Medical Physiology (MEP), MS
Master of Science in Medical Physiology (MEP) Program
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Overview
Admissions and Requirements
Courses You’ll Take
Tuition & Fees
Program Overview
The online Master of Science in Medical Physiology (MEP) Program enhances students’ knowledge of physiology, the study of the function, mechanisms and biological processes that underpin the living human body, to set them up to meet their professional and educational goals.
Students choose the online Medical Physiology (MEP) program to:
- Enhance their knowledge in the areas of physiology.
- Increase their competitiveness for admissions into doctoral programs, medical school or health professional school.
- Gain exposure in teaching health-related sciences.
The MEP Program is designed to be completed in two consecutive semesters, or one academic year for full-time students. Part-time students have up to five years to complete the program.
The Medical Physiology (MEP) Program is designed for students seeking:
- Undergraduate college and university adjunct teaching positions, as well as junior/community college teaching positions in physiology.
- Improved competitiveness for admissions into physiology (or physiology-related) Ph.D. program.
- Enhanced knowledge into physiology to improve their rank and earning potential in physiology-based, basic science and/or clinical research laboratories.
- A broadened and deeper knowledge base in physiology to pursue medical school or health professional school admission.
With no research or thesis requirement, this program offers a flexible way to earn a master of science in medical physiology.
Career Outlook:
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in healthcare occupations is projected to grow 16% from 2020 to 2030, much faster than average for all occupations.
A master’s degree in medical physiology opens the doors to many career options, including:
- Research Coordinator
- Community College Professor, Adjunct Professor
- Research Manager
- Biomedical Scientist
- Clinical Researcher
- Clinical Scientist
- Exercise Physiologist
- Health Professions Education
- Healthcare Administration
- Pharmacologist
- Physician's Assistant
- Medical Sales Representative
Admissions and Requirements
To be accepted to this program, you must have:
A Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree. Preferably in a science-related field, from an accredited undergraduate institution.
Completed coursework
Students should have completed the following undergraduate courses: biochemistry, calculus, physics and 2 semesters of biology.
A written personal statement
A one-page personal statement describing the applicant’s career goals and interests in the field of physiology.
3 letters of recommendation
Official transcripts from all previous schools
3.0 GPA (recommended)
To apply to this program:
- Prospective students must apply for admission through the UNMC Graduate Studies application website.
- The MS in Medical Physiology Program Committee reviews applications, conducts interviews and makes admission decisions on a rolling basis.
Courses You’ll Take
Course Information
The 30-credit hour, non-thesis, distance learning-only MS in Medical Physiology program is designed to be completed in two consecutive academic semesters (i.e. 9 months) by full-time students. Part-time students will be allowed to complete the MS in Medical Physiology degree over a maximum of five consecutive years. To receive the MS degree, students are required to pass a Comprehensive Exam and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA on the required curriculum.
