Graduate Medical Sciences

Graduate Medical Sciences (GMS) at BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine educates doctoral and master’s degree students and is a recognized leader in research and graduate education in the biomedical sciences. Our more than 900 students can choose from 33 fields of study, with interdisciplinary programs available in many areas. Students may pursue PhD or MD/PhD degrees in 20 different departments and programs. Master’s degrees may be earned in many of these fields, as well as in medical and oral health sciences, mental health counseling & behavioral medicine, clinical investigation, and other scientific and health services-oriented disciplines, including a Physician Assistant Program. GMS continues to offer new master’s programs; the MS in Health Sciences Education was launched in recent years. Certificates are also available in several areas of study.

GMS is located in the historic South End of Boston in the hub of a modern urban academic health center, Boston University Medical Campus (BUMC), which includes the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, the BU School of Public Health, and Boston University’s Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine. Also on campus is Boston Medical Center, one of Boston’s leading teaching hospitals and the primary teaching affiliate of Chobanian & Avedisian SOM. Together, these institutions boast a world-class faculty with many established collaborations between clinical and basic science investigators. This provides a unique opportunity for students to participate in translational and cross-disciplinary research using state-of-the-art core facilities (e.g., imaging, flow cytometry, proteomics, and gene expression analysis).

GMS is dedicated to the professional development and mentorship of all our graduate students. Our programs aim to meet the diverse needs of our trainees by developing their skills in critical thinking, communication, leadership, bioethics, and intellectual property as well as enhancing their professional and career development.

Boston University Medical School has a rich history dating back to 1848, when it began as the New England Female Medical College. Notably, it was the first institution in the world to offer medical education to women and also graduated the first black female physician. In 1873, the medical college merged with Boston University, becoming the first coeducational medical school in the United States.

Chobanian & Avedisian SOM is now home to nearly 1,600 graduate and medical students who have chosen to pursue advanced degrees in an institution committed to excellence in training the scientists, physicians, and biomedical educators of tomorrow.