About the BMS program

Program Application

To apply to the program and learn more about costs and deadlines, please visit the BMS Application Page. 

What are the advantages of the BMS program?

  • Preparation for application to medical, dental, physician assistant, or other graduate professional programs.  
  • Condensed program. Take challenging courses that can demonstrate your academic readiness to professional schools in as little as two semesters.
  • Flexible curriculum. Option to extend program to 3-4 semesters. This is a good option for students who plan to work while in school, who have other obligations (e.g. athletics), who wish to take professional school undergraduate prerequisites, or who wish to earn the Certificate in Anatomy.
  • Graduate courses taught by medical school faculty. The majority of coursework for the BMS is taught by faculty who also teach in the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Coursework in anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and more means excellent preparation for professional school.
  • Application help. The BMS program steps you through the professional school application process, and you will receive personalized coaching and a review of the written application.
  • MCAT/DAT/GRE preparation help. BMS students meet throughout the year in a seminar course that covers approaches to the exam, content review, strategies and more.  
  • Checkout privileges at the MRC, the SIU School of Medicine Carbondale Campus library.
  • SIU SOM Interview. Downstate Illinois residents with a minimum 498 MCAT and 3.2 GPA in the program, who have completed a minimum of two semesters qualify for a SIU School of Medicine interview. 

What are the requirements to earn the SIUSOM Interview?

The school is particularly interested in recruiting students with ties to the downstate Illinois area, and the BMS is part of this recruiting strategy. A student shall be granted an interview for admission to the SIU School of Medicine if all of the following conditions are met:

  • The student must apply as a State of Illinois resident from central or downstate Illinois. 
  • The student must apply via AMCAS and complete the SIUSOM secondary application by October 1 of the application year.
  • The student must be enrolled in, or have just completed in the spring or fall before the start of the application season, the BMS degree.
  • The student has completed a minimum of two semesters of coursework in BMS at the time of the application. 
  • The student meets the minimum MCAT score requirement for the SIUSOM application.
  • The student meets the GPA requirements for the SIUSOM application and has earned a 3.2 GPA in the program. 
  • The student is recommended for interview by the BMS Program. 

What is the Certificate in Anatomy? 

The Certificate in Anatomy is a graduate (post-baccalaureate) certificate program that provides students an opportunity to become proficient in anatomy teaching. It provides outstanding preparation in anatomy for medical school. The certificate pathway can also be utilized by students interested in a career in collegiate or professional school anatomy teaching.
A minimum of 17 graduate credit hours in anatomy are required for the Certificate. Where appropriate, these courses may also count for credit toward the master’s degree. In addition to coursework in anatomy, students in the anatomy certificate program will obtain experience teaching gross anatomy to undergraduates and/or graduates. Interested students must apply, and be accepted by the Anatomy Certificate Program. The Director of the Anatomy Certificate Program and the student’s BMS advisor will make recommendations for other coursework and oversee the student’s progress. Limited graduate assistant (GA) funding is available. 

For more on the Certificate in Anatomy, please visit the Multidisciplinary Biomedical & Biological Sciences program

What is the BMS-MEDPREP Option?

MEDPREP (Medical and Dental Education Preparatory Program) is a professional school pipeline program for educationally and socioeconomically disadvantaged students interested in entry into medical, dental or physician assistant (PA) school. The BMS-MEDPREP option is two years in length, including a summer preparatory (“boot camp”) experience. To be considered for the BMS-MEDPREP option, applicants must apply through MEDPREP. For more information about the MEDPREP program, visit https://www.siumed.edu/medprep. 

The MEDPREP program is also available as a non-degree seeker option. Students who have faced academic challenges due to socioeconomic status or access to quality primary and secondary education are encouraged to consider applying to MEDPREP. Like BMS, MEDPREP gives priority to Illinois residents, particularly from downstate, but accepts applications from students in all US states and territories. 

Will I take classes with SIUSOM medical students?

The BMS program is housed in Lindegren Hall, home of the SIU School of Medicine on the Carbondale Campus. Most BMS courses are taught by SIU SOM faculty. However, BMS students do not take classes with medical students. You can expect to be in courses with other SIU graduate students in the MBBS and MEDPREP programs. 

I am not an Illinois resident. Am I eligible for the BMS?

