics are all supportive

and have concluded they can accommodate the extra students, and that their impact on campus resources

will be minimal.

Attached please find a detailed program proposal, a market evaluation, and several letters of support from

other constituents. We look forward to taking the next step in enhancing UNC-Chapel Hill’s offerings to

North Carolina’s future medical and health science practitioners.

Sincerely,

Kevin Guskiewicz, Ph.D.

Kenan Distinguished Professor, Exercise and Sport Science

Senior Associate Dean, Natural Sciences

August 26, 2015

Ms. Stephanie Schmitt

Graduate School

UNC-Chapel Hill

Dear Stephanie:

The Department of Biology endorses the proposal to create a Pre-Health Post-Baccalaureate

Certificate program. The Friday Center’s recently conducted market survey showed that only

four North Carolina higher education institutions have Post-Baccalaureate certificate programs

aimed at meeting the needs of students who would like to fulfill requirements for medicine,

dentistry, and other health-professional schools. Existing programs in North Carolina report a

high demand for their programs. The Friday Center concludes, based on their survey as well as

their own advising experience, that there is room in the market for a UNC-Chapel Hill program.

The proposed program would target non-degree-seeking students and offer coursework and

advising. Students would be required to complete five courses of their choosing, tailored to the

requirements of their particular professional school. Between the academic year and summer

sessions, the Department of Biology teaches courses that students require: from introductory

biology to genetics and cell biology. There are 6 courses that we offer that meet the needs of

pre-health students. Four of these courses are taught every fall and spring, and six are offered

every summer. Students would have access to these courses in our department and others, and

the Friday Center would handle advising as well as assistance with placement.

The department is aware of the potential impact on classroom and faculty resources. Because we

already teach a small number of post-baccalaureate students in our classes, encapsulating these

students under the classification of a certificate program will not significantly impact our resources.

Even if added to our existing numbers of post-baccalaureate students, the impact of a small number

of additional students would be negligible compared to our substantial undergraduate population.

The Department of Biology supports this proposal for the creation of the Pre-Health Post-

Baccalaureate Certificate Program

Sincerely yours,

Victoria L Bautch, PhD

Beverly Long Chapin Distinguished Professor and Chair of Biology

Monday, July 6, 2015

Timothy R. Sanford

Director of Credit Programs

2007K Friday Center, 1020

Chapel Hill, NC

27599-1020

Dear Tim,

The Chemistry Department endorses the proposal to initiate a Pre-Health Post-

Baccalaureate Certificate program. Our department offers a number of courses that are

important to students interested in medical and health science careers, and we agree

that it is important to, in a more formal manner, recognize the achievements of post-

baccalaureate students in these courses.

Such a program will also provide a tailored framework for these students with respect

to coursework, as well as provide academic advising, which will further assist in

helping students achieve their goals.

The Chemistry Department enthusiastically recommends that this program be

approved.

Sincerely,

Joseph L. Templeton

Venable Distinguished Professor and Interim Chair

Cc: Alexanian

Completed and approved applications should be submitted to:

Stephanie Schmitt, Associate Dean for Academics, [email protected]

Updated: July 20, 2010

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Certificate Program Application Form

Please use this application form as a guide for your Certificate Program proposal.

Name of Proposed Certificate Program: Pre-Health Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program

Sponsoring Academic Unit: Biology

Administering Unit, if different: William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education

Primary Contact Name: Dr. Robert G. Bruce

Address and CB #: Friday Center for Continuing Education, CB #1020

Phone Number: 919-962-2646 Email: [email protected]

First Term the Certificate Would be Offered: Spring 2016

1. Describe the Certificate Program and provide a statement of educational objectives.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Pre-Health Post-Baccalaureate Certificate

Program prepares college graduates and career-changers to enter the health-related workforce in

North Carolina (medical technologist, laboratory technician, biologist, etc.) and/or to seek

admission to medical schools and other professional schools in health-related fields (dentistry,

nursing, pharmacy). Educational objectives include:

• Increasing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education

• Increasing medical school, professional school, and graduate school placement rates

within the UNC System

• Enabling career change by providing science courses to students who have a minimal

academic science background

• Creating an opportunity for those students seeking post-graduate health-related course

work at Carolina

2. Include a statement about the need for such a Certificate Program, and specifically why

there is a need to offer this Certificate at UNC-Chapel Hill. Is the Certificate offered at

other universities or community colleges?

