University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Encyclopedia
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, USA. The School of Medicine is also known as Pitt Med, and is ranked as a “top medical school” by U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
in the publication's categories of research (14th) and primary care (12th). The school encompasses both a medical program, offering the Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
, and graduate programs, offering Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
and Master's degrees in several areas of biomedical science, clinical research, medical education
Medical education
Medical education is education related to the practice of being a medical practitioner, either the initial training to become a doctor or additional training thereafter ....
, and medical informatics. The School of Medicine is one of sixteen schools that comprise the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
and is located in the Oakland
Oakland (Pittsburgh)
Oakland is the academic, cultural, and healthcare center of Pittsburgh and is Pennsylvania's third largest "Downtown". Only Center City Philadelphia and Downtown Pittsburgh can claim more economic and social activity than Oakland...
neighborhood of the city of Pittsburgh.
Pitt Med is a national leader in biomedical research, as evidenced by Pitt and its affiliates ranking fifth among all institutions in the amount of NIH funding received ($432 million) during the most recently analyzed fiscal year. Admissions to the school is competitive; the incoming class averaged a score of 35 on the MCAT with an average GPA of 3.74.
The School of Medicine is closely affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is an $9 billion integrated global nonprofit health enterprise that has 54,000 employees, 20 hospitals, 4,200 licensed beds, 400 outpatient sites and doctors’ offices, a 1.5 million-member health insurance division, as well as commercial and...
(UPMC). UPMC is considered to be a leading American health care provider having been consistently ranked in U.S. News & World Reports "Honor Roll" of approximately 15 to 20 best hospitals in America over the last decade. As of 2010, UPMC ranked 13th among the best hospitals by U.S. News and was ranked in 15 of 16 specialty areas, including seven specialties for which UPMC is in the top 10, not including Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, a hospital of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, is the only hospital in southwestern Pennsylvania dedicated solely to the care of infants, children and young adults. Care is provided by more than 700 board-certified pediatricians and pediatric...
which was ranked among the top eight pediatric centers in a separate U.S. News ranking.
History
Chartered on June 4, 1883 as the Western Pennsylvania Medical College, the school opened with a class of 57 students in September, 1886. Originally a free-standing school formed by local physicians, the college founders had sought affiliation with the Western University of Pennsylvania even prior to its founding, and in 1892, the School became affiliated with the university becoming the Medical Department of Western University. By 1895 the college had begun a four year course of study, and in 1908 the college was completely integrated into the Western University of Pennsylvania, the same year the university was renamed to the University of Pittsburgh. Abraham FlexnerAbraham Flexner
Abraham Flexner was an American educator. His Flexner Report, published in 1910, reformed medical education in the United States...
, a renowned educator, published his first report, Medical Education in the U.S. and Canada, in 1910 after he had visited 155 medical schools, including the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. In his report, Flexner made the following comments relative to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine: “Since the present management took hold last fall, the admission of students has been more carefully supervised, the building has been put in excellent condition.... Whole-time instructors of modern training and ideals have been secured... A new building is in the process of erection...”
Flexner went on to cite the School as an example of what could be accomplished through sound University Management.
For the next four decades the School continued to evolve. At the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, active planning for a major change was initiated with the encouragement and assistance of the Mellons, a prominent Pittsburgh family. The University accepted the University Health Center concept and, in 1953, appointed the first vice chancellor of the Schools of the Health Professions. Plans were made to house the Schools of Medicine, Dental Medicine, Nursing
Nursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
, and Pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
in a new building contiguous to the principal teaching hospitals and the Graduate School of Public Health
University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health
The Graduate School of Public Health is one of 17 schools comprising the University of Pittsburgh. The school, founded in 1948, was first led by Thomas Parran, surgeon general of the U.S. Public Health Service. It is ranked as the 11th best such school in the United States by US News and World...
.
To generate the necessary capital, the University planned a fund drive to raise an endowment. A handsome beginning was made when, by mid-December 1953, $15 million was assured by grants of $5 million each from the A. W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust, the Richard King Mellon
Richard King Mellon
Richard King Mellon , commonly known as R.K., was an American financier from Ligonier, Pennsylvania.-Biography:The son of Richard B. Mellon, nephew of Andrew W...
Foundation, and the Sarah Mellon
Sarah Mellon
Sarah Mellon was the niece of Andrew W. Mellon . She was one of the heirs to the Mellon fortune, including Mellon Bank and major investments in Gulf Oil and Alcoa...
Scaife Foundation.
