Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences: Health Management, Policy, & Information

College: Medicine
Degree: B.S.
Specialized Admission: No

Description of Major

*Please Note: Face-to-face/in-person instruction of this program is available ONLY at the main campus in Tallahassee, FL. This program is NOT available via Online/Distance Learning.*

The Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences (IMS) Bachelor of Science degree program is designed to provide a broad background to develop the scientific and psychosocial knowledge, and an understanding of the healthcare team and the healthcare system. So that students may pursue their specialized and professional interests, three (3) interdisciplinary majors in Clinical Professions; Community Patient Care; and Health Management, Policy, & Information are offered. The IMS Degree Program’s rigorous science core curriculum, individualized advising, experiential service learning, and developmental seminar and capstone course sequence enables its majors to reach their potential academically and personally, to determine a career path best suited for them, and to develop the skills, attitudes, and acumen to attain their career goals.

The program includes three to four 1-credit hour experiential seminar courses that engage students with the challenges of healthcare in community, clinical, political, and research venues. The medical sciences seminar sequence leads to a senior Capstone Course which requires the submission of a scholarly report, an analytical essay on a healthcare issue, and a poster and/or an oral presentation at a graduation colloquia. The Capstone course meets the Scholarship in Practice and Upper Division Writing liberal studies requirements.

Resources are available to help students locate opportunities in clinics, community service organizations, hospitals, pharmacies, and physician's offices for students to engage in the various ways healthcare is accessed. Students are required to obtain a minimum of 64 hours of experiential learning hours each academic year for a total of 256 experiential learning hours before graduation. These hours must be approved by the Community Coordinator in advance.

Although housed in the College of Medicine, the curriculum is delivered by seven (7) colleges at FSU. In addition to the College of Medicine, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, the College of Communication and Information, the College of Nursing, the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, and the College of Social Work are IMS degree program partners.

Description of Major

The Health Management, Policy, & Information major prepares students for research or work in government, public health, hospital and clinic administration and management. Students have two (2) areas on which they can concentrate their studies; Health Information Technology or Public Health Administration and Policy. A certificate program is available for the Health Information Technology option. Students do not receive a certificate for completing the courses required for the Health Management, Policy, & Information major. In order to participate and earn the certificate, students must consult with the home College offering the certificate. Certificate programs have specific requirements beyond the requirements for the Health Management Policy and Information major.

Honors in the Major
Because healthcare is a broad field of study and practice and the IMS degree spans seven colleges and numerous departments, an Honors in the Major thesis can be completed in a variety of disciplines. The Honors in the Major topics must be health related and approved by the IMS Honors Director for the College of Medicine.

The Thesis Director for Honors in the Major must be full-time tenured or tenure-track FSU faculty member appointed in one of the FSU colleges approved for the IMS majors and meet the Thesis Director requirements of the University Honors Program.

Honors in the Major requires junior standing, a 3.20 GPA on at least 15 semester hours at FSU and all transfer work, and completion and defense of an honors thesis for 6 hours credit under the direction of a faculty committee. To graduate with honors is a worthwhile distinction. For more information, contact the IMS Honors Director, Dr. Elizabeth Foster or the Honors Program office at (850) 644 -1841.

Prerequisite Coursework

The following are the state-wide common prerequisites. Those in BOLD are the required prerequisites that students must complete for admission into this major at FSU in preparation for the upper division major. Those in ITALIC are strongly encouraged to be taken. Students are encouraged to complete these in the freshman and sophomore years.”

*Students transferring with 60 or more hours should consult with the Mapping Coordinator regarding pre-requisites needed for admission.*

1. BSC X010, X010L Biological Science I and Lab
2. MACX114 Trigonometry
3. CHM X045, X045L General Chemistry I and Lab
4. CHM X046, X046L General Chemistry II and Lab
5. PSY X012 General Psychology
6. MACX105 College Algebra*
7. MACX140 Pre-Calculus
8. BSC X011, X011L Biological Science II and Lab

*MACX105 College Algebra is a required prerequisite to each of the following courses: MACX114, MACX140 and CHMX1045.

The common degree pre-requisites for other similar majors in the State University System list the BSC X010, X010L or PSY X012, as pre-requisites but do not include CHM X045, X045L and MAC X140. BSC X085 and X086 are not required as pre-requisites for entry into the IMS degree program, but will be accepted as fulfilling major elective requirements.

Note: State-wide common prerequisites are always under review. For the most current information and for acceptable alternative courses, visit the “Common Prerequisites Manual.” This is available from the “Student Services” section of http://www.flvc.org .

Requirements

Major Program of Studies and Graduation Requirements

The Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences Degree Program requires students to successfully complete the prerequisite courses (28 hours), the core requirements (20- 24 hours), 33 hours of required major upper division elective coursework (to include 6 hours of science electives and 6 hours of non-science electives), 3-4 seminars (3-4 hours), participation in on-going experiential learning activities (including a minimum of 32 hours of experiential learning per semester for a minimum total of 256 hours before graduation), maintenance of a portfolio of experiences, and completion of a capstone project (3 hours).