An Educational Advisory Board EAB study (attached) was recently conducted on behalf of

UNC-Chapel Hill to investigate the market demand for post-baccalaureate pre-medical/health

program certificates in North Carolina. The report revealed that, while the state of Virginia offers

nine such programs, only four are offered in North Carolina—none through UNC-Chapel Hill

(page 8). Programs reviewed at peer institutions showed high demand and competitive

admissions. In addition, Friday Center advisors are frequently asked for assistance in crafting a

plan of study for students interested in pursuing post-baccalaureate study in preparation for

health-related degree applications.

3. Describe the demographics of the target student population for the Certificate

Program. Double click each box that applies and describe the intended audience.

Undergraduate Students

Graduate Students

Professional Students:

Degree-seeking, Matriculated Students

Non-Degree-Seeking Students

The target student audience includes non-degree-seeking college graduates and career-changers

who seek to enter the health-related workforce in North Carolina (medical technologist,

laboratory technician, biologist, etc.) and/or seek admission to medical schools and professional

schools in health-related fields (dentistry, nursing, pharmacy). These students will be special,

non-degree-seeking post-baccalaureates.

4. Why is the Certificate Program necessary beyond offering the program as a minor,

supporting area, or specialization/concentration/track?

Because the program is targeted specifically at non-degree, post-baccalaureate students, it cannot

be offered as a minor or concentration. Similar certificate programs reviewed in the EAB study

showed high graduate school placement rates. Students who are offered a certificate with

competitive admission criteria will have the opportunity to earn necessary college credits in

prerequisite areas of study and will serve as a competitive pool of applicants to UNC-Chapel Hill

health-related professional and graduate programs as well as similar programs at other

universities.

5. Provide specific courses and other requirements for the Certificate Program. Separate

listings of courses may be included with the proposal.

Five courses in math and science will need to be completed in order for students to earn the Pre-

Health Post-Baccalaureate Certificate. Students must earn a B or higher grade in each

undergraduate course (those numbered below 400); for courses numbered 400 and higher, a P or

H must be earned. Students will not need to earn specific credits within math and science;

instead, students will take courses appropriate to their goals with academic advisors available to

guide them into concentrations based on academic and career goals as needed. See the attached

“Prerequisites for Health-related Degree Programs” for examples of specific courses available.

The UNC Summer School will also provide courses.

Examples of courses likely to be taken by the students are:

• Biology 202, 205, 252, 352, 353, 422 & 422L, 474 & 474L

• Chemistry 102, 241 & 241L, 261, 262 & 262L, 430

• Math 231

• Microbiology 25, 255

• Physics 114, 115, 116, 117

• Physiology 202

• Psychology 215

• Statistics 151, 155

6. Provide a statement on the relationship of the Certificate Program to degree programs

within the unit(s). To what extent will requirements for the Certificate overlap with

requirements for bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees? Confirm how course credit

transfer policies will be applied to students.

There is no overlap with degree programs. Given the flexibility of the five courses required,

transfer credits into the certificate program are not allowed. To earn the certificate, students must

take five courses at UNC-Chapel Hill in the STEM areas after being admitted to the certificate

program.

7. Will the Certificate Program be offered jointly with another university? If yes, describe

the relationship with the joint unit.

8. Will the Certificate Program be offered on campus, as a distance education program, or

a combination? Describe any distance education components in detail.

The Certificate Program will be offered primarily on campus through the College of Arts and

Sciences and the UNC-Chapel Hill Summer School. If online courses are available, students will

be given the option of enrolling in online formats. Academic advisors will advise students on the

acceptance and transferability of online credits, especially in relation to science labs and medical

school.

9. Describe the admissions criteria and process in detail. Differentiate between processes

for degree-seeking students and non-degree-seeking students, where applicable.

Include information about residency for tuition purposes as needed.

In order to be admitted, the applicant must have a four-year college degree from an accredited

college or university with at least a 3.0 GPA and must have completed the introductory

chemistry and biology courses (CHEM 101, BIOL 101) and associated labs with at least a B

average.

Admission will be managed by the Friday Center’s Part-time Classroom Studies office using

existing procedures and the current application fee for post-baccalaureate students. In the first

year, qualified students will be admitted on a rolling basis up to the maximum of 20. In

subsequent years as the program grows, applications will be held for review at a set date, and the

most qualified admitted up to the maximum enrollment set for that year. The number admitted

may increase to 30 or 40 depending on the success of the program. All admitted students to the

program will be part-time, non-degree, post-baccalaureate.

