Precision Medicine

Deadlines: July 1st for the Fall semesters and December 1st for the Spring semesters
Requirements: Must be clinician such as physician, advanced practice nurse, physician assistant, genetic counselor, or pharmacist

Precision Medicine Master’s Degree & Certificate Programs

The PM MS degree is comprised of 30 credits drawn from 3 required and 7 elective courses. The PM Certificate is comprised of 12 credits drawn from 1 required and 3 elective courses.

Required for MS degree

Introduction to Precision Medicine (Fall) 3 credits
Introduction to Precision Medicine offers 10 applied learning sessions led by directors of PM Education courses. Students initiate a professional development plan and write and present reports explaining PM concepts, demonstrating research in practice, and judging the validity of PM information.
*Prerequisites: None; Introduction to Precision Medicine is a prerequisite for all other courses in the PM Ed program.

Precision Medicine Research Plan (Summer) 3 credits
This course requires students to develop a PM research question, to perform a literature review and analysis of the topic, and to create a research plan for IRB submission, if needed. The work is guided by a primary mentor and reviewed by 2 faculty advisors.
*Prerequisites: Introduction to PM is a prerequisite for all other courses in the PM Ed program. Students must be enrolled in the MS degree program to enroll in the PM Research Plan course. They should complete most if not all of the 7 elective 3-credit PM courses before enrolling in this course.

Precision Medicine Master’s Thesis (Summer) 3 credits
This course requires students to implement a research plan and to write a manuscript discussing the results. The publishable work is guided by a primary mentor and reviewed by 2 faculty advisors.
Prerequisites: Introduction to PM is a prerequisite for all other courses in the PM Ed program. Students should complete most if not all of the 7 elective 3-credit PM courses before enrolling in this final thesis course. Original observational studies and especially clinical trials may need to be conducted before enrolling in this course due to time constraints. Review papers and commentaries can be written during this course.

Electives

Genetic Counseling for Precision Medicine (Fall) 3 credits
In this course students will be introduced to the practice of genetic counseling (GC). Students will become familiar with the different elements of the GC process and begin to develop basic skills, such as pedigree analysis, risk assessment and contracting. They also will begin to develop oral and written communication skills to explain complex genetic topics in a manner that is appropriately tailored to various audiences. There will be 3 project assessments which will allow students to demonstrate comprehension and application of key GC concepts.
*Prerequisites: Introduction to PM is a prerequisite for all other courses in the PM Ed program.
Recommended: Students will need a strong understanding of genetics principals and technology. Although not required as a prerequisite, it may be helpful for students to first complete the courses Medical Genetics, Undiagnosed and Rare Disease and Genomic Diagnostic Tests which will provide a greater context for the material covered in this course.

Bioethics in Precision Medicine (Fall) 3 credits
This course will explore the historical, philosophical, rhetorical, and ethical foundations of precision medicine and analyze the bioethical issues raised by this new medical paradigm as they manifest in a variety of clinical, biomedical, and health policy contexts.
*Prerequisite: Introduction to PM is a prerequisite for all other courses in the PM Ed program.

Biomedical Informatics and Clinical Informatics and Data Science (Fall) 3 credits
This course provides an overview of the many types of informatics approaches and data science techniques that are used in the realm of medicine and clinical practice. The course is a general introduction to the fields of clinical informatics and data science. It aims at supplying practical skills for answering topical bioinformatics and clinical informatics research questions. We will additionally discuss the use of these tools, systems, and approaches for supporting a Learning Health System and the ethical and potential implications of such data-driven methods on the clinical setting.

Cancer Precision Medicine (Fall) 3 credits
This course provides an overview of the molecular basis of cancer, the role of germline and somatic alterations in the development and progression of cancer and the various precision assay methodologies utilized in cancer diagnosis, prognostication and treatment.
*Prerequisite: Introduction to PM is a prerequisite for all other courses in the PM Ed program.

Medical Genetics, Undiagnosed, and Rare Diseases (Fall) 3 credits
This course allows students to examine the application of genomics to core clinical systems and to apply that knowledge to personalized management of patients. Experts in their respective fields will guest lecture in several sessions.
*Prerequisite: Introduction to PM is a prerequisite for all other courses in the PM Ed program.

Precision Public Health (Spring) 3 credits
This course uses readings, 16 lectures and discussions, 2 essays and presentations, and an individual develop plan for learners to explain and connect concepts, understand publications, justify positions, and formulate ideas about the new field. PPH is delivering the right intervention at the right time every time to the right population.
*Prerequisite: Introduction to PM is a prerequisite for all other courses in the PM Ed program.

Pharmacogenomics (Spring) 3 credits
This course will give participants a broad perspective on the emergence of clinical and applied pharmacogenomics (PGx) and provide them with insight into its growing importance in major clinical therapeutic areas. Participants will gain an understanding of how genetic differences between individuals can impact the prescription and outcomes of drug therapy. The course will also help participants to understand how individualization of drug therapy based on a person’s genetic makeup can optimize the effectiveness of medications while reducing adverse effects.
*Prerequisite: Introduction to PM is a prerequisite for all other courses in the PM Ed program.