The highest priority for BMS participation is given to residents of central and southern Illinois. However, many of our applicants and participants come from out of state, and we welcome all applications. Residents of all states are eligible to apply to the BMS. We expect that many students can benefit from the rigorous coursework and personalized advising that BMS provides. Because the SIU School of Medicine strongly considers ties to Illinois, particularly downstate, in their admissions process, All BMS students are encouraged to apply broadly to medical, dental or other professional schools as they complete the degree.

I am an international student. Am I eligible for the BMS?

Unfortunately, we cannot accept international students at this time. The SIU School of Medicine mission is to serve the population of downstate Illinois. The School requires students to be US citizens or permanent residents (Green-card holders) or DACA status at the time of application. The BMS, as part of the SIU School of Medicine, has the same requirements. 

Can I take my medical/dental school prerequisite courses while in the BMS program?

The BMS is an academic enhancement program – it is designed to give prospective professional school applicants an opportunity to take advanced coursework, receive guidance in studying for the MCAT/DAT/GRE and get help applying to professional school. The one-year curriculum is thus designed for individuals who have completed their prerequisite science/math courses. 

Students wishing to complete prerequisites while doing their master's degree should choose a 3-4 semester curriculum; it is not recommended to enter the program if you have more than one or two prerequisite courses to complete, or if you are a "career changer" from a non-science discipline. Students who still need to complete most or all courses typically required by medical or dental professional schools (e.g. undergraduate biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry and physics sequences) will be better served by completing these prerequisites before, or in lieu of, entering a graduate program. 

For career changers (students who still need to complete medical or dental school prerequisite coursework), we recommend you browse “career changer” programs on the AAMC Postbaccalaureate Programs webpage.

How long does it take to complete the BMS?

The BMS is a 30-credit, non-thesis master’s degree, and is designed to be completed in a minimum of two long semesters (fall and spring). Students may apply for either spring semester or fall semester entry. 
However, students choosing the MEDPREP option must apply first through the MEDPREP program and must begin in the summer semester. The MEDPREP option is two years in length (summer plus four long semesters). 

It is not possible to finish the BMS in one summer and one long semester. Students should therefore plan a minimum of two long academic semesters (fall/spring) to complete the required coursework. 

While the program can be completed in two semesters, it is often advantageous take extra time to complete the degree, particularly if the student still has some prerequisite courses to complete, has been out of school for a while, or may just want to make sure each course gets adequate attention to maximize success. Additional semesters may also be needed for students who work or have other obligations (e.g. athletics).

Students planning to finish in two semesters should be prepared to focus their attention full-time to completing their degree. 

Do I have to complete the program in two semesters?

No, you may take additional semesters to complete. Students preparing for professional school applications are encouraged to take their MCAT/DAT exam after a minimum of two semesters of study. The professional school application takes a full year, and thus it is possible to complete elective coursework during this application “glide year.” The advantage of taking an extra semester (or two) is that you can “decompress” the coursework, giving you additional time to work or study for the MCAT/DAT in the first year, or complete any missing prerequisite courses. 

Students may also wish to stay in school during the application "glide year" to take additional coursework for professional school preparation beyond the minimum 30 credits required for the degree. The disadvantage is that by enrolling for additional semester(s), you incur additional costs for tuition, fees and housing. 

The BMS MEDPREP option is two years. Students completing the BMS-MEDPREP option are required to complete the summer program plus four long (fall-spring) semesters.  

Can I work while attending BMS?

BMS students enter the program to strengthen their application for professional school. The goal is excellent grades and a competitive MCAT/DAT score, but these must be earned. The curriculum is intense, with students taking a high load of difficult courses (particularly in the two-semester sequence). Students entering the BMS must have a financial plan in place that will allow them to focus on academics, rather than jobs/work. Students are thus strongly discouraged from working while completing the program, especially if they plan to complete it in two semesters. Students who must work to finance the degree should plan to take a 3-4 semester sequence.  

Is there an online BMS degree option?

The BMS does not have an online enrollment option at this time. Students enrolling in the BMS program must move to Carbondale to attend in-person at the SIUC campus. Because the BMS is part of the larger MBBS (Multidisciplinary Biomedical and Biological Sciences) graduate program encompassing the Springfield and Carbondale campuses, some online courses will be available.