No transfer credits from courses taken prior to entering the certificate program will be accepted

as outlined above.

Residency for tuition purposes will be administered per University policy through the Office of

the University Registrar. Tuition rates will be the current rates set by the UNC Board of

Governors for Part-time Classroom Study students during fall/spring semesters; for courses taken

through UNC-Chapel Hill’s Summer School, students will pay the Summer School tuition rates.

10. Provide a three-year, semester-by-semester projection of enrollments and course

offerings.

This is difficult to project because of the flexibility students will have to tailor their own

curriculum. Some students may concentrate their coursework in Biology while others may take

Biology, Chemistry, Math, and Psychology. Most students should complete the certificate in a

single academic year including summer sessions, so a large increase in University enrollments is

not expected. Also, with only 20 students admitted into the certificate each year and those

students spread across 20 or more courses, the impact on any single course or department should

be relatively modest.

The table below shows the variety of courses that students might take as they work on the

certificate. As stated above, there is no set curriculum that students must complete; the five

courses required can come from any of the STEM areas guided by the student’s desired outcome.

Most students will complete the certificate in one year.

Example:

Semester

Courses*

Projected Enrollment

Spring 2016

BIOL 202; CHEM 102, 241 & 241L; Math 231; PSYC 215; STAT 151; PHYS 114

3 students per course

Summer 2016

BIOL 252/276, CHEM 261

2 students per course

Fall 2016

CHEM 241; PHYS 114 or 116; BIOL 352, 353; STAT 155

3 students per course

Spring 2017

BIOL 202; CHEM 102, 430; PHYS 114, 115; PSYCH 215; STAT 151

3 students per course

Fall 2017

CHEM 262, CHEM 262L; PHYS 116/117; BIOL 422 & 422L; Math 231

3 students per course

Spring 2018

BIOL 202, 205; CHEM 102, 241 & 241L; Math 231; STAT 155; PHYS 114

3 students per course

11. Provide a three-year projection of the Certificate Program’s financial plan. Include the

impact on campus resources, such as classrooms and instructional faculty/personnel.

Also include plans for tuition and billing, if separate from standard rates across schools.

There will be minimal impact on campus resources (classroom, faculty, or staff) because the

Certificate Program will admit only a modest number of students who will take a variety of

already existing courses offered across a number of departments as mentioned above. Standard

tuition rates will be used.

The Friday Center will charge a non-refundable application fee of $260 for the Certificate

Program. This will cover the ongoing cost of advising, student services, and administration.

This fee will be proposed to the Friday Center Credit Programs Academic Administrative Board

which approves student fees charged by Credit Programs (application fee, education &

technology fee, etc.).

12. List all faculty members who will be responsible for planning and participating in the

Certificate Program. Programs are encouraged to provide advising for students

through the identification of one faculty member as the director of the Certificate.

No individual faculty will have any specific role in the certificate given the broad flexibility of

the courses students may choose; however, the following department representatives will provide

academic and administrative guidance for the program.

Summer School: Dean Jan Yopp

Biology: Dr. Corey Johnson

Friday Center Administrative: Dr. Tim Sanford

Friday Center Academic Advising: Ms. Jennie Brooks, Dr. Melissa Solomon

Friday Center Academic Advisors will be available to students who are seeking advice about the

certificate and the courses needed to apply for admission to the various health professional

programs. Also, the advisors will help students who are seeking to improve their skills for

professional growth or career change.

13. Describe the evaluation plans for the Certificate Program.

Student success will be measured by retention/completion rates, surveys of student satisfaction

with the certificate, successful medical/professional school applications, and job placement. Each

student’s success will be tracked by advisors throughout the program and afterwards to

determine if students are attaining the results they desired when they enrolled in the certificate.

14. Appropriate letters of support should be included with the proposal. All units

sponsoring and participating in a Certificate Program should approve the proposal and

provide support letters, including letters from units supporting the Certificate through

resources (e.g., faculty time, course slots). Approval letters from the home school

should accompany the proposal submitted to the Graduate School for final approval.

