College: Medicine
Degree: B.S.
Specialized Admission: No
Address: 1115 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306
Phone: (850) 644-1843
Email: IMSadvising@med.fsu.edu
*Please Note: Face-to-face/in-person instruction of this program is available ONLY at the main campus in Tallahassee, FL. This program is NOT available via Online/Distance Learning.*
The Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences (IMS) Bachelor of Science program is designed to provide a broad background to develop the scientific and psychosocial knowledge, and an understanding of the health care team and the health care system. So that students may pursue their specialized and professional interests, three (3) interdisciplinary majors are offered in Clinical Professions; Community Patient Care; and Health Management, Policy & Information. The IMS Program’s rigorous science core curriculum, individualized advising, experiential learning, and developmental seminar and capstone course sequence enable students to reach their potential academically and personally, to determine a career path best suited for them, and to develop the skills, attitudes, and acumen to attain their career goals.
The program includes three to four 1-credit hour seminar courses that engage students with the challenges of health care in community, clinical, political, and research venues. The medical sciences seminar sequence leads to a senior Capstone Course which requires the submission of a scholarly report, an analytical essay on a health care issue, and a poster and/or an oral presentation at a graduation colloquia. The Capstone course meets the Scholarship in Practice and Upper Division Writing general education requirements.
Resources are available to help students locate opportunities in clinics, community service organizations, hospitals, pharmacies, and physician's offices for students to engage in the various ways health care is accessed. Students are required to obtain a minimum of 64 hours of experiential learning hours each academic year for a total of 256 experiential learning hours before graduation. These hours must be approved by the Community Coordinator in advance.
Although housed in the College of Medicine, the curriculum is delivered by seven (7) colleges at FSU. In addition to the College of Medicine, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, the College of Communication and Information, the College of Nursing, the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, and the College of Social Work are IMS degree program partners.
Description of Major
The Clinical Professions major expands and develops the solid science foundation needed to apply to medical school, dental school, physician assistant programs, and a number of other health care professions that require post baccalaureate training. A student’s program-of-study in the Clinical Professions major is dependent upon the health profession the student wishes to enter. Whether it is medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, physician’s assistant or another field, pre-requisites, although similar, are different for each program. Students will meet with advisors to develop their individual program-of-study according to the admissions exams and requirements of their respective program goals.
Honors in the Major
Because health care is a broad field of study and practice and the IMS degree spans seven colleges and numerous departments, an Honors in the Major thesis can be completed in a variety of disciplines. The Honors in the Major topics must be health related and approved by the IMS Honors Director for the College of Medicine.
The Thesis Director for Honors in the Major must be full-time tenured or tenure-track FSU faculty member appointed in one of the FSU colleges approved for the IMS majors and meet the Thesis Director requirements of the University Honors Program.
Honors in the Major requires junior standing, a 3.2 GPA on at least 15 semester hours at FSU and all transfer work, and completion and defense of an honors thesis for 6 hours credit under the direction of a faculty committee. To graduate with honors is a worthwhile distinction. For more information, contact the IMS Honors Director, Dr. Elizabeth Foster or the Honors Program office at (850) 644-1841.
The following are the state-wide common prerequisites. Those in BOLD are the required prerequisites that students must complete for admission into this major at FSU in preparation for the upper division major. Those in ITALIC are strongly encouraged to be taken. Students are encouraged to complete these in the freshman and sophomore years.”
*Students transferring with 60 or more hours should consult with the Mapping Coordinator regarding pre-requisites needed for admission.*
1. BSC X010, X010L Biological Science I and Lab
2. MACX114 Trigonometry
3. CHM X045, X045L General Chemistry I and Lab
4. CHM X046, X046L General Chemistry II and Lab
5. PSY X012 General Psychology
6. MACX105 College Algebra*
7. MACX140 Pre-Calculus
8. BSC X011, X011L Biological Science II and Lab
*MACX105 College Algebra is a required prerequisite to each of the following courses: MACX114, MACX140 and CHMX1045.
The common degree pre-requisites for other similar majors in the State University System list the BSC X010, X010L or PSY X012, as pre-requisites but do not include CHM X045, X045L and MAC X140. BSC X085 and X086 are not required as pre-requisites for entry into the IMS degree program, but will be accepted as fulfilling major elective requirements.
Note: State-wide common prerequisites are always under review. For the most current information and for acceptable alternative courses, visit the “Common Prerequisites Manual.” This is available from the “Student Services” section of http://www.flvc.org .
Admissions Requirements:
Before admission to FSU we highly recommend upper division transfer students complete about 96 -128 experiential service hours in health related fields that are patient-centered and hands-on experiences.