All coursework required for the major must be taken for a letter grade and a grade of "C minus" or better is required.

General Education

In the first two years at FSU, students should take courses to complete the following requirements: General Education requirements, Writing requirement, Diversity Course requirements, Prerequisite Coursework requirements, and two (2) required Medical Sciences Seminars and experiential leaning and volunteer/service experiences. Some courses may fulfill requirements in multiple areas. Electives in the first two years should focus on gaining additional exposure to the social and behavioral sciences, and on improving communication and analytical reasoning skills.

Requirements for Progression to the Upper-Division Major

Students must complete at least:

*52 credit hours with a minimum FSU GPA of 2.0
*Completion of both freshmen English Composition courses and both Quantitative & Logical Thinking courses
*Have most General Education requirements met
*Satisfactory completion of all pre-requisite coursework and be on track with Mapping Milestones.

Admissions Requirements:

Prerequisite courses must be completed and posted on transcripts with a final grade of "C minus" or better at the time of application.

An IMS Experiential Learning Placement Form is required when a transfer student applies to any of the majors in the IMS B.S. Degree Program. Students must be on track with the appropriate Mapping milestones . (http://www .academic-guide .fsu.edu/). Requirements for admission can be found at https://med.fsu.edu/imsDegree/home under the "Prospective Students" section.

Before admission to FSU we highly recommend that upper-division transfer students complete about 96 -128 experiential service hours in health related fields that are patient centered and hands-on experiences.

This program is not recommended for students transferring with over 90 credit hours or for students only interested in obtaining the prerequisites for a professional health school.

Major Change Requirements:

Students desiring to change their major into one of the majors in the IMS B.S. Degree Program must submit an IMS Experiential Learning Placement Form by the appropriate due date (the 12th week of classes) and must be on track with the appropriate Mapping milestones.

Note: Students may not transfer into an IMS major from another major at FSU or add an IMS major as a second major after the first semester of their junior year (Term Five). Students interested in the IMS majors should contact the IMS Transfer Advisor with specific questions about major and Mapping requirements.

More information can be found at https://med.fsu.edu/imsDegree/home under the "Prospective Students" section.

Health Management, Policy, & Information Course Requirements: (87-92 hours)
All courses required for the IMS B.S. Degree program must be competed with a grade of C minus or better

Prerequisites: (28 hours)
All of the prerequisite courses, except CHM1046L, can fulfill General Education Requirements for the Health Management, Policy, & Information major.

PSY 2010 General Psychology (3)
MAC 1105 College Algebra (3)
MAC 1114 Trigonometry (3)
MAC 1140 Pre-calculus (3)
CHM 1045 General Chemistry I (3)
CHM 1045L General Chemistry I Laboratory (1)
CHM 1046 General Chemistry II (3)
CHM 1046L General Chemistry II Laboratory (1)
BSC 2010 Biological Science I (3)
BSC 2010L Biological Science I Laboratory (1)
BSC 2011 Biological Science II (3)
BSC 2011L Biological Science II Lab (1)

Core Requirements: (20-24 hours)

PHY 2053C College Physics A (4)
PHY 2053L College Physics A Laboratory (0)
PHY 2054C College Physics B (4)
PHY 2054L College Physics B Laboratory (0)
CHM 3120 Analytical Chemistry (3)
CHM 3120L Analytical Chemistry Lab (1)
Organic sequence (see options below) (5 – 9)
BCH 4053 Biochemistry I (3)

Students must choose one of the following Organic Chemistry sequences to complete.
It is best if students successfully complete MAC1105 College Algebra, MAC1140 Pre-calculus, AND MAC1114 Trigonometry before enrolling in any Organic Chemistry course. It is recommended CHM3120 and Lab be taken before starting any Organic Chemistry course.

Organic Chemistry Option 1: (12 hours)
Any students interested in Dental, Pharmacy, and Veterinary schools will need to take this sequence.

CHM 2210 Organic Chemistry I (3)
CHM 2211 Organic Chemistry II (3)
CHM 2211L Organic Chemistry II Lab (3)
BCH 4053 General Biochemistry I (3)

or

Organic Chemistry Option 2: (8 hours)
This sequence is for students who have earned a grade of B or higher in both CHM1045 and Lab AND CHM1046 and Lab.

CHM 3217 One Semester Organic Chemistry (4)
CHM 3217L One Semester Organic Chemistry Lab (1)
BCH 4053 General Biochemistry I (3)

Seminar Requirements: (3-4 hours)

Any student who receives a grade below "C minus" twice or more in any Medical Sciences Seminar Course will need to change their major.

