Quick Program Facts
Degree Program: MS and PhD
Number of Students: 8 MS students in fall 2022; 15 PhD students in fall 2022
Applications Open: October 1
Application Deadlines for Fall Admission: April 1 for International Students; June 1 for Domestic Students
GRE Required: No
The University of Nebraska Medical Center offers an Integrative Physiology & Molecular Medicine (IPMM) doctoral program—one of seven graduate programs that comprise the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences (IGPBS)—and an online Master of Science (MS) in Medical Physiology that focuses on educating students in medical physiology.
The IPMM doctoral program is hosted by the Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology but consists of more than 60 faculty from 29 different colleges and departments across the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC).
The MS program, also hosted by the Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, is designed to meet the needs of a diverse student population, with the goals of:
- improving competitiveness for admission into a physiology or related PhD program,
- enhancing physiology knowledge to improve rank and earning potential in physiology-based, basic science and/or clinical research laboratories, and
- broadening and deepening physiology knowledge base in pursuit of medical school or health professional school admission.
PhD program
Students advance to PhD candidacy by completion of course requirements and a comprehensive examination, which must be completed by the end of their third year. PhD candidates must have at least one first-author research paper published or accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal prior to graduation. The PhD is awarded upon the completion of a research program that results in a dissertation of publishable quality with an oral defense. Completion of the degree usually requires five years.
MS program
The 30-credit hour, nonthesis, online MS in medical physiology program is designed to be completed in two consecutive academic semesters by full-time students. Part-time students are allowed to complete the MS degree over a maximum of five consecutive years. The curriculum includes online courses taught asynchronously. Students are required to pass a comprehensive exam and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA on the required curriculum.
PhD program
Research training in the IPMM doctoral program is designed to optimize the ability of students to address a broad range of research problems that can be categorized into several general themes, which represent contemporary strategies for understanding molecular and integrative mechanisms contributing to physiology and pathophysiology. There are no clear lines of demarcation between these categories, and interactions across thematic lines are routine and encouraged.
Although research within IPMM extends beyond the scope of the categories listed below, this organization is useful for the purpose of describing the breadth of opportunities available.
Cell Transport and Signaling research examines the molecular mechanisms that regulate function at the single-cell level.
Mechanisms of Cellular Injury and Fibrogenesis are being unraveled in research focusing on mechanisms of cellular injury, death, repair and regeneration in disease settings.
Inflammatory and Autoimmune Processes are the focus of studies designed to unveil mechanisms contributing to a variety of diseases.
Cardiovascular Function research focuses on the intracellular, neural and humoral mechanisms regulating the heart and vasculature in health and disease.
Therapeutic Strategies are being developed to target key pathophysiological processes.
MS program
The online MS in Medical Physiology is a non-thesis program.
PhD program
PhD students in the IPMM doctoral program receive stipend support in the form of fellowships or research assistantships that do not require teaching. The annual stipend for 2022-2023 is $29,000. Full tuition waivers are also provided, and the cost of health insurance and other mandatory university fees are covered. To compare how the cost of living in Omaha may compare to where you currently live, try looking online at a cost of living calculator.
After the first year, IPMM students are encouraged to seek outside sources of stipend support by applying for fellowships, assistantships and grants. Students that obtain a federal or extramural foundation fellowship/assistantship are eligible to receive an annual stipend supplement of up to 25% of the current level of support.
As UNMC graduate students, IPMM students have access to the Center for Healthy Living, UNMC's fitness center with gym, weight room and other resources.
MS program
Tuition for the 2022–2023 academic year for the MS program is $597 per credit. Updated and detailed information about tuition rate can be found here.
Living and Housing Costs
UNMC has limited on-campus housing and there are a variety of apartment complexes found within walking distance of campus. Within a short driving distance there is a wide variety of housing options available in a range of prices; the average cost of monthly rent in Omaha is $500 to $700 for a single bedroom apartment.
The IPMM doctoral program includes faculty members from the following colleges, departments and institutes: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cellular and Integrative Physiology, College of Dentistry, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, College of Public Health, Emergency Medicine, Eppley Institute, Genetics Cell Biology and Anatomy, six Internal Medicine departments, Munroe-Meyer Institute, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Pathology and Microbiology, three Pediatric departments, Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, Radiology and Surgery. For more information on individual faculty research programs, please visit our IPMM faculty webpage: IPMM Faculty.
Learn more: Information for Prospective Students
Program Contacts:
Matt Zimmerman, PhD, Director of IPMM Doctoral Program & MS in Medical Physiology or
Kim Kavan, Coordinator of IPMM Doctoral Program & MS in Medical Physiology