Strengthen your foundation in the sciences with TouroCOM’s Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies in Biological and Physical Sciences. Through an intensive biomedical curriculum, you’ll build the academic foundation and skills needed to succeed in medical school.
In this one-year program, you’ll take rigorous courses in biosciences, ethics, and health and human behavior. Completing the program can strengthen your candidacy for medical, PA, PT, OT, podiatry, and pharmacy programs, including osteopathic medical programs such as TouroCOM's DO program.
TouroCOM’s MS program is offered across three campuses. Although the curriculum is consistent, each location offers a different learning format and student experience.
The Montana MS program offers in-person and remote learning with a requirement to complete at least 51% of coursework in the student’s chosen modality. This hybrid program is designed not only to strengthen your academic foundation but also to build study strategies and time management skills. Many graduates describe the program as a strong bridge into the DO curriculum, helping them adjust to the pace and volume of medical education.
The Harlem MS program is rigorous and delivered entirely online. All sessions are synchronous, allowing you to engage directly with faculty and classmates in real time while maintaining the flexibility of a remote format. This structure is well-suited for students who are self-motivated and comfortable managing an intensive academic workload.
The Middletown MS program offers a fully in-person, on-campus learning environment with direct access to faculty and facilities. Middletown students may also participate in MasterSIM, a hands-on internship program that provides early exposure to clinical simulation, medical education, and mentorship.
Students get to work within the simulation center, engage with peers and professors, and gain practical experience that goes beyond the classroom. Many MasterSIM participants go on to matriculate into the TouroCOM DO program and pursue careers in clinical and academic medicine.
“I’m very thankful for this program. It really prepared me to transition into the DO program. I had been out of school for two years, and it helped me learn how to study again and bridge the gap between the volume of material and the pace.”
- Madison Gill (MS '25, DO Class of 2029)
Courses are intensive and strengthen your foundation in the basic sciences. Lectures and supporting materials are posted on Canvas (the official learning management system at Touro) to allow for live class sessions to focus on discussion, quizzes, and active learning.
The 42-credit program takes two semesters to complete, and provides a well-rounded, broad-based education taught by experienced medical school faculty, preparing you to apply to medical, PA, PT, OT, podiatry, or pharmacy programs.
This course is designed for the osteopathic medical curriculum as an introduction to the structure and function of the human body throughout the lifespan. Our main goal in building this course is based on the firm belief that Clinical Anatomy is the cornerstone for medical practice and in physical diagnoses. Our course incorporates problem based learning which tends to develop clinical reasoning in students in their infancy.
This course is the foundation for other courses. The initial lectures are given in a systemic format which allows for transition into regional anatomy. The systemic lectures will cover basic anatomic terminology, osteology, arthrology, angiology and neurology. Lectures in regional Anatomy will follow starting with Back and Limbs.
As a fundamental preclinical course, this subject conveys basic principles and phenomena which define how the human body works at the molecular level. Topics include protein structure, enzyme kinetics, and metabolism of amino acids, fats, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. A basic understanding of these issues lays the groundwork for making insightful diagnoses of disease states and managing the treatment of illnesses effectively. Knowledge of these subjects is reinforced through discussion groups, iTunes pre-recorded lectures, descriptive PowerPoint slides, and evaluation of actual medical cases. The goal of this course is to comprehend the overall integration of the metabolic pathways into the coordinated operation of the body chemistry as a unit responding to environmental conditions and biological needs.
Physiology is the study of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of living organisms. It seeks to explain and describe how we function at a cellular level, by the integration and overlap of many functions of the systems of the human body, as well as its accompanied form. It is achieved through communication, which occurs in a variety of ways, both electrically as well as chemically. A thorough understanding of the basic science is necessary for the subsequent study of pathology and managed care. The emphasis of this course is on integration of recurrent physiological concepts.
This course is designed to provide a comprehensive and fundamental understanding of basic physiological concepts, by a correlation of interactive based learning, and quiz sessions with discussions of clinical cases, which will promote critical thinking and prepare students for medical conditions encountered in a clinical setting. The class is divided into groups (Group A & Group B). Group A will meet at 11am and Group B will meet at 4pm of each week for quiz sessions. Course material will be presented in a recorded didactic format. The information is cumulative and therefore it is critical listen to the scheduled audio lecture and keep up with the assigned reading material prior to class. Questions, during and after class sessions are encouraged, as it is intended to make for an interactive process.
This course is divided into two (2) parts. The first part (Fall semester): Introduction into the cell and the nervous system, and an integration of the cardiovascular, respiratory, and renal systems. The second part (Spring semester) emphasizes on the gastrointestinal, endocrine and reproductive system, and an introduction to pharmacology.
