Leadership in Medicine/Healthcare Management, B.S.

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The Leadership in Medicine/Health Systems Program is offered jointly by Union College, Clarkson University - Capital Region Campus, and Albany Medical College. The goal of the Leadership in Medicine/Health Systems Program is to prepare physicians who will be leaders capable of addressing the managerial, ethical, multicultural, and international challenges facing American medicine in the 21st century. Students complete an enriched curriculum of coursework to attain the B.S., M.S. or M.B.A., and M.D. degrees in eight calendar years, bypassing the requirement of the Medical College Admission Test. Admission into the program leads automatically to entrance into Albany Medical College after four calendar years of study at Union and Clarkson University - Capital Region Campus, provided that the student maintains satisfactory standards of academic achievement as defined below and that the Union College-Clarkson University-Albany Medical College Policy and Promotions Committee determines that the student has demonstrated sufficient personal and professional development for the profession of medicine.

The curriculum at Union stresses thorough preparation in the sciences, humanities, and social sciences. When combined with coursework in health care management at Clarkson University, students are provided with a breadth of knowledge and understanding not typically found in premedical programs. Each year, about 20 highly-qualified secondary school seniors are enrolled in the program.

Program Requirements:

Over four full 3-term academic years and two summers (possibly three for students who opt for the M.B.A.), students take 31 courses that count towards a B.S. degree at Union College (roughly half in the sciences and half in the social sciences and humanities) and another 12 graduate courses at Clarkson University - Capital Region Campus to earn an M.S. degree in Healthcare Management or 16 graduate courses to earn the M.B.A. degree in Healthcare Management (Note: 12 of the courses count toward either graduate degree.)

Important curricular requirements include:

An interdepartmental major, one part of which is in the natural sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Math, Physics) and the other part of which is in the social sciences (including Psychology) or humanities;
An international experience
The program in healthcare management through the School of Business at Clarkson University (either the M.S. or the M.B.A.).

All students enrolled in the program will take 16 Union College Math/Science courses. Without AP credits, students usually take the following:

and one of the following upper level biology courses

plus 3 or more additional courses designated by their science ID major:

Chemistry ID:

CHM 240 - Analytical Chemistry
CHM 382 - Biochemistry: Structure and Catalysis
CHM elective ≥200 level with lab or any ≥300 level

Biology ID:

BCH 335 - Survey of Biochemistry
or
CHM 382 - Biochemistry: Structure and Catalysis
or
BIO 380 - Biochemistry: Membranes, Nucleic Acids, and Carbohydrates
plus
2 BIO electives ≥ 200 w/ lab

Math ID:

see Math ID requirements in consultation with math advisor. Must include one of the following:

Physics ID:

see Physics ID requirements in consultation with physics advisor. Must include one of the following:

In addition, students must take 15 Social Science and Humanities courses including:

LRS 150, Statistics*, HC 630, HC 633, three non-science electives, plus 8 additional courses to fulfill an ID major in Social Sciences or Humanities. LIM students are not required to complete the full Common Curriculum (General Education), the sophomore research seminar, or Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) requirements unless they leave the program.

*Some social science departments have a designated statistics course that is required for majors. If your second major requires a statistics course, you should take that course. Otherwise, you may choose from the following courses: STA 501, ECO 243 , SOC 300 , PSC 220 , PSY 200 , or STA 104 . PLEASE NOTE: STA 104 counts as a social science course, not as a math course.

Students take the following courses toward the M.S. and M.B.A. degree in Healthcare Management:

M.S. in Healthcare Management:

HC 630 - (was LIM-500) Introduction to Health Systems
HC 633 - (was LIM-503) Health Care Leadership
HC 635 - (was LIM-553) Health Economics
HC 651 - (was HCM-501) Health Systems Management
AC 604 - (was MBA-512X) Financial and Managerial Accounting for Decision Making
HC 634 - (was LIM-544) Health and Human Values
HC 656 - (was HCM-656) Group Practice Management
HC 605 - (was MBA-531/HCM-505) Health Operations Management
HC 637 - (was LIM-571) Clinical Leadership Program
HC 617 - (was HCM-617) Health Care Finance
HC 674 - (was HCM-674) Legal Aspects of Health Care
HC 684 - (was HCM-684) Strategic Issues for Healthcare Organizations (Capstone)

MBA in Healthcare Management students will take the following additional 4 courses:

IS 647 - (was MBA-506) Statistical Models for Management
HC 626 - (was HCM-526) Health Systems Marketing
HC 648 - (was HCM-648) Health Informatics
HC 680 - (was HCM-680) Health Policy & Managerial Epidemiology

Students may choose to take an MBA elective and an internship in place of HC 637

Note: For course descriptions, consult the graduate course catalog of Clarkson University - Capital Region Campus .

Advanced Placement

Students who enter the program with advanced placement credit have greater flexibility of course selection, but AP credits do not reduce the number of required courses or allow a student to take a term off. When advanced placement credit is given for a course specifically designated in the curriculum, students can take elective courses. Union will grant advanced placement and course credit in accordance with its normal procedures. Student with scores of 4 or 5 on the AP examinations in biology, chemistry or physics or on either of the AP Calculus exams are encouraged to take more advanced courses at the College. Other AP courses will be considered such as Statistics or a course in the second major.

Additional Requirements

Students must maintain minimum cumulative grade point averages of 3.50 both in overall course work (including graduate courses) and in their mathematics and science courses. Students falling below the required overall and mathematics/science grade point averages at the end of any term may be put on formal probation or asked to leave the program by the Policy and Promotions Committee, which oversees the program and reviews student records regularly. A grade of “D” or “F” in any course can lead to dismissal from the program. Required course work may not be taken on a pass/fail basis and must normally be taken at the home institution. Grades of “I” (Incomplete) or “W” (withdrawal) will not be acceptable without justification involving illness or extenuating circumstances.

As long as a student is enrolled in the Leadership in Medicine program, the Health Professions Advisory Committee at Union College will not support his or her application to other medical schools. Students may transfer into the regular four-year undergraduate program at any time during the premedical portion of the combined degree programs. Once withdrawn from the eight-year combined degree program, students may request the support of the Health Professions Advisory Committee if they choose to apply to medical school in the traditional manner.

Requirements for Honors:

Leadership in Medicine students are not subject to the restrictions for ID majors and may receive departmental honors in one department if they satisfy the requirements of that major. The thesis does not need to integrate both majors as it must for non-program students.