The new building, Scaife Hall, was completed in 1956 and recruitment of additional full-time faculty was begun. With increased facilities and faculty, the School of Medicine began to be recognized as a major center for research in a number of areas. In turn, the faculty of the School of Medicine attracted appreciable support for research and training from the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
and other federal agencies. Moreover, the School became assured of financial support for medical education when, in 1967, the University became state related as part of the higher education system of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Organization
The position of Senior Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences and Dean of the School of Medicine is a single leadership position.The School of Medicine is one of six schools of the health sciences. The other five schools of the health sciences include; School of Dental Medicine
University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine
The University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, located in Pittsburgh, PA, is one of Pitt’s six schools of the health sciences and is closely affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center....
, Graduate School of Public Health
University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health
The Graduate School of Public Health is one of 17 schools comprising the University of Pittsburgh. The school, founded in 1948, was first led by Thomas Parran, surgeon general of the U.S. Public Health Service. It is ranked as the 11th best such school in the United States by US News and World...
, School of Nursing, School of Pharmacy
School of Pharmacy
The School of Pharmacy is a constituent college of the University of London. It was founded by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain in 1842 as the College of the Pharmaceutical Society, and was granted a royal charter in 1952. In 1926 it became a school of the University of London...
, and School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
The University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences is one of the schools of the University of Pittsburgh, one of six dedicated to Health Sciences....
.
The School of Medicine is home to 29 departments: Anesthesiology, Biomedical Informatics, Cell Biology
Cell biology
Cell biology is a scientific discipline that studies cells – their physiological properties, their structure, the organelles they contain, interactions with their environment, their life cycle, division and death. This is done both on a microscopic and molecular level...
and Physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
, Computational Biology
Computational biology
Computational biology involves the development and application of data-analytical and theoretical methods, mathematical modeling and computational simulation techniques to the study of biological, behavioral, and social systems...
, Critical Care Medicine
Critical Care Medicine
Critical Care Medicine is a peer-reviewed medical journal in the field of intensive care medicine. It is the official publication of the Society of Critical Care Medicine, and is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. The editor-in-chief is Joseph E. Parrillo....
, Dermatology
Dermatology
Dermatology is the branch of medicine dealing with the skin and its diseases, a unique specialty with both medical and surgical aspects. A dermatologist takes care of diseases, in the widest sense, and some cosmetic problems of the skin, scalp, hair, and nails....
, Developmental Biology
Developmental Biology
Developmental Biology is a peer-reviewedscientific journal. It was established in 1959 and is the official journal of the Society for Developmental Biology. It publishes research on the mechanisms of development, differentiation, and growth in animals and plants at the molecular, cellular, and...
, Emergency Medicine
Emergency medicine
Emergency medicine is a medical specialty in which physicians care for patients with acute illnesses or injuries which require immediate medical attention. While not usually providing long-term or continuing care, emergency medicine physicians diagnose a variety of illnesses and undertake acute...
, Family Medicine
Family medicine
Family medicine is a medical specialty devoted to comprehensive health care for people of all ages. It is a division of primary care that provides continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and family across all ages, sexes, diseases, and parts of the body...
, Immunology
Immunology
Immunology is a broad branch of biomedical science that covers the study of all aspects of the immune system in all organisms. It deals with the physiological functioning of the immune system in states of both health and diseases; malfunctions of the immune system in immunological disorders ; the...
, Medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, Microbiology
Microbiology
Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, which are defined as any microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell , cell clusters or no cell at all . This includes eukaryotes, such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes...
and Molecular Genetics
Molecular genetics
Molecular genetics is the field of biology and genetics that studies the structure and function of genes at a molecular level. The field studies how the genes are transferred from generation to generation. Molecular genetics employs the methods of genetics and molecular biology...
, Neurobiology, Neurological Surgery
Neurosurgery
Neurosurgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spine, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular system.-In the United States:In...
, Neurology
Neurology
Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...
, Obstetrics
Obstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems...
, Orthopedic Surgery
Orthopedic surgery
Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system...
, Otolaryngology
Otolaryngology
Otolaryngology or ENT is the branch of medicine and surgery that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of ear, nose, throat, and head and neck disorders....
, Pathology
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
, Pediatrics
Pediatrics
Pediatrics or paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician or paediatrician...
, Pharmacology
Pharmacology
Pharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function...
, Psychiatry
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Physical medicine and rehabilitation
Physical medicine and rehabilitation , physiatry or rehabilitation medicine, is a branch of medicine that aims to enhance and restore functional ability and quality of life to those with physical impairments or disabilities. A physician having completed training in this field is referred to as a...
, Radiation Oncology, Radiology
Radiology
Radiology is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat disease visualized within the human body. Radiologists use an array of imaging technologies to diagnose or treat diseases...
, Surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
, and Urology
Urology
Urology is the medical and surgical specialty that focuses on the urinary tracts of males and females, and on the reproductive system of males. Medical professionals specializing in the field of urology are called urologists and are trained to diagnose, treat, and manage patients with urological...
.
