Switching Master's Programs

[sanantone]

I'm currently in University of Florida's MS in Microbiology and Cell Science with a concentration in Medical Microbiology and Biochemistry program. I really wanted to do a more general biology program so that I could study a mix of gross anatomy and physiology, wildlife biology, microbiology, and maybe some environmental stuff. In this program, I'm only learning about infectious diseases. Basically, I'm studying bacteria, viruses, fungus, and protozoans the entire program. This is fine. I can go into public health, food safety, or forensic science with this degree, but I'm not getting a broad biology education. 

I just noticed that University of Florida has a new online MS in Medical Science with a concentration in Forensic Medicine. This probably has more limited application on the job market, but the material is more interesting to me. While is it's not a broad biology program, it's broader in its study of pathology and medicine. It's not like UF's other forensic science programs that mostly focus on various techniques in criminalistics such as blood splatter analysis (which is borderline pseudoscience), ballistics (also not very scientific), and fingerprint analysis (has its own issues). This program is focused on pathology and death investigations. The curriculum is applicable to autopsy assistants, medical examiner investigators, pathology assistants, detectives doing death investigations, CPS/APS investigators working with deaths and physical injuries, forensic anthropologists, forensic nurses, and crime scene investigators and forensic scientists to a certain extent.


https://forensicmedicine.med.ufl.edu/program/courses/

[Tedium]

My gut would be to follow the old adage that the degree that interests you is the one you'll finish. That's always been true in my case. YMMV

What field are you looking to get into?

[sanantone]

My gut would be to follow the old adage that the degree that interests you is the one you'll finish. That's always been true in my case. YMMV

What field are you looking to get into?

Public health or forensic science. I don't really need a public health degree because I'm already starting an environmental health program for USPHS. But, since USPHS is so competitive, I need a backup plan. Regardless, a microbiology or medical science program should work fine for public health. The only problem is that microbiology really only prepares someone to study infectious diseases. Public health covers other issues such as diabetes, heart disease, mental health, and health issues caused by environmental factors that don't fall into the pathogen category (smoking, drug use, pollution, etc.). The environmental health and safety program pretty much just covers environmental and safety issues, but a regular science master's won't work for USPHS, and that was the most convenient option.

[Tedium]

Sounds like it boils down to whichever is cheaper if both will get you where you need to go.

[Jimmy999]

University of South Florida in Tampa has a good Masters in Medical Science program and I think its 1/2 the cost of UF.

[sanantone]

University of South Florida in Tampa has a good Masters in Medical Science program and I think its 1/2 the cost of UF.

It's hard to find their tuition rates for online students. One program charges non-residents just under $500 per credit hour. Another program charges almost $900 per credit hour. The M.S. in Medical Science program at UF is $575 per credit hour. Since I'm already a UF student, it's easy to transfer. They told me to just have my current advisor send over my application packet.

[dfrecore]

I think the Forensic Med program sounds way more interesting - both to me, but more importantly to you! I say make the switch.

[rlw74]

How far into the current program are you and will any of it transfer?

[eriehiker]

https://online.uj.ac.za/Programmes/Maste...lic-Health

[High_Order1]

I thought you lived in TX. How are you doing classes like that without any field lab time?