This program is not recommended for students transferring with over 90 credit hours or for students only interested in obtaining the prerequisites for a professional health school.
Major Change Requirements:
Students desiring to change their major into one of the majors in the IMS B.S. program must submit an IMS Experiential Learning Placement Form by the appropriate due date (the 12th week of classes) and must be on track with the appropriate Mapping milestones.
Note: Students may not transfer into an IMS major from another major at FSU or add an IMS major as a second major after the first semester of their junior year (Term Five). Students interested in the IMS majors should contact the IMS Transfer Advisor with specific questions about major and Mapping requirements.
More information can be found at https://med.fsu.edu/imsDegree/home under the Prospective Students section.
Clinical Professions Course Requirements (87-92 hours)
All courses required for the IMS B.S. program must be competed with a grade of "C minus" or better.
Prerequisites:(28 hours)
All of the prerequisite courses, except CHM1046L, can fulfill General Education Requirements for Clinical Professions major.
PSY 2010 General Psychology (3)
MAC 1105 College Algebra (3)
MAC 1114 Trigonometry (3)
MAC 1140 Pre-calculus (3)
CHM 1045 General Chemistry I (3)
CHM 1045L General Chemistry I Laboratory (1)
CHM 1046 General Chemistry II (3)
CHM 1046L General Chemistry II Laboratory (1)
BSC 2010 Biological Science I (3)
BSC 2010L Biological Science I Laboratory (1)
BSC 2011 Biological Science II (3)
BSC 2011L Biological Science II Lab (1)
Core Requirements: (20-24 hours)
PHY 2053C College Physics A (4)
PHY 2053L College Physics A Laboratory (0)
PHY 2054C College Physics B (4)
PHY 2054L College Physics B Laboratory (0)
CHM 3120 Analytical Chemistry (3)
CHM 3120L Analytical Chemistry Lab (1)
Organic sequence (see options below) (5 – 9)
BCH 4053 Biochemistry I (3)
Students must choose one of the following Organic Chemistry sequences to complete.
It is best if students successfully complete MAC1105 College Algebra, MAC1140 Pre-Calculus, AND MAC1114 Trigonometry before enrolling in any Organic Chemistry course.
Organic Chemistry Option 1: (12 hours)
Any students interested in Dental, Pharmacy, and Veterinary schools will need to take this sequence.
CHM 2210 Organic Chemistry I (3)
CHM 2211 Organic Chemistry II (3)
CHM 2211L Organic Chemistry II Lab (3)
BCH 4053 General Biochemistry I (3)
or
Organic Chemistry Option 2: (8 hours)
This sequence is for students who have earned a grade of B or higher in both CHM1045 and Lab AND CHM1046 and Lab.
CHM 3217 One Semester Organic Chemistry (4)
CHM 3217L One Semester Organic Chemistry Lab (1)
BCH 4053 General Biochemistry (3)
Seminar Requirements:(3-4 hours)
Any student who receives a grade below "C minus" twice or more in any Medical Sciences Seminar Course will need to change their major.
IHS 1100 Exploring Health Professions Seminar (1)
IHS 2121 Delivering Patient Care Seminar (1)
IHS 3122 Intro to Medical Sciences Seminar (1) (Augmented Seminar for Transfer students or for qualified major changes students only)
IHS 3931 Problems and Issues in Healthcare Seminar (1)
IHS 4501 Inquiry in Healthcare Research Seminar (1)
Senior Capstone Requirement:(3 hours)
Students are required to complete a senior thesis project that requires incorporation of experiential learning activities reflective of student learning experiences. The capstone course will be used to synthesize research findings, possibly create public dialogue, and consider possible long-term, solutions or outcomes.
IHS 4901 Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences Capstone Course (3)
Science and Non-Science Major Electives: (33 hours)
6 hours of Science Electives from approved list (https://med.fsu.edu/imsDegree/resources)
6 hours of Non-Science Electives from approved list (https://med.fsu.edu/imsDegree/resources)
21 hours from approved Science and/or Non-Science Elective lists
Minor Requirements
Students majoring in Clinical Professions are NOT required to complete a minor for their IMS Degree. The FSU Registrar does not recognize, certify, or document minors in any way on a transcript. Therefore, the IMS Degree Program will not certify, document, or clear minors for students.
The IMS program does not offer any minors.
Digital Literacy:
BSC 2011L Biological Science II Lab (1) satisfies this requirement for the major.
Oral Communication Competency: 0-3 hours
Students must demonstrate the ability to orally transmit ideas and information clearly. This requirement may be met with an approved college-level course.
Minimum Program Requirements - Summary
Total Hrs. Required 120
General Education 36*
Prerequisite Coursework 28*
Major Coursework 59-64*
Minor Coursework 0
Digital Literacy 0 beyond major
Oral Communication Competency 3
*27 to 33 hours of General Education courses may overlap with coursework required for the Clinical Professions major.
