First conceived in the early 1980s over a faculty lunch table, BU’s MS in Medical Sciences (MAMS) program has grown to become a renowned Special Master’s Program (SMP) and one of the most successful in the country.
In the early 1980s, faculty from the Boston University School of Medicine Department of Microbiology gathered around a lunch table to discuss a groundbreaking new program, and one that would soon become the school’s Master of Science in Medical Sciences, or MAMS.
According to Glen Zamansky, PhD, the idea was the brainchild of the late Selwyn Broitman, PhD, a professor of microbiology, pathology, and laboratory medicine and later, an assistant dean of the school’s Graduate Medical Sciences (GMS).
Zamansky, who retired in 2020, is the former College of Arts & Sciences assistant dean for premedical studies, director of the Seven-Year Liberal Arts/Medical Education (SMED) Program, and associate professor of microbiology.
“Sel brought these big ideas of a real second chance for students to prepare for, apply to, and go to medical school,” says Zamansky. “[We] gave him a run for his money, but Sel was determined, and it became a feasible program.”
The group envisioned the program with a twofold purpose: to help students reach goals that had previously been out of their reach by providing them with the foundation to do so, and to create a program that would foster growth in the medical school itself.
Officially launched in 1985, MAMS was one of the first SMPs in the country. Since its foundation, MAMS has helped over 4,000 students gain admission to medical schools across the United States.
MAMS Grows by Leaps and Bounds
Originally enrolling around 10 students, MAMS expanded quickly. By the early 2000s, enrollment in the program had increased to an average class size of about 150, with some years admitting even more.
As the program grew, its curriculum took on new elements to bolster student success. MAMS, now a Master of Science degree, introduced an advising program for students and the requirement of a final thesis project. The curriculum also evolved to include small group discussions, giving students the same experiences they would eventually encounter in medical school.
MAMS students primarily graduated with the intention of pursuing an MD or DO medical degree, with some pursuing additional education in physician assistant and dental medicine programs.
MAMS was followed by the creation of new and focused programs for GMS students, such as the Master of Science in Oral Health Sciences (OHS)—which began as a track within MAMS for predental students and eventually became its own degree—and the Physician Assistant program.
Associate Professor of Medicine Gwynneth Offner, PhD, has served as program director since 2010, during which time MAMS has continued to grow and adapt to the changing needs of 21st-century medicine.
“Working with so many bright and talented students has been one of the highlights of my career at Boston University,” Offner says. “They continue to inspire me with their commitment to making a difference in the lives of their future patients, and I am immensely proud of all of their accomplishments.”
A Rigorous Curriculum Meets Evolving Student Needs
According to Karen Symes, PhD, MAMS is a rigorous degree that instills confidence in students that they can one day manage the coursework of a medical or other professional school.
Symes, an assistant dean of MD student affairs who serves as a core instructor and advisor to students enrolled in the MAMS program, says, “The students get to see that they can do it. The volume of information is massive and they’re not just memorizing, they have to apply information. They develop a really good skill set and lots of discipline.”
Current students are required to complete a minimum of 32 graduate credit hours consisting of at least 24 course credits and up to eight credits of research toward a thesis. All students complete the foundational coursework in the first two semesters, with many using the optional second year to gain research and clinical experience.
The program has evolved to further align with the MD program, incorporating different pedagogies and more opportunities for problem- and team-based learning.
The curriculum now includes MCAT preparation, courses in topics such as pharmacology and immunology, and increased exposure to public health, advocacy, and social justice. Students also have more opportunities to gain valuable clinical experience and to work as medical scribes in several Boston Medical Center departments.
“I chose the MAMS program because of its rigorous science curriculum, its research thesis in the second year, and its extensive track record of good outcomes for its graduates, from medical school acceptance to career growth in industry,” says Javi Sanchez, MS, a 2021 MAMS graduate.
Currently a second-year MD student at Yale School of Medicine, Sanchez credits the MAMS program with instilling a “growth mindset” in him along with the ability to “learn for a career and not an exam,” both lessons that he has continued to heed during his medical school career.
“When our students go on to the next step, they have a really strong basic science foundation,” Symes says. “It enables them to fully engage in classes as it gives them time to think about and apply the material effectively.”
Supporting Students Now and into the Future
Support and mentorship are central to MAMS. The program boasts a successful advising system that pairs faculty members with small groups of students, which is especially helpful during the first year of the curriculum and as students apply to medical school.
Maryann MacNeil, MA, a clinical associate professor of anatomy & neurobiology and BU alumna, served as a MAMS advisor for close to a decade, supporting between 11 to 14 students per academic year.
“I knew my advisees inside and out,” MacNeil says. “It was a nice relationship. One of the strengths of the program is the support that students feel, in advising and overall, from faculty.”
Throughout her time at BU and as a MAMS advisor, MacNeil has gained a tremendous respect for students in the program, the majority of whom have entered to better prepare for the challenges of medical school.
“What it always shows me is that these students are resilient, hardworking, and goal-oriented,” MacNeil says.
As MAMS continues to welcome new cohorts of students, the support offered by faculty and staff and the long-lasting camaraderie built between classmates will remain a core part of the program.
Lee Jamison, MD, a 2008 MAMS graduate, noted that while the program was academically the hardest challenge he’d ever faced, it put him in a significantly stronger position to apply to medical school and build a successful career in medicine.
Jamison, who enrolled in MAMS as a nontraditional student, is currently a hematologist-oncologist at Rex Hematology Oncology Associates in Raleigh, North Carolina.
“Everything I have been able to accomplish in my life professionally, from medical school to residency, to a successful career in the United States Army, to my current position as a community oncologist, was built upon the foundation that started with the MAMS program,” Jamison says. “I cannot thank the individuals enough who were responsible for encouraging me and mentoring me along the way.”