Medical Natural Sciences: a new academic program to train biomedical researchers

Abstract

Here we describe the academic program Medical Natural Sciences that was started as a bachelor program in 2001 by several departments of VU University Amsterdam and the VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam. In this program students receive training in exact sciences (physics, chemistry and mathematics) in a strong medical context, combined with basic courses in biomedical sciences and a program of general academic skills. The main goal is to provide the students the skills to conduct research in the fields of biomedical physics, medical physiology and clinical chemistry. The program fills a niche between more biologically oriented programs like Biomedical Sciences (with usually much less emphasis on physics and mathematics skills) and more technologically oriented programs like Biomedical Technology (with usually less emphasis on fundamental molecular aspects). The bachelor program was in 2004 followed by a master program, in the Netherlands required for entering a subsequent Ph.D. program. The combination of the MNS bachelor program and the MNS master program with specialization Medical Physics is acknowledged by the Dutch Society for Medical Physics as an allowed trajectory for the profession Clinical Physicist. Almost all graduated master students did easily find Ph.D. positions in university medical centers.