Academics
The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is accredited by the Liaison Council on Medical Education. The residency programs of the medical school are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical EducationAccreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education is the body responsible for the accreditation for graduate medical training programs for medical doctors in the United States. It is a non-profit private council that evaluates and accredits medical residency and internship programs...
.
Curriculum
The doctor of medicine program is a full time four year program providing a general professional education that prepares students to pursue any career option in medicine. The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine curricular infrastructure combines a lecture-and problem-based curriculum with early and in-depth clinical experiences and an integrated organ systems approach to the preclinical sciences. The clinical years are characterized by an integrated clerkship structure and an emphasis on student flexibility.The current curriculum was implemented in 2004 and features active, participatory learning, a problem-based approach, an early introduction to the patient and the community, and the integration of a rigorous foundation in basic and clinical biomedical sciences with the social and behavioral aspects of medicine. Key subject matter is longitudinally integrated throughout the curriculum, building upon a foundation of prior learning while providing a level-appropriate and well-synchronized introduction of new content.
Scheduled instructional time in the first two years of the curriculum is apportioned approximately as one-third lecture
Lecture
thumb|A lecture on [[linear algebra]] at the [[Helsinki University of Technology]]A lecture is an oral presentation intended to present information or teach people about a particular subject, for example by a university or college teacher. Lectures are used to convey critical information, history,...
; one-third small group learning
Small group learning
Small group learning is a useful educational approach. The group work has to be carefully planned and frequently requires a facilitator to ensure group progress. In addition the group function and the learning that takes place needs to be assessed and evaluated. The material learned is just as...
(much of which is problem-based learning
Problem-based learning
Problem-based learning is a student-centered pedagogy in which students learn about a subject in the context of complex, multifaceted, and realistic problems...
; the remainder includes demonstrations, faculty-directed problem-solving exercises, skill-practice sessions, and other activities); and one-third activities (which includes observation of and appropriate participation in patient care, community-site visits, experience with standardized patients
Simulated patient
A simulated patient, standardized patient or sample patient , in health care, is an individual who is trained to act as a real patient in order to simulate a set of symptoms or problems. Simulated patients have been successfully used in medical education, nursing education, evaluation, and...
, high-fidelity simulations, laboratory exercises, and other activities).
Patient focus in the curriculum begins on day one, in the introduction to being a physician course. Students interview patients about their experience of illness and experiences with their physicians, and they visit community settings to develop an understanding of their roles as medical professionals. Medical interviewing and physical examination courses follow, along with exercises examining the many facets of physician life—in society, ethical settings, and at the patient bedside. Throughout the first two years, students apply their new skills in local practices and hospitals one afternoon per week. The basic science block runs through three-fourths of the first year and provides language and concepts that underlie the scientific basis of medical practice. Organ system block courses integrate physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and patient with concurrent courses in the patient care and patient, physician and society blocks. Weekly discussions, patient interviews, and examination of hospitalized patients reinforce essential clinical skills.
The third-year curriculum consists of seven required clerkships. They are designed to optimize the balance between out-of-hospital and in-patient learning opportunities, eliminate unintentional curriculum redundancy, and optimize opportunities for student-designed curricula in the junior and senior years.
Every student engages in a mentored scholarly project conducted longitudinally throughout the four-year curriculum. Completion and presentation of the scholarly project is due in the spring of the senior year and is a requirement for graduation. Students pursue their projects through several program options, which may include areas of concentration. An innovative system of Web-based learning portfolios facilitates learner-mentor communication and enriches the possibilities for collaboration within and beyond the University.
The medical school maintains the curriculum online via the Navigator system, a family of Web-based applications with domain-specific courseware to support student achievement of course objectives. Students have access to a host of online resources such as digitized images, syllabi, practice quizzes, podcasts, and other material associated with specific instructional units.
Specialty rankings
According to US News & World Report, five medical school specialties were ranked among the best in the nation. Those include:- Women’s health #4
- Drug and alcohol abuse #8
- Geriatrics #8
- Pediatrics #13
- Internal medicine #14
General Requirements
The medical school participates in the American Medical College Application Service
American Medical College Application Service
The American Medical College Application Service, abbreviated AMCAS, is a service run by the Association of American Medical Colleges through which prospective medical students can apply to various medical schools in the United States...
(AMCAS) of the Association of American Medical Colleges
Association of American Medical Colleges
The Association of American Medical Colleges is a non-profit organization based in Washington, DC and established in 1876. It administers the Medical College Admission Test...
(AAMC). The school considers currently enrolled students and graduates of accredited colleges for admission. Non United States citizens must hold a permanent resident visa (not conditional) or refugee/asylee status and have completed at least one full year of undergraduate education, including our prerequisites, in the United States.