Core Courses
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MEP 803 | Cell Physiology and Signaling | 3 |
This lecture and discussion-based course provides an introduction to the fundamental concepts of how cell signaling regulates cell function. Emphasis is placed on cell receptors located in the plasma membrane (G protein-coupled receptors, cytokine receptors, receptor tyrosine kinases, etc.) and the downstream signaling events triggered by ligand-receptor interactions. Students will learn and discuss via research manuscript presentations how intracellular signaling events impact cell physiology and contribute to human disease. | ||
| MEP 806 | Medical Physiology | 7 |
This course is designed to provide the graduate student with an understanding of the fundamental principles of human physiology. Major topics to be covered include cell physiology, neurophysiology, the physiology of the musculoskeletal system, cardiovascular physiology, renal physiology, respiratory physiology, gastrointestinal physiology, endocrinology, and reproductive physiology. Students will also gain experience in applying these concepts to medical conditions in which physiological homeostasis is perturbed. | ||
| MEP 810 | Basic Concepts in Scientific Writing | 3 |
A lecture and discussion-based course focusing on recognizing and enumerating best practices and tools needed to prepare and revise research manuscripts, posters, technical and clinical reports, fellowship/grant applications, and other scientific communications. Although assessment of a student's individual writing skills is not the focus of this course, at the end, the student will be able to apply the knowledge gained to their own future compositions. | ||
| HPTT 801 | Foundations in Health Professions Education | 3 |
This course presents the basic concepts and processes of curriculum and instruction, including learning theories, curriculum planning, teaching modalities, and curriculum evaluation. Topics are selected to give students a basic understanding of pedagogy. Evaluation is based on weekly discussion posts and papers. | ||
| BIOS 806 | Biostatistics | 3 |
This course is designed to prepare the graduate student to understand and apply biostatistical methods needed in the design and analysis of biomedical and public health investigations. The major topics to be covered include types of data, descriptive statistics and plots, theoretical distributions, probability, estimation, hypothesis testing, and one-way analysis of variance. A brief introduction to correlation and univariate linear regression will also be given. The course is intended for graduate students and health professionals interested in the design and analysis of biomedical or public health studies; not intended for Ph.D. students enrolled in the Biostatistics Graduate Program. | ||
| MEP 807 | Medical Pharmacology for the Physiologist | 3 |
This course is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of principles of pharmacology and to enhance critical thinking and assessment skills. Major topics to be covered include receptor pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, drug metabolism and interactions. Focus will be given to understanding pharmacology principles that relate to the treatment of cardiovascular, renal, pulmonary, and endocrine diseases.
Prerequisite: For students not enrolled in the Medical Physiology Master's Program, permission from the course director is required.
| ||
| MEP 901 | Advanced Topics in Physiology | 2 |
This course is designed to provide students with a detailed understanding of complex physiological and pathophysiological responses. The emphasis will be on medical physiological problems and the pathophysiology associated with various diseases. Sessions will be composed of various modalities including lecture, paper reviews and small group problem-based learning using clinical case scenarios. Some sessions will involve computer-assisted teaching and on-line simulations. | ||
| MEP 916 | Molecular Mechanism of Cardiovascular Pathophysiology | 3 |
This course is designed to provide students enrolled in the non-thesis online Master's Program in Medical Physiology with an understanding of the current advances in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases including heart failure and hypertension. This course will provide an in-depth understanding of molecular, regulatory and physiological aspects of cardiovascular diseases. Topics cover a wide variety of cardiovascular regulatory processes at the physiological level, including autonomic regulation and neural control, microcirculation, and frontier areas of translational research including microRNOmics, redox biology, adaptive autophagy and mitophagy, cardiac proteomics, and cardiac remodeling. Knowledge gained in this course will be helpful for students planning careers in medical sciences, exercise physiology, biological sciences and translational research. | ||
| HPTT 802 | Instructional Design for Health Professions Education | 3 |
This course focuses on the fundamentals of instructional design for developing highly effective instruction. Topics include the science of how people learn, learning situations and characteristics, task and needs analysis, development of goals and objectives, principles of design process, assessment strategies (formative and summative), and concepts of design for a variety of environments and instructional modalities. | ||
Tuition & Fees
Nebraska Residents
Per Credit Hour
- Tuition
- $597.00
- Fees
- $41.25
- Total
- $638.25
3 Credit Hours
- Tuition
- $1791.00
- Fees
- $123.75
- Total
- $1914.75
Out of State Residents
Per Credit Hour
- Tuition
- $597.00
- Fees
- $41.25
- Total
- $638.25
3 Credit Hours
- Tuition
- $1791.00
- Fees
- $123.75
- Total
- $1914.75
Note: Student Access and Student Success Fees of $60.00 are assessed each semester.
About Faculty
University of Nebraska online courses are taught by expert faculty who embody the qualities resulting from research experience and professional/field experience. Students learn from faculty with a variety of backgrounds, many of whom are published researchers in their fields. NU faculty who teach online do so in a way that optimizes learning within the online modality and because technology enables students to access education they may otherwise may not be able to pursue.
Application Deadlines
- Fall SemesterJul 01