Support letters are attached (Friday Center, Summer School, Biology, Chemistry)

COE Forum

An Analysis of Common Practices and Trends in Pre-Med/Health

Programs

Market Demand for a Post-

Baccalaureate Pre-

Medical/Health Program

eab.com

Market Research Brief

COE Forum

Tom Scott-Sharoni

Market Research Associate

John Griffin Dowdy

Market Research Manager

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Table of Contents

1) Research Methodology ....................................................................................................................... 4

Project Challenge .................................................................................................................................. 4

Methodology and Definitions ................................................................................................................. 4

Project Sources ..................................................................................................................................... 5

Profiled Institutions ................................................................................................................................ 5

2) Executive Overview ............................................................................................................................. 6

Key Observations .................................................................................................................................. 6

3) Program Structures ............................................................................................................................. 7

Program Characteristics ........................................................................................................................ 7

Competitor Programs ............................................................................................................................ 8

Degree Level Considerations ................................................................................................................ 9

Advisors and Features ........................................................................................................................ 10

4) Student Profile and Outcomes ......................................................................................................... 11

Student Background ............................................................................................................................ 11

Student Employment Opportunities .................................................................................................... 12

Appendix A: Networking Contacts ....................................................................................................... 15

1) Research Methodology

Leadership at the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill approached the Forum as

they considered launching a new post-baccalaureate pre-med/health certificate program.

Through a combination of qualitative interviews with administrators of peer and

competitor programs and quantitative data analytics, the Forum sought to assess the

market viability of a new post-baccalaureate pre-med/health certificate program.

The Education Advisory Board’s market research function provides insights which guide

strategic programmatic decisions at member institutions. The Forum combines

qualitative and quantitative data to help administrators identify opportunities for new

program development, assess job market trends, and align curriculum with employer

and student demand.

EAB reports rely primarily on labor market data from the Burning Glass Labor/Insight

tool (description below). Reports occasionally use data from the United State Census

Bureau and United States Bureau of Labor Statistics to explore occupation and job

trends. Market research reports may also incorporate Integrated Postsecondary

Education Data System (IPEDS) to assess student enrollment, demographics, and

completion rates across competitor programs.

Methodology: Unless stated otherwise, this report includes data from online job

postings from January 2014 to December 2014. The Forum identified top titles, skills,

employers, and locations for post-baccalaureate and master’s-level students in the pre-

med/health and biomedical science fields in the North Carolina region.

Definitions: ‘Regional data’ and the ‘North Carolina Region’ refer to Virginia, North

Carolina, and South Carolina. California State University—Fullerton and the

University of California—Davis are abbreviated to ‘CSU Fullerton’ and ‘UC Davis’ in

this report. ‘Academic enhancer’ is occasionally shortened to AE. ‘Career changer’ is

occasionally shortened to CC.

Methodology

and Definitions

Project

Challenge

The Education Advisory Board’s Partner for Real-Time Labor Market Data

This report includes data made available through EAB’s partnership with Burning Glass

Technologies, a Boston-based leader in human capital data analytics. Burning Glass

Technologies specializes in the use of web spidering technology to mine more than 80

million online job postings and analyze real-time employer demand. Under this

partnership, EAB may use Burning Glass’s proprietary Labor/InsightTM tool to answer

member questions about employer demand for educational requirements, job titles, and

competencies over time, as well as by geography. The tool considers job postings

“unspecified” for a skill, industry, employer, geography, certification, or educational

requirement when the job posting did not advertise for one of these particular job

characteristics. Unspecified postings represent null values and should be excluded from

the total number (n value) of job postings analyzed in the query. A more complete

description of the tool is available at http://www.burning-glass.com/products/laborinsight-

market-analysis/.

For more information about the Labor/Insight

tool, please contact Kelly Bailey,

Business Development Manager, at kbaile[email protected] or 732-800-2484.