In examining candidacy, the admissions committee will consider; 1) Undergraduate, post baccalaureate, and graduate records, 2) MCAT scores, 3) Independent and advanced study, 4) Research, 5) Work experience, 6) Extracurricular activities, including depth and breadth of your interests and activities outside the classroom, volunteer activities, community service, student government, hobbies, clubs, athletics, 6) Academic and personal recommendations, 7) Personal character: integrity, communication skills, leadership, motivation, creativity, 8) Supplemental essays and 9) Personal interviews
Academic Requirements
In addition to thorough preparation in the basic sciences, applicants should have a strong liberal arts education with demonstrated accomplishment in the humanities and social sciences. A strong background in mathematics is highly recommended.
Acceptance of courses taken at foreign universities is determined on an individual basis at the discretion of the Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid. Applicants should have completed most premedical requirements to receive serious consideration. All requirements must be met before matriculation.
Specific minimum course requirements (One year each of) include Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, exclusive of botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
(with lab), General or inorganic chemistry
Inorganic chemistry
Inorganic chemistry is the branch of chemistry concerned with the properties and behavior of inorganic compounds. This field covers all chemical compounds except the myriad organic compounds , which are the subjects of organic chemistry...
(with lab), Organic chemistry
Organic chemistry
Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation of carbon-based compounds, hydrocarbons, and their derivatives...
(with lab), Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
(with lab), and English (including W courses taken outside of the English department).
The school will accept AP credit if credit was awarded by your college/university and the course credit granted appears on your transcript.
Students and Student Life
As of Fall 2008, the School of Medicine has 577 MD students: 290 men and 287 women. The School fosters an academic environment that encourages and supports a richness of diversity among students in various racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. Underrepresented minority students make up approximately 16 percent of the medical student body.The structure of the curriculum promotes student interaction and collegiality. In addition, medical students get to know each other through involvement in organizations and extracurricular activities. Some of the many student groups on campus are the American Medical Student Association
American Medical Student Association
The American Medical Student Association , founded in 1950 and based in Washington, D.C., is the oldest and largest independent association of physicians-in-training in the United States. AMSA is a student-governed, national organization...
, the American Medical Association
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
, specialty interest groups in most areas of medicine, Pitt Women in Medicine, and the History of Medicine Society. Medical students have access to all facilities of the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
, including athletic facilities. Pittsburgh is an accessible and exciting city, and, although on-campus housing is available, most medical students choose to live off campus.
Graduate Programs
The School of Medicine offers a variety of programs leading to the Doctor of PhilosophyDoctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
, the Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
, or a certificate. As of the Fall 2009 term, the graduate programs have 376 students. The school works with other schools of the University through collaborative graduate programs. The School of Medicine offers a joint MD/PhD program.
Doctoral Programs
The medical school offers PhDs through the Interdisciplinary Biomedical Graduate Program, the Center for Neuroscience Graduate Training Program, the Biomedical Informatics Training Program, the Joint Program in Computation Biology, the Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology Graduate Program, the Program in Integrative Molecular Biology, and the program in Clinical and Translational Science.Interdisciplinary Biomedical Science Graduate Program
Students may be admitted into 6 PhD degree granting programs in the School of Medicine or the School of Arts and Sciences through the Interdisciplinary Biomedical Science Graduate Program. These programs include:
- BiochemistryBiochemistryBiochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
and Molecular GeneticsMolecular geneticsMolecular genetics is the field of biology and genetics that studies the structure and function of genes at a molecular level. The field studies how the genes are transferred from generation to generation. Molecular genetics employs the methods of genetics and molecular biology... - Cell biologyCell biologyCell biology is a scientific discipline that studies cells – their physiological properties, their structure, the organelles they contain, interactions with their environment, their life cycle, division and death. This is done both on a microscopic and molecular level...
and Molecular physiology - Cellular and Molecular pathologyMolecular pathologyMolecular pathology is an emerging discipline within pathology which is focused in the study and diagnosis of disease through the examination of molecules within organs, tissues or bodily fluids....
- ImmunologyImmunologyImmunology is a broad branch of biomedical science that covers the study of all aspects of the immune system in all organisms. It deals with the physiological functioning of the immune system in states of both health and diseases; malfunctions of the immune system in immunological disorders ; the...
- Molecular pharmacologyPharmacologyPharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function...
- Molecular virologyMolecular VirologyMolecular Virology is the study of viruses at the molecular level.In particular, this includes the analysis of individual viral genes and gene products, and their interaction with host cellular proteins....
and MicrobiologyMicrobiologyMicrobiology is the study of microorganisms, which are defined as any microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell , cell clusters or no cell at all . This includes eukaryotes, such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes...
The Interdisciplinary Biomedical Science Graduate Program is flexible and accommodates students whose research interests are still evolving by introducing them to a variety of fields through interdisciplinary courses and laboratory experiences. For those students who have a clearly defined research interest, the program offers the opportunity to move quickly into the laboratory and accelerate their study.
Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Graduate Program
The PhD Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics is one of the six degree-granting programs offered to students entering the Interdisciplinary Biomedical Graduate Program in the School of Medicine. Faculty members are committed to developing the careers of young scientists, and are exploring questions that address fundamental issues in normal biology and human disease. Our research is at the cutting edge of many emerging technologies, including stem cell biology, proteomics and genomics, and has direct relevance to cancer, diabetes, muscular dystrophy, and other genetic disorders. Faculty research interests include regulation of gene expression, signal transduction, DNA replication and repair, oncogenes and tumor suppressors, human gene therapy, stem cell biology and early development, as well as protein structure and molecular dynamics.
Cell Biology and Molecular Physiology Graduate Program
The PhD Program in Cell Biology and Molecular Physiology is one of the six degree-granting programs offered to students entering the Interdisciplinary Biomedical Graduate Program in the School of Medicine. Graduates will be trained in cell function, physiology, cell interactions, and development from the molecular to the organ level. The faculty are drawn from both basic science and clinical departments. The following fields are currently under investigation: epithelial cell biology including investigating the devastating effects of impaired salt transport in inherited diseases such as cystic fibrosis; the intracellular transduction of signals that cause diabetes; identification of the mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias; the mechanisms by which membranes and cargo are transported into and through the cell; water transport and barrier epithelia and on the biology of ion channels; and chromatin structure and dynamics as well as the study of dystrophin to develop novel treatments for muscular dystrophy. In addition, the hormonal regulation of reproduction and fertility is being investigated by members of the Center for Reproductive Physiology. Topics in reproduction research include the use of rhesus monkeys as a model of human neuroendocrine control of puberty, the regulation of gene expression by sex hormones, signal transduction mechanisms required for male fertility, the cellular and molecular basis of ovarian function, and the molecular pathways initiating labor.
Cellular and Molecular Pathology Graduate Program
The Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP) Program is a PhD-granting program in the School of Medicine. Admission into the program occurs through the Interdisciplinary Biomedical Graduate Program or the Medical Scientist Training Program. CMP emphasizes tissue biology in both health and disease with focus on specific organs as well as general biological disciplines. The faculty research interests include pathobiology of the liver, lung, kidney, brain, bone, prostate, and breast with an accent on cancer biology, tissue regeneration, stem cells, development, angiogenesis, and wound healing. Members of our program come from the Divisions of Experimental Pathology and of Neuropathology within the Department of Pathology, and also include faculty from other basic and clinical departments in the School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, and Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute. Our faculty consists of MDs, PhDs, and MD/PhDs who are engaged in multidisciplinary research that encompasses basic and translational research with prominent clinical relevance. Graduate students use state of the art technologies (i.e. imaging, microarrays, proteomics) and in vitro/in vivo models to study normal and disease processes, in basic and applied contexts. Broad organ based-CMP research areas include: cancer biology; embryonic development and organogenesis; tissue and organ regeneration; molecular basis of disease and treatment; stem cells; neurodegeneration; and angiogenesis.
Immunology Graduate Program
The immunology
Immunology
Immunology is a broad branch of biomedical science that covers the study of all aspects of the immune system in all organisms. It deals with the physiological functioning of the immune system in states of both health and diseases; malfunctions of the immune system in immunological disorders ; the...
program focuses on six areas of research: cancer immunology
Cancer immunology
Cancer immunology is the study of interactions between the immune system and cancer cells . It is also a growing field of research that aims to discover innovative cancer immunotherapies to treat and retard progression of this disease...
, transplantation immunology, infectious disease
Infectious disease
Infectious diseases, also known as communicable diseases, contagious diseases or transmissible diseases comprise clinically evident illness resulting from the infection, presence and growth of pathogenic biological agents in an individual host organism...
immunology, autoimmunity
Autoimmunity
Autoimmunity is the failure of an organism to recognize its own constituent parts as self, which allows an immune response against its own cells and tissues. Any disease that results from such an aberrant immune response is termed an autoimmune disease...
, immunology
Immunology
Immunology is a broad branch of biomedical science that covers the study of all aspects of the immune system in all organisms. It deals with the physiological functioning of the immune system in states of both health and diseases; malfunctions of the immune system in immunological disorders ; the...
of lung diseases, and basic immunologic mechanisms. Cancer immunology
Cancer immunology
Cancer immunology is the study of interactions between the immune system and cancer cells . It is also a growing field of research that aims to discover innovative cancer immunotherapies to treat and retard progression of this disease...
studies include tumor antigen
Tumor antigen
Tumor antigen is an antigenic substance produced in tumor cells, i.e., it triggers an immune response in the host. Tumor antigens are useful in identifying tumor cells and are potential candidates for use in cancer therapy.- Mechanism of tumor antigenesis:...
discovery and presentation, in vivo
In vivo
In vivo is experimentation using a whole, living organism as opposed to a partial or dead organism, or an in vitro controlled environment. Animal testing and clinical trials are two forms of in vivo research...
vaccination strategies to develop safe and effective treatments for cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, and the search for underlying genetic or biochemical defects that lead to cell transformation and tumorigenesis that may also influence tumor immunogenicity
Immunogenicity
Immunogenicity is the ability of a particular substance, such as an antigen or epitope, to provoke an immune response in the body of a human or animal.- Immunogenicity :The ability to induce humoral and/or cell-mediated immune responses....