Mapping is FSU’s academic advising and monitoring system. Academic progress is monitored each Fall and Spring semesters to ensure that students are on course to earn their degree in a timely fashion. Transfer students must meet mapping guidelines to be accepted into their majors.
1. A minimum of 45 hours at the 3000 level or above, at least 30 of which must be taken at this University.
2. At least half of the major course semester hours (30 hours) must be completed in residence at this University. After enrolling at this University, all remaining major course requirements must be completed at this University.
3. The final 30 hours must be completed in residence at this University.
Salary Information: For more information go to: National Association of Colleges and Employers (www.naceweb.org) or the Occupational Outlook Handbook (www.bls.gov/ooh/home.htm) provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Representative Job Titles Related to this Major: Allergist/Immunologist, Cardiologist, Chiropractor, Dentist, Dermatologist, Endocrinologist, Epidemiologist, Exercise Practitioner, Family Practitioner, Gastroenterologist, Geneticist, Gerontologist, Gynecologist/Obstetrician, Hematologist, Medical Examiner, Medical/Physician Assistant, Naturopathic Doctor, Neonatologist, Neurologist, Oncologist, Ophthalmologist, Orthopedic Medical Physician, Otolaryngologist, Pathologist, Pediatrician, Podiatrist, Psychiatrist, Rheumatologist, Surgeon, Urologist, Audiologist, Genetic Counselor, Inhalation/Respiratory Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language Pathologist, Personal Trainer, Pharmacist, Pharmaceutical Sales Worker, Pharmacologist, Rehabilitation Counselor
Representative Employers: Hospitals, Clinics, Assisted Living and Extended Living Facilities, Lobbyists, Public Health Offices, Healthcare Organizations, Federal, State, and Non-profit Organizations.
Academic MAP (Effective Summer 2025 and after)
*Please Note: Face-to-face/in-person instruction of this program is available ONLY at the main campus in Tallahassee, FL. This program is NOT available via Online/Distance Learning.*
This map is a term-by-term sample course schedule. The milestones listed to the right of each term are designed to keep you on course to graduate in four years. The Sample Schedule serves as a general guideline to help you build a full schedule each term. The General Education and Elective courses must be selected to satisfy all area, lab, and diversity requirements unless your program meets these requirements with major courses. Milestones are courses and special requirements necessary for timely progress to complete a major. Missing milestones will result in one of two types of map registration stops. The first level (Degree Map Off-track) is placed following grade posting if the student has missed a milestone (course and/or GPA) for the first time in the major. If a student is in non-compliance with milestones for two (2) consecutive semesters (excluding summers), a Major Change Required stop is placed on the student's registration.
To enter any of the health professions, volunteer, service, and clinical experience are essential. Students in each of the Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences (IMS) majors are required to engage in the real world of health care as part of the IMS Experiential Learning Seminar sequence. Students are required to obtain a minimum of 64 hours of experiential learning hours each academic year. These hours are part of the mapping milestones required for the Clinical Professions major.
The Clinical Professions major works best if you can start math with MAC1140 Pre-calculus and take CHM1045 General Chemistry I and Lab as soon as possible. STA2122 Intro to Applied Statistics is recommended for students who need statistics for their health profession or for those students who begin their math with MAC 1114 Analytical Trigonometry and who still need to satisfy their 2nd Quantitative & Logical Thinking general education requirement. Students wishing to apply to a health professional school and need to take the standardized tests (e.g. MCAT or DAT) should plan on taking summer classes and have all the required coursework completed at the end of term 6, otherwise should plan for a "gap" year after graduation. Students should be meeting with the pre-health/pre-med advisors about any professional health school requirements.
All coursework required for the major must be taken for a letter grade and a grade of "C minus" or better is required.