The Forum consulted the following sources for this report:

▪ EAB’s internal and online research libraries (http://eab.com)

▪ The Chronicle of Higher Education (http://chronicle.com)

▪ National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (http://nces.ed.gov/)

▪ American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) (https://www.aamc.org/)

The Forum interviewed program directors and administrators at the following institutions:

A Guide to Institutions Profiled in this Brief

Institution

Location

Approximate

Institutional Enrollment

(Undergraduate/Total)

Classification

California State

University—

Fullerton

Pacific

(Suburb;

Large)

33,000 / 38,300

Master’s Colleges

and Universities

(larger programs)

Johns Hopkins

University

Mid-Atlantic

(City; Large)

6,100 / 21,000

Research

Universities (very

high research

activity)

University of

California—Davis

Pacific

(Suburb;

Small)

26,500 / 33,300

Research

Universities (very

high research

activity)

University of

Delaware

Mid-Atlantic

(Suburb;

Large)

18,500 / 22,100

Research

Universities ( very

high research

activity)

Source: National Center for Education Statistics

Profiled

Institutions

Burning Glass

Labor/Insight™

Project

Sources

2) Executive Overview

The North Carolina market appears open to a new post-baccalaureate pre-

medical/health program. Institutions in Virginia host at least nine post-baccalaureate

pre-medical/health programs, while institutions in North Carolina host only four. Most

profiled programs report acceptance rates of less than ten percent, an indication of high

student demand to enroll. Pre-medical/health programs are usually in-person, which

limits space within current programs.

Profiled pre-med/health certificate programs have high graduate school placement

rates. All profiled programs’ placement rates are above 70 percent, significantly better

than the medical school and graduate school placement rate of undergraduate students

who apply directly to medical and graduate schools. Most programs incorporate some

unique element to help promote their students, which ranges from study abroad to

participation in some medical school courses. Contacts believe these promotion

strategies allow students, many of whom have previously applied to medical school, to

increase their odds of acceptance.

Academic advisors are essential in ensuring high placement rates for graduates

of pre-medical/health programs. Profiled programs high student placement rates are

in part due to the constant supervision and assistance academic advisors provide

students. Many programs require students to meet with an advisor or program

coordinator as a group once a week and participate in individual meetings every few

weeks.

Most students enrolled in pre-medical/health programs wish to attend medical

school upon graduation. Only around 30 percent seek a different path and become

dentists, physical therapists, or nurses. Administrators at Johns Hopkins University

only accept students who wish to attend medical school. These administrators believe

the focus on medical school hopefuls allows them to ensure higher placement rates.

Some programs incorporate their post-baccalaureate programs into a master’s

program of biomedical science or other related field. Students in post-

baccalaureate/master’s programs who are unable to enroll in a medical or other

graduate school after their first year enrolled may choose to continue their studies and

attain a master’s degree in biomedical science. Contacts believe a graduate degree is

much more useful in the search for post-graduate work than a post-baccalaureate

certificate is.

Some programs are classified as post-baccalaureate programs in order to charge

students the undergraduate tuition rate. Contacts believe that cost is a key factor

students consider when they decide where to apply for a post-baccalaureate program.

By classifying their work as post-baccalaureate, students can take courses otherwise

unavailable to them without paying the higher graduate tuition rate.

Key

Observations

3) Program Structures

Choose Between an Academic Enhancer Program and a Career

Changer Program to Target Desired Audience

The two types of pre-medical post-baccalaureate programs that exist serve different

audiences. ‘Career changer’ programs focus on students who have minimal science

background and enable students to take the courses they need to apply to medical or

graduate school. ‘Academic enhancer’ programs center on students with a sufficient

educational background to apply to medical or graduate school, but whose academic

profile or performance necessitates continued coursework to be competitive in the

application process. Both types of programs are generally small, but career changer

programs mostly enroll students in basic undergraduate science courses, while

academic enhancer students take graduate-level course work. Some academic

enhancer programs offer students the chance to earn a master’s degree if they are not

accepted to medical school after completion of their post-baccalaureate coursework.

Program Characteristics of Profiled Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical/Health

Programs

CSU Fullerton

Johns Hopkins

University

UC Davis

University of

Delaware

Academic

Enhancer or

Career

Changer

Both

Academic

enhancer

Academic

enhancer

Admissions

Requirements

Chemistry pre-

requisites, letter

recommendation

3.0 GPA, us

citizen or

permanent

resident,

calculus

experience

2.7 GPA, California

resident,

educationally or

socially

disadvantaged,

medical school pre-

requisite courses

3.0 GPA, two

letters of

recommendation,

medical school pre-

requisite courses

complete

Tuition

$450/credit

$35,296 total

NA, though most

receive significant

financial aid

$5,450/ semester

in-state

$14,625/ semester

out-of-state

Number of

Credits

Variable, 2

semesters + 1

summer’s worth

26-44

Modality

In-person

In-person (cohort)

In-person

Acceptance

Rates

10% for AE

20% for CC

8.3%

Retention

Rates

90%

High

Near 100%

High

Placement

Rates

90-92%

Near 100%

82%

75%

Source: Forum interviews and institution websites

Program

Characteristics

All programs require

a prior bachelor’s

degree, with

academic

enhancers requiring

ones in a relevant

pre-med field. All

programs enroll

fewer than 40

students.

