The School of Medicine and Health Sciences
H. David Wilson, M.D., Dean
HISTORY AND MISSION
The School of Medicine and Health Sciences is composed of a number of different medical,
biomedical research, and other
health-related academic components, which work together to address our mission of educating
and preparing North Dakota
residents as physicians, medical scientists, and other health professionals for service to the
people and the nation,
and to advance medical and biomedical knowledge through research. These components include:
1. A state-wide, four-year curriculum for medical students leading to the award of the
M.D. degree;
2. A set of physician postgraduate medical education programs of 3-4 years in duration
(residencies) leading to
certification in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Surgery and Psychiatry, together with a
one-year program that
addresses several medical specialties;
3. A Continuing Medical Education program to address the career-long need for physicians
and other health care personnel
to continue learning;
4. Graduate programs in the Bio-medical sciences leading to Ph.D. degree, M.S. degree, and
M.D./Ph.D. degree in Anatomy
and Cell Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Immunology,
Pharmacology and Toxicology, and
Physiology;
5. A set of postdoctoral research training programs in the disciplines noted above;
6. Graduate programs leading to M.S. degrees in Physical Therapy and Clinical Laboratory
Science;
7. Undergraduate Programs leading to B.S. degrees in Athletic Training, Cytotechnology,
Clinical Laboratory Science, and
Occupational Therapy;
8. Undergraduate and graduate course work in Anatomy and Cell Biology, Biochemistry
and Molecular Biology, Microbiology
and Immunology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Physiology available to students at UND;
9. A Physician Assistant Program leading to certification after one year for Registered
Nurses who have at least four
years practice experience.
Each program noted above is fully accredited by its accreditation agency.
The School of Medicine was established in 1905 and offered until 1973 the first two years of
medical education. Students
then transferred to other medical schools for the last two years of medical education and for
receipt of the M.D.
degree. During that time, the school established a strong reputation across the nation for the
quality and professional
attitude of its students, who were welcomed enthusiastically by other medical schools. In 1973,
legislative action
approved a four-year curriculum and authorized the granting of the Doctor of Medicine degree.
This was accomplished in
stages using a 2:1:1 plan where students transferred to other medical schools for their third year
and returned to UND
to complete their final year and to receive the M.D. degree. In 1981 the third year was
established in North Dakota,
providing for a complete in-state medical education program.
The School also established a strong reputation during its early years and continuing today for
the quality of research
and training in the biomedical sciences. Today, the institution is nationally and internationally
respected for its
research and training programs in cancer, cardiovascular and renal disease, environmental health,
metabolic diseases,
alcohol and drug abuse, vision, eating disorders and neuroscience.
The Physicians Assistant Program was established in 1970 and is administered under the
Department of Community Medicine
and Rural Health through the Division of Health Practitioners. In 1949, the Medical Technology
program was initiated
with a B.S. curriculum, adding a M.S. program in 1978. Medical Technology has since changed
its name to Clinical
Laboratory Science. The Occupational Therapy program was initiated in 1956 as a part of the
medical school. After being
stationed in the College of Human Development (HRD) for a number of years, the department
moved back into the medical
school in 1995. The Physical Therapy program was initiated in 1968 and the M.S. degree in
Physical Therapy was added in
1991. The B.S. degree in Athletic Training was approved in September, 1990, by the North
Dakota Board of Higher
Education and is administered under the Department of Family Medicine through the Division of
Sports Medicine.
In 1996, the name of the School of Medicine was changed to the School of Medicine and Health
Sciences to reflect the
importance of all of the components of the school in addressing its mission. Departments
included are anatomy and cell
biology, biochemistry and molecular biology, community medicine and rural health, family
medicine, internal medicine,
microbiology and immunology, neuroscience, obstetrics and gynecology, occupational therapy,
pathology, pediatrics,
physical therapy, pharmacology and toxicology, physiology, radiology, and surgery.
The state-wide educational program of the school is coordinated through clinical campuses based
at Bismarck, Fargo,
Grand Forks, and Minot.
The School of Medicine and Health Sciences issues a catalog biennially containing information
on application to the
medical school, including registration, fees, admissions, standards of scholarship, and courses.
Interested students may
write for the catalog or for other information to the Office of Student Affairs and Admissions,
School of Medicine and
Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, P.O. Box 9037, Grand Forks, North Dakota
58202-9037. Information is also
available concerning all components of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at
http://www.med.und.nodak.edu.
SUGGESTED UNDERGRADUATE COURSES
FOR STUDENTS PLANNING TO STUDY MEDICINE
Four years of college preparation are recommended for students wishing to enter the University
of North Dakota School of
Medicine and Health Sciences, although a degree is not a requirement. The student is free to
select a major in any area
of interest, but must include the following mandatory credits:
Minimum
Semester
Hours
Chemistry 16
Inorganic and Quantitative 8
Organic 8
Biology 8
Physics 8
Psychology/Sociology 3
Language Arts (English, Speech, etc.) 6
College Algebra 3
The University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences recommends that
students take elective courses
that include subjects of liberal arts value such as humanities, economics, psychology and
sociology so that the
student's educational experience will be broad and well-rounded. Computer literacy is also highly
recommended. Students
are urged to see their advisers regularly.
Application for admission to the School of Medicine and Health Sciences must be received no
later than Nov. 1 of the
year preceding desired admission.
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
The following four undergraduate degree programs in health sciences are administered by the
School of Medicine and
Health Sciences. See also the departmental listings which begin on page 58.
Athletic Training
Students can pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training under the direction of the
Division of Sports
Medicine, Department of Family Medicine. This four-year degree is designed to prepare entry
level athletic training
professionals. The academic program is currently accredited by CAAHEP. Graduates are eligible
to take the national
certification test administered by the NATA Board of Certification Inc. Successful completion of
this test allows the
graduate to be called a Certified Athletic Trainer. Application information and requirements are
available from the
Division of Sports Medicine.
Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS)
A four-year academic program leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Clinical
Laboratory Science (formerly
medical technology) was first instituted in 1949. The degree includes two years of pre-clinical
laboratory science
education followed by two years of professional course work. Application for advancement to
the professional education
component must be made during the second semester of the sophomore year. The CLS program
is accredited by the National
Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). Graduates of the program will
be eligible to sit for
several national certification examinations. In addition to certification, some states have specific
requirements for
licensure of clinical laboratory personnel which vary from state to state.
Cytotechnology
The Department of Pathology offers a four-year degree-granting program leading to the Bachelor
of Science in
Cytotechnology. The program has been fully approved by the AMA Board of Schools since 1967
and became a degree-granting
program in 1975. Applications are available from the cytotechnology program director in the
Department of Pathology, and
must be submitted by Jan. 1 for the senior year program beginning the following Fall semester.
Occupational Therapy
The occupational therapy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational
Therapy Education.
Graduates of this four and one-half year program will receive a Bachelor of Science in
Occupational Therapy degree and
will be able to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist
administered by the
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. The student spends the first two
years as a pre-major in
the School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Students are eligible to apply for admission to the
professional
occupational therapy program in the spring of their sophomore year when they are completing
the required
pre-professional course work. A satellite professional level occupational therapy program is
available for Wyoming
residents at Casper College, Casper, WY. Tuition and other information regarding the program is
available by contacting
the Occupational Therapy Department at Casper College (Telephone: 307-268-2541). Wyoming
residents may call
888-699-0006.
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Ph.D. and M.S. programs, and the joint M.D./Ph.D. program are offered in each of the
biomedical science departments.
Professional graduate programs are offered in Physical Therapy and Clinical Laboratory Science.
All of these programs
are described in the graduate school section of this bulletin.
Clinical Laboratory Science
The Division of Medical Laboratory Science in the Department of Pathology offers a Master of
Science degree program in
Clinical Laboratory Science. The degree is a non-thesis option that is offered both on campus and
through
teleconferencing. It provides a broad medical science background as well as experiences in
quality management and
laboratory finance. This curriculum is designed to prepare students for careers as administrative
laboratory directors,
clinical laboratory consultants, technical supervisors or laboratory educators.
Physical Therapy
The physical therapy curriculum is accredited by the American Physical Therapy Association.
The five-and-one-half year
program leads to the degree of Master of Physical Therapy, a rural-oriented first professional
degree.
Applications for admission to the professional program may be obtained from the Department of
Physical Therapy after
Jan. 1, and must be returned by March 1 of the calendar year the student wishes to gain entrance
into the professional
program.
Physician Assistant Program
The Physician Assistant Program is administered by the Department of Community Medicine
and Rural Health through its
Division of Health Practitioners. This 12-month, competency-based certificate program is
accredited by the American
Medical Associations Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation (CAHEA).
Enrollment is limited to licensed
registered nurses with a minimum of three years professional nursing experience and sponsorship
by a practicing primary
care physician. For more information contact the Department of Community Medicine and Rural
Health at (701) 777-2344.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Laboratory Education for North Dakota
The Division of Medical Laboratory Science in the Department of Pathology instituted
Laboratory Education for North
Dakota (LEND) as a joint program with the Department of Microbiology and Immunology in
1978. It has been solely managed
by the Division of Medical Laboratory Science since 1990. The LEND program provides
distance learning opportunities for
laboratory professionals and physicians in all communities in North Dakota to earn continuing
education units (CEUs),
continuing medical education units (CMEs), and undergraduate credit and graduate credit in
clinical laboratory science
through distance learning.
Audio-teleconferencing, videotape, interactive television, INTERNET, and self instructional
written materials are used
to deliver the courses and programs. Students earning undergraduate and graduate credit can
apply the credits earned
toward degrees in Clinical Laboratory Science.
Indians Into Medicine Program
The INMED Program was adopted in 1973 to serve American Indians. Through a
comprehensive recruitment program, INMED
seeks to identify and encourage students with an aptitude for and an interest in health careers.
This recruitment begins
as early as the junior high level. The program is committed to preparing professionals in all
related health care
fields. Each year the School of Medicine allocates places in its first-year medical class to
qualified American Indian
students.
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND
HEALTH SCIENCES FACILITIES
The School of Medicine and Health Sciences has facilities in Grand Forks (the administrative
center of the school),
Bismarck, Fargo and Minot. These regional campuses include a Family Practice Center, library
facilities, and campus
offices. Affiliations with private and public hospitals in the regional campus cities, but also in
less populated cities
throughout the state, provide the clinical base for the study of medicine and the other health
sciences. In Grand Forks
the school has recently completed the initial phase of a building program to house the biomedical
sciences, the Harley
French Library of the Health Sciences, classrooms and offices at the North end of the campus at
the site of what was
formerly known as St. Michael's Hospital. The new additions provide state of the art research
laboratories and learning
space for the programs in health sciences. In the future, a modern animal facility is planned as
well as space for the
Occupational Therapy program.
NORTH DAKOTA MEDICAL CENTER
The Medical Center, created by an act of the Legislature of the State of North Dakota in 1945, is
an administrative
unit of the University. Its purpose is to provide facilities for the "coordination, improvement,
expansion, and
unification of health and welfare activities of the State, its agencies, its political subdivisions and
its private
practitioners." The Center is "concerned with the training of physicians, nurses and all other
personnel concerned with
the improvement and preservation of the health of the people of North Dakota."
The Medical Center includes the School of Medicine and Health Sciences and the USDA Human
Nutrition Research Center.