Mapping Coordinator: Ann DelRossi
Email: IMSadvising@med.fsu.edu
Sample Schedule and Required Milestones by Term
| Sample Schedule: Term 1 hrs |
| ENC1101 Freshman Composition3 |
| MAC1105 College Algebra or higher3 |
| BSC2010/L Biological Science I and Lab4 |
| PSY2012 General Psychology 3 |
| IHS1100 Exploring Health Professions Seminar 1 |
| Required Milestones: Term 1 |
| Complete ENC 1101 ( ≥ C minus) |
| Complete MAC 1105 or higher math ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Complete all EL forms (for current majors) or IMS Experiential Learning Placement Form (for major changes/transfer students) |
| 2.00 GPA or higher |
| Sample Schedule: Term 2 hrs |
| ENC2135 Research, Genre, and Context 3 |
| MAC1140 Pre-Calculus Algebra 3 |
| CHM1045/L General Chemistry I and Lab4 |
| GE Course3 |
| GE Course3 |
| Required Milestones: Term 2 |
| Complete ENC 2135 ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Complete IHS1100 (Exploring Health Professions Seminar, waived for transfer students) ( ≥ C minus) |
| Complete all EL forms (for current majors) or IMS Experiential Learning Placement Form (for major changes/transfer students) |
| Complete 64 Experiential Learning Hours |
| 2.00 GPA or higher |
| Sample Schedule: Term 3 hrs |
| MAC1114 Analytic Trigonometry3 |
| CHM1046/L General Chemistry II and Lab4 |
| GE Course3 |
| GE Course3 |
| IHS2121 Delivering Patient Care Seminar1 |
| Required Milestones: Term 3 |
| Complete CHM 1045 & Lab ( ≥ C minus in each) |
| Complete MAC1140 *or* MAC1114 (or higher math) (≥ C minus) |
| Complete PSY2012 (≥ C minus) |
| Complete all EL forms (for majors) or IMS Experiential Learning Placement Form (for major changes/transfer students) |
| 2.00 GPA or higher |
| Sample Schedule: Term 4 hrs |
| BSC2011/L Biological Science II and Lab4 |
| PHY2053C College Physics A and Lab4 |
| GE course3 |
| GE course3 |
| Required Milestones: Term 4 |
| Complete CHM1046 & Lab (≥ C minus in each) |
| Complete BOTH MAC1140 *and* MAC1114 (or higher math) (≥ C minus in each) |
| Complete BSC2011 ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Complete IHS2121 ( Delivering Patient Care Seminar, waived for transfer students) (≥ C minus) |
| Complete all EL forms (for majors) or IMS Experiential Learning Placement Form (for major changes/transfer students) (≥C minus) |
| Complete 128 Experiential Learning Hours |
| 2.00 GPA or higher |
| Summer hrs |
| CHM3120/L Analytical Chemistry and Lab4 |
| GE course3 |
| GE course3 |
| Sample Schedule: Term 5 hrs |
| PHY2054C College Physics B and Lab4 |
| CHM2210 Organic Chemistry or CHM3217 One Semester of Organic Chemistry 3 or 4 |
| Major Upper Division Elective3 |
| GE Course3 |
| (IHS3122 Introduction to Medical Sciences Seminar for transfers only)1 |
| Required Milestones: Term 5 |
| Complete PHY2053C ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Complete all EL forms (for current majors) or IMS Experiential Learning Placement Form (for major changes/transfer students) |
| Complete IHS3122 (Augmented Seminar, transfer students only) ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Civic Literacy requirement |
| 2.00 GPA or higher |
| Sample Schedule: Term 6 hrs |
| CHM2211 Organic Chemistry II or CHM3217L One Semester of Organic Lab3 or 1 |
| Major Upper Division Elective or BCH4053 Biochemistry I3 or 4 |
| Major Upper Division Elective 3 |
| Major Upper Division Elective 3 |
| Major Upper Division Elective 3 |
| IHS3931 Problems and Issues in Healthcare Seminar1 |
| Required Milestones: Term 6 |
| Complete CHM3120, or CHM3217, or CHM2210 (≥ C minus) |
| Complete PHY2054C ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Complete IHS3931 (Problems and Issues in Healthcare Seminar) ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Complete all EL forms |
| Complete 192 Experiential Learning Hours |
| 2.00 GPA or higher |
| If ready, take MCAT or DAT in May/June |
| Sample Schedule: Term 7 hrs |
| CHM2211L Organic Chemistry II Lab or Major Upper Division Elective3 |
| Major Upper Division Elective3 |
| Major Upper Division Elective3 |
| Major Upper Division Elective3 |
| IHS4501 Inquiry in Healthcare Research Seminar1 |
| Summer |
| If ready, begin applying for professional health schools in June/July |
| Required Milestones: Term 7 |
| Complete IHS4501 (Inquiry in Healthcare Research Seminar) ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Complete all EL forms |
| Pre-Graduation Check |
| 2.00 GPA or higher |
| Sample Schedule: Term 8 hrs |
| BCH4053 Biochemistry I (only for students who have completed CHM2210, CHM2211, & CHM2211L)4 |
| IHS4901 Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences Capstone3 |
| Major Upper Division Elective3 |
| Major Upper Division Elective3 |
| Major Upper Division Elective 3 |
| Required Milestones: Term 8 |
| Apply for Graduation in 2nd or 3rd week of semester |
| Complete 256 Experiential Learning Hours |
| Complete all EL forms |
| 2.00 GPA or higher |