Health Professions and Medical Sciences Degrees
Today’s health and medical science professionals need to be proficient in their chosen field, committed to helping others, and driven to take on the unique and ever-changing challenges facing modern health care delivery.
At RIT, you’ll find innovative, tech-infused academic programs; immersive undergraduate research experiences; hands-on clinical, co-op, and internship opportunities; modern, state-of-the-art facilities; and a supportive, encouraging environment.
All you need to do is bring your sense of wonder and a readiness to make a positive impact in the health and medical sciences.
RIT is a Leader in Pass Rates for National Health Care and Medical Credentialing Exams
97%
National Exam Pass Rate
American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography Exams for OB/GYN, Abdomen, Cardiac
100%
One-Year Pass Rate
Commission on Dietetic Registration Credentialing Exam for Dietitian Nutritionists
92%
First-Time Pass Rate
Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination® (PANCE) National Credentialing Exam for Physician Assistants
Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degrees
RIT’s Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degrees are dual degrees that enable you to earn a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in approximately five years of study. They’re designed for exceptional undergraduate students with outstanding academic records. They accelerate your learning and position you for success. You’ll earn two degrees in less time and with a cost savings while still taking advantage of cooperative education experiences, internships, research, study abroad, and more.
Two is always greater than one, especially when it comes to investing in your education.
| Bachelor’s Degree | Master’s Degree(s) |
|---|---|
| Applied Mathematics BS | Applied and Computational Mathematics MS |
| Applied Statistics and Data Analytics BS | Applied and Computational Mathematics MS Applied Statistics MS |
| Bioinformatics and Computational Biology BS | Bioinformatics MS Environmental Science MS |
| Biomedical Engineering BS | Science, Technology, and Public Policy MS |
| Biotechnology and Molecular Bioscience BS | Bioinformatics MS |
| Chemistry BS | Chemistry MS Materials Science and Engineering MS |
| Computational Mathematics BS | Applied and Computational Mathematics MS Computer Science MS |
| Physician Assistant BS/MS* | * The physician assistant major is only offered as a BS/MS degree program. |
RIT + Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
An early acceptance program to Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine for RIT students interested in pursuing medical and dental school, or a graduate degree in pharmacy.
Pre-Med Programs
Pre-Med/Pre-Health Advising Program
The Pre-Med/Pre-Health Advising Program is a pre-professional advising option that provides personal, individualized academic counseling to help you become an exceptional candidate for admission to medical schools and graduate programs in health care professions. Learn how the Pre-Med/Pre-Health Advising Program can help prepare you for medical school.
Pre-Vet Advising Program
Occupations in veterinary medicine are expected to grow three times faster than all other occupations through 2030. If you’re interested in caring for animals, conducting research related to animal illnesses, or working with livestock in university or government settings, RIT’s Pre-Vet Advising Program can help you reach your career goals.
Practical Experience. Proven Results.
-
![Becky Jasen playing the cello.]()
The Power of Music
Becky JasenPhysician AssistantJasen is a physician assistant major and the music director for RIT Players. She is applying her passion for music to research that studied how music can reduce pain and anxiety in pediatric patients.
-
![Professor Elizabeth Ruder giving a lecture.]()
Always Evolving
Elizabeth RuderAssistant ProfessorThe field of nutrition is an ever-changing field where knowledge is always evolving. Ruder enjoys watching her students question what they know as they use hands-on experiences to contribute to future nutritional guidelines.
-
![Zayneb Jaff using a syringe to transfer chemicals.]()
Where Science Meets Art
Zayneb JaffPre-health StudiesMetals and Jewelry DesignStudying health studies has helped Jaff develop her logic and analytical skills. Adding a dual major in metals and jewelry design will prepare her well for medical school, where today's doctors must be both knowledgeable and innovative in their approaches to patient care.
-
![Rachael Aho spotting a trainee bench pressing.]()
Protecting Those Who Protect Us
Rachael AhoExercise Science ’17Aho is putting her exercise science degree to work as a personal trainer who works with first responders. She helps firefighters stay in shape and prevent on-the-job injuries.
-
![Nicole Pannullo working in a chemistry lab.]()
Medicine's Future
Nicole PannulloBiochemistryBy working on a faculty-guided research project, Pannullo has gained hands-on research experience to pursue a future in regenerative medicine. It’s one way Pannullo is putting experiential learning to work.
-
![Jennifer Wheeler, M.D.]()
Giving Back
Jennifer Wheeler, M.D. BS ’01BiotechnologyFamily MedicineAfter 9/11, Wheeler enlisted in the US Army and served as a doctor in Afghanistan. Now, she practices family medicine and serves as a preceptor to RIT students who are embarking on their own careers in medicine.
-
![Diamond Guy using a microscope in a lab.]()
A Spit Take
Diamond GuyBiomedical SciencesGuy's biomedical science research is analyzing microbes linked to cardiac disease. She's hoping to keep the population healthy one vial of saliva at a time.
Gloves On.
Coats On.
Hands On.
Research Opportunities
At RIT, research begins on day one, and is driven by YOU. Alongside top faculty researchers, you’ll conduct original research on topics that intrigue you. Design your own projects, carry out experiments, and analyze and interpret the results. Throughout, our research faculty will guide you while sharing their insights. And, ample opportunities exist to present your findings at conferences or to publish your work in professional science journals.