Histology is the study of the microscopic anatomy of tissues and organs in the human body. The objective of this course is to have the student develop a systemic thinking process necessary for identifying histological specimens and to correlate the structural detail with specific functions. The student’s mastery of histology is essential for comprehending general pathology, which will commence in the spring semester.
General pathology is the study of disease, the expression of structural and functional abnormalities of tissues and organs. In this course students will integrate their knowledge of histology towards understanding the causes (etiology) and mechanisms (pathogenesis) underlying disease in general. General pathology is prerequisite to the study of systems pathology and clinical medicine.
This course will examine contemporary topics in medical law and ethics (DNR orders, ethics issues in research, treating minors, truth telling, advanced directives, cultural issues in medicine, physician aid in dying, and professionalism). A case will be presented during class, followed by a discussion by the instructor and students. The current literature/recommendations referring to the specific issue will be evaluated during these interactive sessions.
This course is designed for the osteopathic medical curriculum as an introduction to the structure and function of the human body throughout the lifespan. Our main goal in building this course is based on the firm belief that Clinical Anatomy is the cornerstone for medical practice and in physical diagnoses. Our course incorporates problem based learning which tends to develop clinical reasoning in students in their infancy.
This course is the foundation for other courses. The initial lectures are given in a systemic format which allows for transition into regional anatomy. The systemic lectures will cover basic anatomic terminology, osteology, arthrology, angiology and neurology. Lectures in regional Anatomy will follow starting with Back and Limbs.
The Human Genome Project has determined that humans have about 20,000 genes, as opposed to the previously estimated 100,000 genes. The unraveling and analysis of our “genetic architecture” will provide us with greater insight into understanding and identifying inherited and acquired diseases since most diseases involve changes in gene structure and expression. The medical genetics cases series illustrate key genetic principles, applications, pathogenic mechanisms, and clinical manifestations (phenotype) of selected diseases. Additional pertinent information, screening and diagnostic tests will be discussed. The cases (some common; some rare) will encompass several topics: Single gene disorders, mutations in cellular proteins, inborn error of metabolism, mitochondrial DNA mutations, pharmacogenetic disorders, cytogenetic disorders, ecogentic disorders, and genomic imprinting.
Physiology is the study of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of living organisms. It seeks to explain and describe how we function at a cellular level, by the integration and overlap of many functions of the systems of the human body, as well as its accompanied form. It is achieved through communication, which occurs in a variety of ways, both electrically as well as chemically. A thorough understanding of the basic science is necessary for the subsequent study of pathology and managed care. The emphasis of this course is on integration of recurrent physiological concepts.
This course is designed to provide a comprehensive and fundamental understanding of basic physiological concepts, by a correlation of interactive based learning, and quiz sessions with discussions of clinical cases, which will promote critical thinking and prepare students for medical conditions encountered in a clinical setting. The class is divided into groups (Group A & Group B). Group A will meet at 11am and Group B will meet at 4pm of each week for quiz sessions.
Course material will be presented in a recorded didactic format. The information is cumulative and therefore it is critical listen to the scheduled audio lecture and keep up with the assigned reading material prior to class. Questions, during and after class sessions are encouraged, as it is intended to make for an interactive process.
This semester’s curriculum emphasizes on the gastrointestinal, endocrine and reproductive system, and an introduction in pharmacology.
The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to the structure and function of the nervous system. Neuroanatomy is a difficult subject owing to the three-dimensional aspects of constituent structures and the complexity of the associated vocabulary. Once you acquire the terminology, the functional aspects are better appreciated. This course is designed to reflect this approach to learning.
The underlying philosophy of this course is that physicians should understand the sciences of immunology and microbiology as they relate to the practice of medicine. Therefore, the goal is to build a foundation of clinically relevant basic science knowledge that will then be applied to the understanding of the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of infections and immunologically mediated diseases.
This course is designed to examine how behavioral, social, and cultural factors impact human health and illness. This course will cover current topics in health behavior and public health using an interactive, participatory format. The course will cover historical and current topics that are especially relevant today to better understand health and illness. A variety of resources are utilized in class to explore wellness, health, and their relationships in global communities.
The Introduction to Community Service will expose students to challenges in understanding cultural and sexual diversity, as well as associated health disparities as an important factor which may potentiate or inhibit the success of a caregiver in an inner-city or poor rural community. The Instructor and invited professors, researchers, speaker/authors and activists will present general information on cultural diversity and cultural competence to create awareness and sensitivity to these issues. Students will learn to identify the important features of various populations and cultures in order to have more successful interactions, leading to effective patient management and better health outcomes. This process will be conducted in an open forum with all classmates participating at will.
We offer rolling admissions until our application deadline. Because the MS program is offered across multiple campuses, separate applications are required for each location.
Before applying, make sure you meet the academic requirements and have your materials ready, including transcripts, letters of recommendation, and test scores (if applicable).