. These studies emphasize intracellular signal transduction
Signal transduction
Signal transduction occurs when an extracellular signaling molecule activates a cell surface receptor. In turn, this receptor alters intracellular molecules creating a response...
, programmed cell death
Programmed cell death
Programmed cell-death is death of a cell in any form, mediated by an intracellular program. PCD is carried out in a regulated process which generally confers advantage during an organism's life-cycle...
, and oncogene
Oncogene
An oncogene is a gene that has the potential to cause cancer. In tumor cells, they are often mutated or expressed at high levels.An oncogene is a gene found in the chromosomes of tumor cells whose activation is associated with the initial and continuing conversion of normal cells into cancer...
function. Transplantation immunology concentrates on weakening the immune response to allow foreign organ and tissue transplants. Program members focus on the basic biology of immune cell non-reactivity (tolerance) to foreign organs and tissues, as well as on the use of new immunomodulatory drugs to promote transplant acceptance without endangering patients' abilities to resist infections.
Studies of the immune response to infectious disease focus on mechanisms the immune system uses to eliminate viral, bacterial, or parasitic infections as well as the immune evasion mechanisms employed by pathogens. Investigation of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosis, and type-1 diabetes involve detailed analysis of the molecular mechanisms underlying the autoimmune response and of the development of novel therapeutic and preventive measures for these often-fatal diseases.
Immunology of lung diseases studies both basic mechanisms of dendritic cell maturation and their influence on T-cell differentiation and the relevance of these interactions in disease second in tolerance. Some foci of basic immunologic mechanisms include cell and organ development and homeostasis, cellular activation and inactivation signaling cascades, and the use of gene therapy to modulate immune responses.
Molecular Pharmacology Graduate Program
The program is focused on molecular and cellular mechanisms of intracellular signaling using a combination of biochemical, molecular biological, biophysical, ultra structural, and imaging approaches. Basic information on cellular communication in health and disease provides the basis for the development and testing of novel therapeutic agents. Applications of this common theme are directed toward research in drug discovery, cancer, pharmacology, signal transduction, neurodegenerative diseases, and cell and organ system pharmacology. Formal interactions with the Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, the Center for Neuroscience, the Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases (PIND), the Division of Clinical Pharmacology, the Drug Discovery Program, and the Center for Biological Imaging provide a broad multidisciplinary approach to training in modern molecular pharmacology.
Molecular Virology and Microbiology Graduate Program
The Molecular Virology and Microbiology (MVM) Program features cutting-edge research in molecular virology, the pathogenesis of infectious disease, and the nature of host-pathogen interactions. This research is highly interdisciplinary, combining molecular biology, immunology, biochemistry, pharmacology, structural and computational biology, and clinical science to provide a broad understanding of microbiology as an integrated discipline in the biomedical sciences. Current research foci include the immunology of infectious disease, the biology of persistent infections, oncogenic viruses, the regulation of host and pathogen gene expression during infection, development of viral vectors for gene therapy, development of vaccines and microbicides to prevent infection, and discovery and development of drugs to treat infectious diseases. Research in these areas ranges from basic science through translational research to clinical studies in order to expedite the application of new discoveries in the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases. Faculty members are located in numerous departments (clinical and basic science) and the Schools of Medicine, Public Health, and Arts and Sciences throughout the campus. The MVM program offers courses, seminars, laboratory rotations, and research training opportunities to provide a stimulating and supportive environment for the education of independent scientists who will make significant research contributions toward advancing the understanding of host-pathogen relationships.
Center for Neuroscience Graduate Training Program
Neuroscience
Neuroscience
Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system. Traditionally, neuroscience has been seen as a branch of biology. However, it is currently an interdisciplinary science that collaborates with other fields such as chemistry, computer science, engineering, linguistics, mathematics,...
is the study of the structure and function of the nervous system. Understanding the nervous system provides key insights into human nature as well as treatments for a host of devastating neurologic and psychiatric disorders. The CNUP graduate program introduces students to the fundamental issues and experimental approaches in neuroscience and trains them in the theory and practice of laboratory research.
