Programs

Medical Sciences Program (Bloomington)

Assistant Dean and Director: Professor Watkins

The Medical Sciences Program is located on the Indiana University Bloomington campus. The program is designed to provide medical students with an excellent curriculum in the basic sciences, which involves extensive clinical integration at Bloomington Hospital. The hospital provides an auditorium, classrooms, examining rooms, a library, a student lounge, and offices used by the program. Considerable emphasis is placed by the program on close personal contact between medical students and the basic science and clinical faculty, which fosters a rich cooperative environment for learning.

Our medical curriculum is strong because major courses are taught over the entire academic year rather than being confined to a particular semester. This allows students a longer time to master these subjects. For example, during the first semester, freshman medical students enroll in Gross Human Anatomy I, Human Physiology I, Medical Biochemistry I, Human Microscopic Anatomy, Patient/Physician Relationship I, and Microbiology/Immunology. In the second semester, they enroll in Human Gross Anatomy II, Human Physiology II, Medical Biochemistry II, Neuroscience, and Patient/Physician Relationship II. Sophomore medical students take year-long courses in Pathology, Pharmacology, and Introduction to Medicine, along with semester-long courses in Medical Genetics and Biostatistics. Thus, the sophomore year also provides students with increased time to master these important medical subjects by having them taught throughout the academic year.

The Medical Sciences Program also provides medical students with the opportunity to pursue graduate studies leading to the combined M.D./Ph.D. degree. The program leading to the M.D. degree is administered by the School of Medicine and the Ph.D. degree program is offered by the University Graduate School. A coordinated flexible schedule provides a basis for advanced study and research in a specific field. Close personal faculty guidance is provided in the preclinical curriculum, which is adjustable to the background, needs, and special interests of each student. The student may complete the requirements for an advanced research degree prior to, concurrent with, or upon completion of the clinical years of medicine.

The 1,930-acre Bloomington campus lies in scenic, rolling, heavily wooded terrain in southern Indiana, 50 miles south of Indianapolis. The hilly, wooded acres of the campus are traversed by a small stream, the Jordan River, which creates the illusion of a forest. Most of the university buildings, including Jordan Hall where the Medical Sciences Program is housed, are constructed from native limestone from nearby quarries. The campus is the home of the movie Breaking Away and the famous Little 500 bike race.

Bloomington and its surrounding area offer outstanding cultural and recreational opportunities for students and their families. The university’s world-famous School of Music provides an annual calendar of events that includes opera, chamber groups, ensembles, several orchestras, and student and faculty recitals. The University Theater offers year-round productions. The Indiana University Art Museum exhibits paintings, sculptures, and other art objects, and schedules frequent displays of visiting art collections.

The Indiana University athletic teams are part of the Big Ten Conference and provide a wide variety of spectator sports including soccer, swimming and diving, basketball, track, football, gymnastics, and wrestling. All of the recreational sports facilities of the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation are available for student use.

For further information concerning the program, visit http://bloomington.medicine.iu.edu/ or write:
John B. Watkins III, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean and Director Medical Sciences Program
Jordan Hall 105
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405-4401
(812) 855-8118
E-mail: watkins [at] indiana [dot] edu

Academic Bulletins

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