UMCP and UMSOM Launch B.S.-M.D. Program to Bridge Engineering, Data Science, and Medicine

Dual-degree initiative offers early clinical, research, and service experience.

The University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) and the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) have launched a B.S.-M.D. program.This dual-degree program is designed to prepare highly motivated undergraduate students majoring in engineering, computer science, or mathematics to succeed in medical school. The program aims to recruit more engineers and data scientists into clinical professions, helping to bring new skills and perspectives into the future of medicine.

The launch of the new B.S.-M.D. program is supported by a five-year, $12.75 million grant from the University of Maryland Strategic Partnership: MPowering the State (MPower), which connects the world-class strengths in education, research, and technology at UMCP and UMB. 

“The future of healthcare will see a growing utilization of technological innovations that improve how doctors diagnose and treat a range of medical conditions. It is important for engineers and computer scientists to work with doctors and accelerate these innovations, improving the lives of their patients. We are excited to train future leaders at the intersection of engineering, computer science, and medicine to accomplish that goal," said Samuel Graham, PhD, Dean of the A. James Clark School of Engineering. “We look forward to empowering our students with the education and hands-on training to enhance our country’s healthcare system, and people’s lives through innovation.”

B.S.-M.D. students will be able to complete their undergraduate degrees through this competitive and cohort-based program while gaining hands-on clinical experience at UMSOM, participating in community-based service, and conducting research with UMCP and UMB faculty that intersects engineering, data science, and medicine.

“We are excited to accept our first cohort of students who will contribute to the development of lifesaving innovations at the intersection of medicine and technology,” said Ian White, PhD, Professor of Bioengineering at UMCP and Co-director of the B.S.-M.D. program. “Through this pathway, students will have the opportunity to pioneer groundbreaking cures, devices, and diagnostic methods that will directly impact patient lives while preparing for medical school.”

In addition to clinical and service work, students complete a one-year research project related to engineering or data science with a clear healthcare impact. Each student is paired with a faculty mentor, and at the end of the experience, students present their work to the larger B.S.-M.D. cohort.

“We are eager to cultivate a new generation of physicianeers, where doctors utilize their skills as system thinkers using the engineering design process to conceive of a practical innovation to meet a clinical need — whether it’s designing a precision medicine device that can adapt to anatomical differences or developing an AI algorithm to locate patients most in need of preventive care before a natural disaster strikes. Those who pursue dual graduate degrees in engineering and medicine produce patents at a rate 16 times higher than other graduate students, which we are hoping to replicate with our program," said Mark T. Gladwin, MD, UMSOM Dean, UMB Vice President for Medical Affairs, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor.

Throughout the program, students will receive advising on the completion of their pre-med coursework requirements, including balancing courses with service, clinical, and research activities. In their third year, B.S.-M.D. students will take the MCAT and apply to UMSOM the following summer. By completing the program and meeting all academic and program requirements, students will be well prepared to become competitive applicants to medical school.

The B.S.-M.D. program is designed to help students see the connections between data, innovation, and patient care. It also encourages them to think critically about how bias and health disparities impact medical outcomes, especially as technologies such as AI become more pervasive in healthcare. The program aims to build a strong community of learners who are motivated to make a difference.

"It is exciting to have a new program for our talented computer science and mathematics majors who are confident in their commitment to becoming physicians," said CMNS Dean Amitabh Varshney, PhD. "I hope that some of these students explore research opportunities at the University of Maryland Institute for Health Computing, where faculty members use advanced computing to innovate in many areas of healthcare delivery."

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To learn more or apply, visit eng.umd.edu/bs-md-program or contact BS-MD@umd.edu.