Biomedical Informatics Training Program
The Biomedical Informatics Training Program, in the Department of Biomedical Informatics, prepares individuals for research and development careers emphasizing the application of modern information technology to health care, biological and clinical research, and education of health professionals. The program offers master’s and doctoral degrees in biomedical informatics. Specific concentrations of study can be obtained in the areas of bioinformatics, dental informatics, health services research, and infectious disease and public health informatics (biosurveillance). A Certificate Program is also available to serve students with a wide variety of goals and backgrounds. At the discretion of the director of the program, short-term traineeships can be arranged. Such training can be done on a part-time basis. The program also offers non-degree postdoctoral fellowships (such applicants must have a doctoral degree in the health sciences), designed to provide two years of full-time fellowship training.
Joint Program in Computational Biology
This program is offered collaboratively by the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
. It is designed to develop expertise in the use of computational methods to identify and solve biological problems.
Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology Graduate Program
An interdisciplinary program that trains students in the use of a broad range of technologies to study the physical function of biological macromolecules and covers a diversity of research topics in molecular biophysics and structural biology.
Program in Integrative Molecular Biology
A cross-campus program that provides training with a focus on the structure and function of molecules that compose complex cellular pathways and systems. Focus areas include genomics, proteomics, gene function, and cellular and developmental dynamics.
Clinical and Translational Science
This program is offered through Pitt's Institute for Clinical Research Education and is a rigorous, multidisciplinary program designed to train an elite group of scientists in conducting high quality clinical and translation research. A certificate is also available to students enrolled in other health science doctoral programs.
MD/PhD Program
The MD/PhD Program, established in 1983 and funded partly by the NIH Medical Scientist Training Program, is a collaborative training program involving the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. For students who have a clearly defined interest in biomedical research, the MD/PhD program serves as a bridge between the medical curriculum and the large number of graduate programs at the two universities. Students enrolled in the program complete the entire medical school curriculum as well as the curriculum of a field of study for the PhD degree. Graduates receive a dual degree. The program takes advantage of the highly developed curricula of the medical and graduate programs as well as the large depth and breadth of research available at the two universities. MD/PhD students typically complete the first two years of medical school before entering a program leading to the PhD degree. The students then enter a track in a selected field of study. Students choose from the basic sciences at the School of Medicine, School of Engineering, Graduate School of Public Health, and Faculty of Arts and Sciences and similar programs at Carnegie Mellon University. The estimated time to completion of the entire dual degree program is 7.6 years, ranging from six to ten years.Faculty
As of July 1, 2009 the School of Medicine had 2028 volunteer faculty. In addition to eight emeritus members, sixty-seven faculty from throughout the school are active members of the http://www.ame.pitt.edu Academy of Master Educators], which was developed to recognize and reward excellence in medical education.Research
The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is an important center for medical research. This level of support places Pitt at #6 (behind Harvard, Johns HopkinsJohns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins was a wealthy American entrepreneur, philanthropist and abolitionist of 19th-century Baltimore, Maryland, now most noted for his philanthropic creation of the institutions that bear his name, namely the Johns Hopkins Hospital, and the Johns Hopkins University and its associated...
, Penn
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
The Perelman School of Medicine , formerly the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, was founded in 1765, making it the oldest American medical school. As part of the University of Pennsylvania, it is located in the University City section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is widely...
, UCSF
University of California, San Francisco
The University of California, San Francisco is one of the world's leading centers of health sciences research, patient care, and education. UCSF's medical, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing, and graduate schools are among the top health science professional schools in the world...
, and Washington
University of Washington School of Medicine
The University of Washington School of Medicine is a public medical school located in Seattle, Washington.-Overview:UWSOM is a graduate school affiliated with the University of Washington, and is the only medical school in the states of Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho...
) out of the 123 American medical schools that received Federal research funding in fiscal year 2006. In addition, the School of Medicine received nearly $135 million of support through a synergistic relationship with its associated hospital system: the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is an $9 billion integrated global nonprofit health enterprise that has 54,000 employees, 20 hospitals, 4,200 licensed beds, 400 outpatient sites and doctors’ offices, a 1.5 million-member health insurance division, as well as commercial and...
. A major aim of the School of Medicine's research in coming years, among others, is to monitor gene expression and its consequences on a cell, in vivo
In vivo
In vivo is experimentation using a whole, living organism as opposed to a partial or dead organism, or an in vitro controlled environment. Animal testing and clinical trials are two forms of in vivo research...
, on a molecular scale using nuclear magnetic resonance
Nuclear magnetic resonance
Nuclear magnetic resonance is a physical phenomenon in which magnetic nuclei in a magnetic field absorb and re-emit electromagnetic radiation...
. A focus on translational research
Translational research
Translational research is a way of thinking about and conducting scientific research to make the results of research applicable to the population under study and is practised in the natural and biological, behavioural, and social sciences...
- moving recent biomedical research
Biomedical research
Biomedical research , in general simply known as medical research, is the basic research, applied research, or translational research conducted to aid and support the body of knowledge in the field of medicine...
from the laboratory into mainstream clinical practice - is also emphasized.