All Profiled Programs Only Offer In-Person Courses

All contacts fear that an online or hybrid program would fail to serve students effectively.

Contacts voiced concerns that medical school admissions officers view online courses

skeptically, especially lab courses. Further, some expressed concern that online courses

might lead to students not fully dedicating themselves to their studies. Programs are

extremely rigorous and most administrators forbid students to work while enrolled and

often discourage part-time students. However, if UNC Chapel Hill could successfully

establish a hybrid or online program, it would be unique in the North Carolina region.

Pre-Medical/Health Programs in the North Carolina Region

Institution

Program Name

Credits

Tuition (in-

state/out-of-

state) per

semester

Hampton University

Medical Science Master’s

Program

$472 / credit up to

9 credits or

$9309/ semester

Eastern Mennonite

University

MA in Biomedicine

$850 / credit up to

8 credits or

$8,400/ semester

Georgetown

University and George

Mason University

Advanced Biomedical Sciences

Graduate Certificate Program

Both

$15,400

Liberty University

Master of Science in Biomedical

Sciences

$520 / credit

Eastern Virginia

Medical School

Medical Master’s Program

Both

24 or

$11,750 / $13,250

The George

Washington

University

Pharmaceutical Sciences

Program

$19,750

Virginia

Commonwealth

University

Premedical Graduate Certificate

Program

$12,500

Edward Via College of

Osteopathic Medicine

Post-baccalaureate Pre-medical

Program

$8,000

University of Virginia

Post-baccalaureate Pre-medical

Program

$13,092 / $15,983

Wake Forest

University

Post-baccalaureate Pre-medical

Program and Master’s of

Biomedical Sciences

30-36

$17,682

Meredith College

Pre-health Post-baccalaureate

Certificate Program

Both

Guilford College Post-

Baccalaureate pre-

health program

Post-baccalaureate Pre-Health

Program

UNC at Greensboro

Pre-medical and Pre-dental

Post-baccalaureate Program

North Carolina State

University

Interdisciplinary Physiology

Graduate Program

$3,811 / $10,655

Medical University of

South Carolina

Biomedical Science Graduate

Program

$6,490 / $10,128

USC Medical School

Graduate Certificate in

Biomedical Sciences

$7,875 / $10,500

Source: Institution websites and the AAMC

Competitor

Programs

Virginia

North Carolina

South Carolina

Consider the Differences between a Graduate Certificate, Post-

Baccalaureate Certificate, and Master’s Degree Program

Pre-medical/health programs exist in many forms. While post-baccalaureate certificate

programs are most common, many institutions structure programs as part of master’s

degree programs (particularly academic enhancer programs). Contacts at the

University of Delaware note that a stackable credential ensures that students who do

not successfully enroll in medical school may receive a degree that will help find a job

upon graduation. Nearly all contacts believe that a stand-alone post-baccalaureate

certificate puts students on the level of a bachelor’s of science graduate (if a career

changer program). Some programs, particularly academic enhancer programs, classify

their programs as graduate certificates.

Top Skills Employers Demand of Post-Baccalaureate Students

January 2014 – December 2014, North Carolina Region

n= 2,170 total job postings, 0 unspecified

Source: Burning Glass Labor/Insight

Top Skills Employers Demand of Biomedical Science Graduate Students

January 2014 – December 2014, North Carolina Region

n= 1,946 total job postings, 0 unspecified

Source: Burning Glass Labor/Insight

Degree Level

Considerations

Number of Job Postings

177

191

194

196

250

254

280

299

306

350

446

563

751

765

886

0 200 400 600 800 1,000

Good Laboratory Practices (GLP)

Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)

Immunology

Cell Biology

Data Management

SAS

Data Analysis

Experiments

Mathematics

Validation

Biostatistics

Molecular Biology

Chemistry

Biology

Biochemistry

Other

Biology

Number of Job Postings

209

211

216

224

239

256

269

310

358

416

480

497

559

626

0 200 400 600 800

Collaboration

Neuroscience

Bioinformatics

Epidemiology

Experiments

Statistics

Mathematics

Validation

Data Analysis

SAS

Chemistry

Molecular Biology

Biology

Biostatistics

Biochemistry

Other

Biology

Skills required of

graduate students

focus more on

advanced practice

skills (e.g.,

‘bioinformatics,’

‘biostatistics,’

‘epidemiology’) than

those required of

undergraduates.

