Curriculum
What You’ll Learn
The Georgetown Special Master’s Program (SMP) is at the forefront of preparing students for careers in medicine. The program provides a comprehensive medical and graduate education as well as support toward your academic and career goals.
The majority of or curriculum consists of medical courses, mirroring the Georgetown University School of Medicine new medical curriculum. You will learn alongside Georgetown M-1 medical students, receiving the same exams and grading structure. Complementing the medical coursework are graduate courses in an active learning format, allowing you to hone your academic skills before entering medical school and broaden your understanding of biomedical subjects.
Why Georgetown?
Former Georgetown SMP Director Susan Mulroney shares what makes the Georgetown Special Master’s Program special – from an experienced advising team, to an immersive medical curriculum, to the program’s longevity and track record of med school admissions.
Topics covered include:
- Biochemistry
- Physiology
- Microanatomy (histology)
- Embryology
- Medical cardiopulmonary biology
- Medical respiratory and renal biology
- Medical gastrointestinal biology
- Medical endocrine and reproduction biology
- Advanced physiology and pathophysiology (APP)
- Pharmacology
Med School Ready
The Georgetown SMP curriculum gives you the knowledge and experience to succeed in medical school – and tangible proof of mastery to bolster your applications.
- Students complete three medical courses by mid-October and two more by the end of the Fall semester. These courses can be added to your medical school applications.
- Medical biology courses include gross anatomy instruction with innovative non-dissection lab and prosected cadavers. SMP students have a comparable performance on anatomy practicals to that of the medical students.
- All medical courses have integrative case-based workshops and small group sessions to reinforce concepts. The information base builds over the year.
- Students take quizzes each week and exams after about 7-10 weeks of material. You will learn from the start how to make the most of your studying as a medical student and how to reinforce the material. Study skills workshops and TA review sessions supplement course instruction, and our faculty are always available to help through rough spots.
- SMP students’ grades are based on the medical school grading curve. At Georgetown, medical students are graded on a Pass/Fail curve. SMP students are graded based on the mean and standard deviation of medical students taking the exams.
- A equivalent to top 10 to 15% of medical class performance
- A- or B+ equivalent to next 15 to 20% of the medical class
- B equivalent to majority of first-year medical class performance
- B- or C equivalent to passing but less than satisfactory performance against the medical class, with B- equivalent to low pass
- F equivalent to unsatisfactory performance (no credit given for graduate course)
Formal Linkage with Georgetown University School of Medicine
Students currently enrolled in the SMP will be guaranteed an interview with Georgetown University School of Medicine (GUSOM) if they meet specific academic benchmarks – a 3.5 GPA in the SMP and a minimum MCAT score of 510. Interviewees must also have substantial clinical, service, and research experience. Students who do not meet these requirements may also receive GUSOM interviews at the discretion of the admissions committee.