The MD/MS in Bioethics and Medical Humanities is a dual degree program that allows medical students at Tulane School of Medicine to earn a Master of Science in Bioethics and Medical Humanities alongside the MD. The two degrees are awarded separately, and each maintains its own academic requirements and standards.

The MS in Bioethics and Medical Humanities requires 30 credit hours. Students in the dual degree program may not apply MD credits toward the MS; all credits must be earned through approved graduate courses in the program.

This 30 credit hour program, leading to a Master of Science in Bioethics and Medical Humanities, is completed concurrently with the MD. All coursework is normally finished during the first two years of medical school. The MS is awarded at the same time as the MD and adds no additional time to the standard four years of medical education.

The structure of the program is designed to align with the medical school schedule. MS courses are offered on Wednesdays and Fridays after 1 pm, when students do not have classes at the School of Medicine. These afternoons are reserved in Years 1 and 2 for dual degree students and for medical student electives. In addition, students complete bioethics coursework during the summer before beginning medical school and during the summer between their first and second years. This scheduling model allows students to complete both degrees without interfering with required MD coursework.

Students in professional schools may also complete the program in a one year format during a gap year, allowing them to graduate with both the MD and the MS in a total of five years.

The core courses provide essential grounding in the foundations of bioethics and medical humanities, current controversies in health care ethics, and the social and ethical contexts of health care decision making. Participation in hospital rounds emphasizes the practical realities of clinical ethics, and a capstone seminar integrates the program’s courses with one another and with students’ professional experiences. The program also offers elective courses, and with permission, other relevant courses from departments across Tulane University may be taken as electives. Students may focus on either bioethics or medical humanities and, upon graduation, are well suited for roles on clinical ethics committees, ethics consultation services, institutional review boards, and for teaching ethics and medical humanities in medical schools and related settings.

Applicants interested in additional information on MD degrees, contact the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs:

Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (CST)
Phone: 504-988-5331
Email: medsch@tulane.edu

For Master Programs in Biomedical Science information, contact bms@tulane.edu.

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Dual Degree Code Validation: MDMS}

For more information, please review our program at medicine.tulane.edu/bioethics.

Feel free to contact us at TulaneMedicalEthics@tulane.edu.