30
Goldwater Scholars
Since 2005, a total of 30 students have earned the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, the most prestigious undergraduate research award in the nation.
44th
RIT’s Ranking for Undergraduate Research
U.S. News & World Report, 2021
At RIT, hands-on, experienced-based opportunities are intentional and purposeful.
And designed for you to gain real experience, interact with experts, explore professional work environments, enhance your perspectives, and apply your skills in a range of settings. You’ll turn knowledge into know-how as you gain the hands-on experience employers look for in their next top hires.
6th
RIT among top schools for co-op and internship programs
U.S. News & World Report, 2025
150+
Nationwide Clinical Rotation Sites
For physician assistant, dietetics and nutrition, and diagnostic medical sonography (ultrasound)
Learn more about experiential learning in the health and medical sciences.
Cadaver Lab
Human gross anatomy is taught in the fall (for medical illustration majors) and in the spring (for physician assistant and biomedical sciences majors) with the use of cadaver specimens acquired from the University of Rochester's School of Medicine.
Physician Assistant Lab
Arranged as a central classroom with mock examination stations positioned around the perimeter, the Physician Assistant Lab provides opportunities for lecture and break-out stations that support clinical skill training for physician assistant majors.
Ultrasound Scanning Suite
To remain a leader in educating technically sound sonographers, the diagnostic medical sonography program emphasizes not only on the didactic aspect of learning, but also the practical, hands-on, clinical aspect.
The Fitness Lab
The Fitness Lab houses state-of-the-art equipment utilized by exercise science students to gain hands-on experience conducting fitness assessments and testing. Fitness services, such as fitness assessments, are also provided by exercise science students to the RIT community.
Simulation Lab
The Simulation Laboratory consists of three parts a patient room that contains a simulation mannequin, a control room where operation of the mannequin occurs, and a debriefing room where faculty interact with students after simulated medical scenarios end.
Anatomy and Physiology Lab
DaVinci had it right. Biomedical sciences and medical illustration students must observe the human body inside and out to understand the sum of its parts. RIT students learn from dissecting cadavers in the Anatomy and Physiology lab in RIT’s Center for Bioscience Education and Technology.
Careers in Health Care
Graduates of our majors in science, math, health professions, and medical sciences find themselves working for top health care and pharmaceutical companies, world-renowned hospitals and health care systems, and innovative organizations focused on developing health care technologies.
97%
Science and Math Majors
Who are employed, in grad school, or pursing alternative plans (e.g., military, volunteering) within six months of graduation
Here’s a sample of places you could find yourself employed:
- Bausch & Lomb
- The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
- The Cleveland Clinic
- Duke University Health System
- Johnson & Johnson
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- Ortho Clinical Diagnostics
- Raytheon Company
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
- Roswell Park Cancer Institute
- Strong Memorial Hospital
- SUNY Upstate Medical Center
Graduate Medical Schools and Health Care Degrees
RIT graduates have continued their education at top-tier medical schools and graduate programs in science, math, health professions, and the medical sciences.
98%
Health and Medical Science Majors
Who are employed, in grad school, or pursing alternative plans (e.g., military, volunteering) within six months of graduation
A sampling of schools where RIT students have earned advanced degrees includes:
- Boston University School of Medicine
- Cornell University
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
- Georgetown University School of Medicine
- Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- New York Chiropractic College
- New York University School of Medicine
- Pennsylvania State University
- Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
- SUNY Upstate Medical University, College of Health Professions
- University of Rochester
- Weill Cornell Medical College
- Yale University
Related Stories
-
November 12, 2024
![two women sit on a gray couch in a white livingroom with art on the walls.]()
EchoMentor creates a new wave of sonographers
Hayley Bartkus and Christina Werth created EchoMentor as an educational platform for healthcare professionals working in sonography or ultrasound, a medical imaging method that uses sound waves to peer inside the body.
-
November 4, 2024
![a professor works with students at the digital anatomy board.]()
Digital anatomy table gives RIT’s physician assistant BS/MS program a high-tech teaching tool
A digital anatomy table programmed with dynamic medical simulations is changing how RIT physician assistant students learn about the human body. Three-dimensional simulations modeled on real cadavers allow students to understand how the body functions as a system and deteriorates from disease.
-
November 4, 2024
![Five Courtyard members are shown in a group photo holding instruments in front of an orange background.]()
Students form band after chance meeting on campus
A chance encounter on the RIT campus has resulted in a student band forming, playing gigs, and working on an album. It’s a testament to the performing arts ecosystem at RIT, and how easy it can be to find other students who share the same passion for performing arts.
-
October 18, 2024
![Blanca Lapizco-Encinas stands in a blue and white dress in the doorway of a room with glass walls.]()
New micro-technique to differentiate pathogens faster discovered by RIT researcher
RIT researcher Blanca Lapizco-Encinas found new ways to identify those mutations faster. Resurrecting an older theoretical technique that can be used for analyzing pathogens that cause disease, her work could improve how clinicians develop more effective treatments.