Undergraduates

skills appear slightly

more basic (e.g.,

‘good manufacturing

practices’ and ‘good

laboratory

practices.’

Require Students to Meet with Advisors Every Couple of Weeks

Students at UC Davis must take a seminar in which the program coordinator meets with

students weekly to discuss their courses. Seminars also allow staff to bring various

health care professionals on site to provide perspectives on coursework and network

with students. Students also must also attend social hours every week or two to ensure

students do not become too competitive, and take time to relax. Finally, students are

required to meet with their advisors every few weeks to focus students’ attention on their

goals and provide students with the necessary support with the graduate school

application process.

Techniques Used by Universities to Improve Placement Rates

Advisors and

Features

University of

Delaware

Administrators strongly advise students to take a wide

variety of courses, including courses on history,

women’s studies, and psychology to understand health

care issues from a wide range of perspectives.

Administrators also encourage students to study abroad

to improve their academic profile.

Johns

Hopkins

University

Several courses are taught by physicians who can

assist students with letters of recommendation for

graduate school. Administrators also permit students to

attend medical school courses and occasional observe

clinical work.

UC Davis

Administrators bring together students from socio-

economically disadvantaged backgrounds in a cohort

model and require students to spend time with one

another to improve performance and reduce

competition.

CSU Fullerton

Advisors help write reports or articles to improve their

students’ profile and help facilitate letters of

recommendation.

4) Student Profile and Outcomes

Students’ Educational Background Do Not Provide Clear Guidance

for Marketing and Outreach Efforts

The career changer program at CSU Fullerton equally attracts students with

educational experience in psychology, sociology, business, and the humanities. The

career changer program at Johns Hopkins University attracts students with math,

psychology, and related social science degrees, as well as students with business

degrees. Academic enhancer programs, by their very nature, only enroll biology,

chemistry, or physics graduates who have fulfilled graduate school pre-requisites.

Academic enhancer students typically enroll immediately after completion of their

undergraduate degree and after an unsuccessful attempt to enroll in graduate school.

Graduates with Two to Five Years of Experience Display the

Greatest Interest in Career Changer Programs

Students enrolled in the Johns Hopkins University career changer program average

25 years of age, with three to four years of work experience. These students have often

had some professional exposure to a health related field.

Student Post-baccalaureate Program Selection Considerations

Student

Background

Fit and Feel

Cost

Networking and

Placement Rates

Potential Post-

Baccalaureate

Students

Most contacts believe location is

unimportant, except to ensure in-state

tuition. Forbidden from any work while

enrolled, students do not care about the

effect a program has on their current job.

Students care whether an institution is the

right “fit” for them. Students in academic

enhancer programs are particularly likely

to consider fit, as they have only just

finished their undergraduate careers.

Students understand graduate or medical

school is expensive. Students want to save

on post-baccalaureate program expenditures,

though many will ignore cost if they believe a

program will ensure successful graduate

enrollment.

Students consider the odds that a post-

baccalaureate program investment will get

them into a graduate or medical school most

important. High placement rates and good

networking opportunities entice students to

apply.

Geographic Location

Employer Demand for Bachelor’s-Level Biomedically Qualified

Employees Slightly Exceeds Demand for Graduate-Level Employees

Though a large majority of students would like to enter a graduate program upon

completion of a pre-medical/health programs, many job opportunities exist for those who

do not matriculate onwards.

Top Titles for Post-Baccalaureate Biomedically Prepared Students

January 2014 – December 2014, North Carolina Region

n= 2,170 total job postings, 0 unspecified

Source: Burning Glass Labor/Insight

The top three titles for post-baccalaureate student employment are ‘medical

technologist,’ ‘laboratory technician,’ and ‘biologist.’ Most available jobs to students with

a post-baccalaureate level of education are technical or assistant level work in university

and private sector laboratories and firms.

