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Master’s Degree in Medical Physiology and Aging

Overview Degree Plan Application

What Is This Program?

The University of Florida’s online Master of Science in Medical Sciences with a concentration in Medical Physiology and Aging is offered through our acclaimed College of Medicine. Taught by experts in the field, this program brings together the key concepts of our Graduate Certificate in Medical Physiology and our master’s degree in innovative aging studies into one first-of-its-kind master’s degree comprised of 30 credits and offered entirely online. The GRE is not required for admission.

If you’ve already begun or completed the Graduate Certificate in Aging and Geriatric Practice, Graduate Certificate in Medical Physiology and/or Graduate Certificate in Cardiovascular/Renal Physiology, you can transfer up to 15 credits toward your MS in medical physiology and aging program. You may already be halfway to earning your degree!

You can complete this master’s degree in as little as one year. Courses are offered in the spring, fall and summer semesters and students are accepted year-round. Upon completion of this program, you will receive an MS in medical physiology and aging.

Why a Master’s Degree in Medical Physiology and Aging?

If you’re an aspiring or current professional in the field of aging and want to broaden your knowledge while minimizing your time and costs, consider this: Our master’s degree provides a professional curriculum that’s informative, flexible and affordable.

Our program requires 9 credits focused on medical physiology and 9 credits focused on aging, as well as 12 additional credits, all designed to help you build a broader and deeper knowledge of the biology of aging. This includes an understanding of:

  • Normal physiology and pathophysiology related to aging.
  • Biological, clinical, psychological, sociological and ethical aspects of medical physiology and aging.
  • How to effectively provide older adults with services as a gerontologist or quality health care as a geriatrician.
  • How to advocate for the unique needs of older adults, including their mental and physical health and independence.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the MS in medical physiology in aging program, students will:

  • Develop a comprehensive understanding of fundamental physiological processes in the human body.
  • Develop a comprehensive understanding of how human physiology changes with aging.
  • Be able to read and understand the primary literature in the fields of physiology and aging.
  • Understand the latest treatments in the field of aging.

Who Is This Program For?

Our MS in medical physiology and aging program can benefit individuals in a wide range of roles, including:

  • Healthcare professionals moving into the physiology and/or aging fields
  • Students interested in a career in physiology and/or geriatrics
  • Students looking to pursue a career in medicine, pharmacy or research
  • Professionals in pharmacy, drug development, biotechnology or pharmacology
  • Nurses
  • Physicians
  • Clinical scientists
  • Professors
  • Researchers
  • Geriatric financial analysts
  • Occupations in the nursing home or assisted living fields
  • Educators and teachers

Degree Plan

To graduate from the program, students must complete 30 credit hours: 9 credits of core courses in physiology and 9 credits of core courses in aging, as well as a minimum of 6 elective credit hours from each area. All courses are letter-graded unless stated otherwise. In order to graduate, students will be required to pass a comprehensive exam during their final semester and obtain a 3.0 or higher GPA.
Required and elective courses are listed below.

Required Courses

Physiology

Course #Course TitleCreditsSpringSummerFall
GMS 6440 Fundamentals of Medical Physiology1
GMS 6401 Medical Renal Physiology2
GMS 6402 Medical Respiration Physiology3
GMS 6474 Medical Cardiovascular and Muscle Physiology3

Aging

Course #Course TitleCreditsSpringSummerFall
GMS 6099 Research Methods in Gerontology3
GMS 6483 Theories of Aging3
GMS 6484 Geriatric and Age-Related Disease3

Elective Courses (Choose 6 credits from Physiology courses and 6 credits from Aging courses)

Physiology

Course #Course TitleCreditsSpringSummerFall
GMS 6419 Medical Endocrinology and Reproduction3
GMS 6479 Medical Gastrointestinal Physiology2
GMS 6410 Physiology of Circulation of Blood2
GMS 6413 Advances in Hypertension Research2
GMS 6414 Advanced Renal Physiology and Pathophysiology2
GMS 6470 Advanced Respiration Physiology 13

Aging

Course #Course TitleCreditsSpringSummerFall
GMS 6486 (PDF) Biology of Aging3
GMS 6771 (PDF) Clinical Neuroscience of Aging3
GMS 6485 (PDF) Population-Based Research on Aging3
GMS 6715 (PDF) Healthy Aging: Behavioral and Clinical Outcomes3
GMS 6717 (PDF) Healthy Aging in the New Millennium3
GMS 6487 (PDF) Anti-Aging Interventions3
GMS 6495 (PDF) Data Science and Technology in Gerontology3

Application Information

Questions? Contact Us

Learn More About the Program

Click below for details about UF’s Medical Physiology online program.