Geisinger Commonwealth launches Professional Science Master’s degree program

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (GCSOM) announced it will offer a master’s degree that will prepare scientists for careers in laboratory research in industries including biotech, life science, pharmaceutical, academia and government. The Professional Science Master’s (PSM) degree program is designed for working professionals, with evening classes held exclusively at the Doylestown Campus located within the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center.

“GCSOM’s PSM program builds upon our partnerships with industry and links our faculty and students to cutting-edge research,” said V. Scott Koerwer, vice dean of GCSOM’s School of Graduate Education. “The program was developed with input from a board of industry leaders, including representatives from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Arbutus Pharmaceuticals, JBS Life Sciences and Genesis Biotechnology Group, among others. The program is designed to provide job-ready lab skills to students with an interest in research. The program also includes a business focus that will help students understand the needs of the future employers in the biotech sphere.”

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Employment projects the need for medical scientists will grow 13 percent through 2026, faster than the average for all occupations. Medical scientists will continue to be needed because they contribute to the development of treatments and medicines that improve human health, the Bureau states.

 “There is a huge demand for professionals with both laboratory and business skills,” said John Kulp, PhD, regional assistant dean, Doylestown Campus. Dr. Kulp, who is also an associate professor and director of academic affairs at the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute (BSBI) and CEO of Conifer Point Pharmaceuticals, notes that the setting for the PSM program is uniquely suited to preparing tomorrow’s laboratory scientists. “The PSM will be offered at GCSOM’s Doylestown campus, which is housed at the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center, a biotech incubator with more than 40 life-sciences firms, as well as BSBI and the Hepatitis B Foundation. So not only will we prepare students for in-demand jobs, we are placing them in close proximity to potential employers and mentors.”

The PSM program at GCSOM is a highly specialized interdisciplinary program that offers a combination of biomedical courses, business courses and extensive research training with a required “real world” externship in an academic or biotech company laboratory, followed by completion of a project thesis.

“To meet the recent trends in corporate biomedical research, we engaged the private sector to advise us on how we can fulfill a wide range of scientific positions in the biotech sector,” said John Arnott, PhD, director of the PSM program. “Students enrolling in the program will be fully immersed in scientific research, as well as trained in laboratory management and business leadership.  This combination of skills should make our students competitive in both academic and industrial job settings.”

Successful completion of the program prepares students for employment opportunities as lab managers, lab technicians, core facility operators and staff scientists.  This training program can also prepare students for admission into a PhD program should they decide to extend their research training.

Eligible students must have a bachelor’s degree and an interest in science and research. Applications are now being accepted for classes starting in Fall 2019. To apply or learn more, please visit our PSM admissions pages.

About Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (GCSOM) is a member of the Geisinger family. GCSOM offers a community-based model of medical education with campuses in Danville, Lewistown, Scranton, Sayre and Wilkes-Barre. Geisinger Commonwealth offers Doctor of Medicine (MD) and a portfolio of graduate degrees. The school’s innovative curriculum, focused on caring for people in the context of their lives and their community, attracts the next generation of physicians and scientists from within its region, as well as from across the state and the nation. Geisinger Commonwealth is committed to non-discrimination in all employment and educational opportunities. Visit www.geisinger.edu/gcsom.

About Geisinger

Geisinger is among the nation’s leading providers of value-based care, serving 1.2 million people in urban and rural communities across central and northeastern Pennsylvania. Founded in 1915 by philanthropist Abigail Geisinger, the nonprofit system generates more than $8 billion in annual revenues across 163 care sites — including 10 hospital campuses — and Geisinger Health Plan, with more than half a million members in commercial and government plans. Geisinger College of Health Sciences educates more than 500 medical professionals annually and is conducting more than 1,400 clinical research studies. With more than 27,000 employees, including 1,800 employed physicians and 5,200 registered nurses, Geisinger is among Pennsylvania’s largest employers, having an estimated economic impact of $16.8 billion on the state’s economy. In 2024, Geisinger joined Risant Health, a nonprofit charitable organization created to expand and accelerate value-based care across the country. Learn more at geisinger.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.