Laboratory Genetics and Genomics (Spring) 3 credits
This course discusses the principles of laboratory genetics and genomics and its application in identifying genetic causations for disease.
*Prerequisite: Introduction to PM is a prerequisite for all other courses in the PM Ed program.

Epigenomics (Spring) 3 credits
This course is designed to introduce students to Epigenetics and Epigenomics, an important foundation of modern medicine. Epigenomics refers to the inheritance of traits independent of the coding capacity of the DNA and is highly influenced by the environment. In this course, students will discuss molecular mechanisms underlying epigenetic events, the tools for the design and execution of research in this discipline, how to generate and analyze epigenomic data, and the application of Epigenomics to diagnostics, prognostics, and treatments.
*Prerequisite: Introduction to PM is a prerequisite for all other courses in the PM Ed program.
*Recommended: Biomedical and Clinical Informatics and Data Science, Laboratory Genetics and Genomics

If you have questions regarding tuition or your account, please contact the Office of Student Accounts, at (414) 955-8172 or mcwtuition@mcw.edu. Please refer to the All Student Handbook (PDF) for tuition payment policies and information.

• Tuition and Fees Schedule (PDF)
• View your Tuition Statement (login required)

Masters, Certificate & Non-Degree Students
Students seeking financial aid for degree programs, please visit the Financial Aid Office website.

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Tuition Course Approval Form - Human Resources (PDF)

Late Fees
There is also a $250 late payment fee for tuition not paid on time according to the Tuition Payments policy in the All Student Handbook PDF).

Late payment fee is in addition to any late registration fee.

Financial Aid Questions

For additional information about financial aid, contact the Financial Aid office.

(414) 955-8208 | (414) 955-0119 (fax)
finaid@mcw.edu

Writing Tools & Tutorials

Grammar 101

• Purdue Online Writing Lab
• West LA College Writing Website

Commonly Confused Words

• Glossary of Usage: Index of Commonly Confused Words

Plagiarism

• Plagiarism
• Purdue Online Writing Lab

Referencing

• Monash University Resources: Citing and Referencing
• APA Resources: APA Style Guidelines, Purdue OWL Resource for APA
• MLA Resources: Cornell University Library MLA Resource, Washington State University MLA Resource

MCW Resources

Brightspace

• Brightspace is the university-wide learning management system that allows for students and faculty to connect online.

Academic Calendar

• Graduate School Academic Calendar

Campus Book Store

• Matthews Medical Books and Supplies.

MCWconnect  

• MCW connect is an online system used by students to register for courses, view their academic records, and update their contact information.
• If you forget your login or password or if you have trouble accessing the system, contact MCWconnect_support@mcw.edu.

Library

• Students may remotely access library resources, including thousands of online journals. Contact the MCW Libraries for more information.
• Students may use the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee library through the Cooperative Access Program and all libraries affiliated with the University of Wisconsin System.

Email

• All PM Education students are required to utilize their MCW email account and may not forward their email to an outside account.
• If you forget your username or password, contact the Information Services Help Desk at (414) 955-4357.

What is Precision Medicine?
Precision Medicine, sometimes known as “personalized medicine” is an innovative approach to tailoring disease prevention and treatment by taking into account individual variation in genes, environment, and lifestyles. 

Why do Healthcare Providers want to Further Their Education in Precision Medicine?
Precision Medicine (PM) education will expand the ability of physicians and advanced practice providers to use patients’ genetics and other molecular information as part of routine medical care.  PM will improve the ability of healthcare providers to predict which treatments will work best for specific patients and will enhance the understanding of new precision technologies to improve public health policy and practice. 

Is the Precision Medicine Program Accredited?
The Medical College of Wisconsin is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).

Are There Prerequisites for Admission?
It is a prerequisite for enrollment that prospective students be a physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, genetic counselor, or other licensed clinician. 

When Should I Apply?
Applications for Fall semester consideration need to be submitted by July 1st and applications for Spring semester consideration need to be submitted by December 1st

The PM Ed Application Will Include:
-Online application
-Official transcripts
-Clinical/medical license submission
-Personal statement
-Short-answer responses
-3 letters of recommendation (1 from direct supervisor)

What are the Precision Medicine MS Degree & Certificate Requirements? 
The PM Ed MS degree requires the completion of 30 credit hours and is comprised of 3 required courses (Introductory Overview, Readings & Research, and Thesis) in addition to 7 electives.  The PM Ed certificate requires the completion of 12 credit hours and is comprised of 1 required course (Introductory Overview) in addition to 3 elective courses. 

Will Classes be In-Person or Online?
All courses are held exclusively online to offer additional flexibility to students. 

What is the Timeline for Completing the Program?
Most Precision Medicine certificate students will complete the required 12 credits in 2 years averaging 1 course per semester.  MS Precision Medicine students will average 1-2 courses per semester and complete the required 30 credits in 2-4 years. For students to be full-time, they will need to be enrolled in 9 credits a semester.  For students to defer student loans while in school, they will need to be enrolled in at least 2 courses (3 credits each).

Medicine MS Model Schedules:
2021 Precision Medicine MS Model Schedule (PDF)