Resources
The Health Sciences Library System (HSLS) supports the educational, research, clinical, and service activities of the health sciences community of the University of PittsburghUniversity of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is an $9 billion integrated global nonprofit health enterprise that has 54,000 employees, 20 hospitals, 4,200 licensed beds, 400 outpatient sites and doctors’ offices, a 1.5 million-member health insurance division, as well as commercial and...
(UPMC) through development and provision of innovative information resources and services. The Health Library System serves as a regional medical library for the Middle Atlantic region of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, which makes it one of only eight institutions in the nation serving as a regional medical library for the United States National Library of Medicine
United States National Library of Medicine
The United States National Library of Medicine , operated by the United States federal government, is the world's largest medical library. Located in Bethesda, Maryland, the NLM is a division of the National Institutes of Health...
.
HSLS includes the following libraries:
Falk Library of Health Sciences serves as the flagship of the HSLS, with a wide-ranging collection of biomedical and health-related journals and monographs, as well as a specialized collection of rare and historical materials. The Computer and Media Center (CMC) offers computing and Internet access to qualified library users, as well as videotapes, audiotapes, slide sets and software packages. The CMC has more than 75 available computers, as well a classroom equipped for group computer instruction. The University’s wireless network is available throughout the library. The Falk Library is open 110 hours per week.
The James Frazer Hillman Health Sciences Library and the Hopwood Library: A Health Resource Center for Patients and Families at UPMC
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is an $9 billion integrated global nonprofit health enterprise that has 54,000 employees, 20 hospitals, 4,200 licensed beds, 400 outpatient sites and doctors’ offices, a 1.5 million-member health insurance division, as well as commercial and...
Shadyside provide books, journals, audiovisuals, and computers to support clinical practice and patient/family education. This combined library facility is open 50 hours per week.
The Blaxter Medical Library, the Family Resource Center, and the Moulis Children’s Library at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, a hospital of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, is the only hospital in southwestern Pennsylvania dedicated solely to the care of infants, children and young adults. Care is provided by more than 700 board-certified pediatricians and pediatric...
contain specialized collections in clinical pediatrics
Pediatrics
Pediatrics or paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician or paediatrician...
, child health and wellness, recreational reading
Sustained silent reading
Sustained silent reading is a form of school-based recreational reading, or free voluntary reading, where students read silently in a designated time period every day in school. An underlying assumption of SSR is that students learn to read by reading constantly...
and videotapes for hospitalized children, as well as computers available to employees of Children’s Hospital
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, a hospital of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, is the only hospital in southwestern Pennsylvania dedicated solely to the care of infants, children and young adults. Care is provided by more than 700 board-certified pediatricians and pediatric...
and patient families. This combined library facility is open 53 hours per week.
The HSLS staff includes 26.6 FTE librarians, 37.7 FTE paraprofessional and technical staff, and 5.6 FTE student assistants. The HSLS serves more than 55,000 primary clients, including health sciences faculty, staff, students, residents, and employees of UPMC
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is an $9 billion integrated global nonprofit health enterprise that has 54,000 employees, 20 hospitals, 4,200 licensed beds, 400 outpatient sites and doctors’ offices, a 1.5 million-member health insurance division, as well as commercial and...
hospitals.
Pitt Med Magazine
Pitt Med magazine is the school's quarterly magazine, produced by the Office of Public Affairs. It has been in publication since 2000.Pitt Med highlights the current research at the School of Medicine, and showcases the achievements of its doctors and alumni. Each magazine contains several feature stories, brief informative clips of information, and an alumni section. Pitt Med is free and available to all University of Pittsburgh students and alumni, as well as anyone who requests a copy or a subscription.
Scaife Hall
Allen Hall (University of Pittsburgh)
Allen Hall at the University of Pittsburgh is a Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmark and a contributing property to the Schenley Farms National Historic District. Completed in 1914 and originally serving as the home to the Mellon Institute of Industrial Research, the six...
, ground was broken on a new School of Medicine building on June 28, 1954 and it opened in 1956. Construction of the building, designed by the architectural firm Schmidt, Garden and Erickson, was interrupted by a fire in June, 1955 that destroyed girders and concrete work. The School of Medicine began relocating to the facility from Pennsylvania and Allen halls in the fall of 1955. The ten-story structure's original construction costs were $15 million. By 1958, the building received its current moniker in honor of one of the school's primary benefactors. The building is attached to UPMC
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is an $9 billion integrated global nonprofit health enterprise that has 54,000 employees, 20 hospitals, 4,200 licensed beds, 400 outpatient sites and doctors’ offices, a 1.5 million-member health insurance division, as well as commercial and...
Presbyterian Hospital and contains classrooms, lecture halls, laboratories, and the Falk Library of the Health Sciences.
See also
- Medical schools in Pennsylvania