IHS 1100 Exploring Health Professions Seminar (1) (Freshman Seminar)
IHS 2121 Delivering Patient Care Seminar (1) (Sophomore Seminar)
IHS 3122 Intro to Medical Sciences Seminar (1) (Augmented Seminar for Transfer students or for qualified major changes students only)
IHS 3931 Problems and Issues in Healthcare Seminar (1) (Junior Seminar)
IHS 4501 Inquiry in Healthcare Research Seminar (1) (Senior Seminar)

Senior Capstone requirement (3 hours)

Students are required to complete a senior thesis project that requires incorporation of experiential learning activities reflective of student learning experiences. The capstone course will be used to synthesize research findings, possibly create public dialogue, and consider possible long-term, solutions or outcomes.

IHS 4901 Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences Capstone Course (3)

Health Management, Policy, & Information Focus Elective Options and Upper Division Major Electives (33 hours)

Health Management, Policy, & Information majors must complete the series of courses within 1 of the 2 focus elective options in the major. A certificate program is available for one of the options. Students do not receive a certificate for completing the courses required for the Health Management, Policy, & Information major. In order to earn the certificate, students must consult with the home College offering the certificate.

In addition to the Focus Elective Option Requirements listed below, a student's program of studies must include at least six credits of upper-level science courses and six credits of upper level non-science courses from the Major Electives List for a total of 33 hours of major electives.

Focus Elective Options: choose one (1) option:

1. Health Information Technology Option (12 hours)

IDS 3493 Empowering Health Consumers in the eHealth era or LIS 4772 Introduction to Consumer Health Informatics (3),
LIS 4776 Advanced Health Informatics (3),
LIS 4785 Introduction to Health Informatics (3),
NUR 3076 Communication in Healthcare (3)

6 hours of Science Electives from approved list (https://med.fsu.edu/imsDegree/resources)

6 hours of non-Science Electives from approved list (https://med.fsu.edu/imsDegree/resources)

3 hours of additional courses from approved Science and/or non-Science Elective lists

2. Public Health Administration and Policy Option (18 hours)

PHC 4030 Introduction to Epidemiology (3),
PUP 4604 Health Services Organization and Policy (3) or ECP 4530 Economics of Health (3) or PAD 4844 Public Health and Emergency Management (3) or PHC 4101 Introduction to Public Health (3) or PHC 4157 Health Policy and Society (3),
SYO 4402 Medical Sociology (3) or PHC 4157 Health Policy and Society (3)

9 additional approved credits from the following list:
https://med.fsu.edu/sites/default/files/userFiles/2021.2.19. IMS_HMPI PHAP Elective List.pdf

6 hours of Science Electives from approved list (https://med.fsu.edu/imsDegree/resources)

6 hours of non-Science Electives from approved list (https://med.fsu.edu/imsDegree/resources)

3-9 hours of additional courses from approved Science and/or non-Science Elective lists

Minor Requirements
Students majoring in Health Management, Policy, & Information are NOT required to complete a minor for their IMS Degree. The FSU Registrar does not recognize, certify, or document minors in any way on a transcript. Therefore, the IMS Degree Program will not certify, document, or clear minors for students.

The IMS program does not offer any minors.

Digital Literacy:
BSC 2011L Biological Science II Lab (1) satisfies this requirement for the major.

Oral Communication Competency: (0-3 hours)
Students must demonstrate the ability to orally transmit ideas and information clearly. This requirement may be met with a University approved college-level course.

Minimum Program Requirements - Summary
Total Hrs. Required 120
General Education 36*
Prerequisite Coursework 28*
Major Coursework 59-64*
Minor Coursework 0
Digital Literacy 0 beyond major
Oral Communication Competency 0-3

*27 to 33 hours of General Education courses may overlap with coursework required for the Health, Management, Policy, & Information major.

Mapping

Mapping is FSU’s academic advising and monitoring system. Academic progress is monitored each Fall and Spring semesters to ensure that students are on course to earn their degree in a timely fashion. Transfer students must meet mapping guidelines to be accepted into their majors.

Remarks
1. A minimum of 45 hours at the 3000 level or above, at least 30 of which must be taken at this University.
2. At least half of the major course semester hours (30 hours) must be completed in residence at this University. After enrolling at this University, all remaining major course requirements must be completed at this University.
3. The final 30 hours must be completed in residence at this University.

Employment Information

Salary Information: For more information go to: National Association of Colleges and Employers (www.naceweb.org) or the Occupational Outlook Handbook (www.bls.gov/ooh/home.htm) provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Representative Job Titles Related to this Major: Hospital administration, Health Care Management, IT/Informatics, Medical Interpreter, Health Services Administration, Human Services Administration, Human Resources Management, Medical Secretary, Risk Manager, Health Information Tech, Lawyer, Insurance Policy Clerk, Lobbyist, Medical Billing, State and Federal Programs, Insurance Adjuster, Health Research Assistant, Health Care Administrator, Health Unit Coordinator, Medical Records Administrator, Medical Informatics Coordinator, Health Science Writer and Practitioner.

Representative Employers: Hospitals, Clinics, Assisted Living and Extended Living Facilities, Lobbyists, Public Health Offices, Healthcare Organizations, Federal, State, and Non-profit Organizations.