Top Employers of Post-Baccalaureate Biomedically Prepared Students

January 2014 – December 2014, North Carolina Region

n= 2,170 total job postings, 423 unspecified

Source: Burning Glass Labor/Insight

Student

Employment

Opportunities

Number of Job Postings

0 20 40 60 80

Development Associate

Data Analyst

Research Associate

Research Technician

Sales Specialist

Quality Control Analyst

Programmer/Analyst

Microbiologist

Industrial Hygienist

Registered Nurse

Chemist

Biostatistician

Biologist

Laboratory Technician

Medical Technologist

Number of Job Postings

110

0 50 100 150

Yale University

Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center

Grifols

Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.

United States Department Of Defense

Merck & Company

University of Virginia

Medical University Of South Carolina

Novozymes

Quintiles

Biogen Idec

Basf

Department of Veterans Affairs

University of North Carolina

Pharmaceutical Product Development

Private Sector

Public Sector and

Universities

The top three titles for graduate-level biomedical students are ‘biostatistician,’ ‘medical

technologist,’ and ‘biologist.’ Generally, positions available to graduate students are

higher level than those for bachelor’s and post-bachelor’s students. There are also

relatively more public sector and university jobs available to applicants with graduate

degrees.

Top Titles for Graduate Level Biomedical Students

January 2014 – December 2014, North Carolina Region

n= 1,946 total job postings, 0 unspecified

Source: Burning Glass Labor/Insight

Top Employers for Graduate Level Biomedical Students

January 2014 – December 2014, North Carolina Region

n= 1,946 total job postings, 272 unspecified

Source: Burning Glass Labor/Insight

Number of Job Postings

120

0 50 100 150

Scientist

Clinical Manager

Industrial Hygienist

Data Analyst

Research Scientist

Development Associate

Statistician

Epidemiologist

Programmer/Analyst

Research Associate

Chemist

Registered Nurse

Biologist

Medical Technologist

Biostatistician

Number of Job Postings

146

0 50 100 150 200

Blue Cross And Blue Shield Of North Carolina

Syngenta

North Carolina State University

Glaxosmithkline

UNC Health Care System

Quintiles

Basf

Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University

George Mason University

Virginia Commonwealth University

University of Virginia

Novozymes

Pharmaceutical Product Development

Department of Veterans Affairs

University of North Carolina

Private Sector

Public Sector and

Universities

On both the graduate and undergraduate level, the Durham-Chapel Hill, Raleigh-Cary,

and Washington D.C. metropolitan statistical areas host the largest number of available

job postings. Employers in North Carolina post by far the most jobs, with 1,421 postings

compared to Virginia’s 635 and South Carolina’s 114. The relative number of job

postings between Virginia and North Carolina would indicate NC’s four extant programs

underserve North Carolina. Virginia hosts nine programs yet has less than half the

number of job postings North Carolina does.

Top Locations for Post-Baccalaureate Biomedically Qualified Students

January 2014 – December 2014, North Carolina Region

* Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

n= 2,170 total job postings, 0 unspecified

Source: Burning Glass Labor/Insight

Top Locations for Graduate Level Biomedical Students

January 2014 – December 2014, North Carolina Region

* Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

n= 1,946 total job postings, 0 unspecified

Source: Burning Glass Labor/Insight

Number of Job Postings

171

209

365

675

0 200 400 600 800

Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC

Columbia, SC

Roanoke, VA

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA

Greensboro-High Point, NC

Wilmington, NC

Winston-Salem, NC

Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville, SC

Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC

Charlottesville, VA

Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC

Richmond, VA

Washington D.C.*

Raleigh-Cary, NC

Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

Number of Job Postings

104

245

255

620

0 200 400 600 800

Greenville, NC

Columbia, SC

Winston-Salem, NC

Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville, SC

Roanoke, VA

Greensboro-High Point, NC

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA

Wilmington, NC

Charlottesville, VA

Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC

Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC

Richmond, VA

Washington D.C.*

Raleigh-Cary, NC

Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

Appendix A: Networking Contacts

California State University—Fullerton

Brandy Schaal

Program & Administrative Units Manager Pre-Health Professions Certificate Program

657-278-7269

[email protected]u

Johns Hopkins University

Alex Tran

Director Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program

616-867-5309

[email protected]u

University of California—Davis

Lorena Ruedas

Post-Baccalaureate Program Coordinator

530-754-6033

lorena.ruedas@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu

University of Delaware

David Barlow

Director Center for Premedical/Health Profession Studies

302 831-3030

[email protected]