Education
You Can Invest in Education at UMDNJ
The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey offers 40 graduate degrees or certificates and 19 undergraduate degrees or certificates in 43 fields of study throughout its eight schools:
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
- New Jersey Dental School
- New Jersey Medical School
- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
- School of Health Related Professions
- School of Nursing
- School of Osteopathic Medicine
- School of Public Health
With your help, we can establish a new, or add to an existing, scholarship fund to help ease the financial burden of our future health care providers. We can endow a chair, continuing to move the University to the forefront of our nation's healthcare institutions, or we can add needed classrooms, laboratories and learning spaces so essential to the education of our students.
For more information about how you can help advance education at UMDNJ, call toll-free at (866) 44-UMDNJ (866-448-6365) to discuss your personal interests.
Or visit the Make a Gift section to contribute now.
We also invite you to visit Regions & Campuses to familiarize yourself with UMDNJ's eight schools on five regional campuses.
About Our Schools
The UMDNJ-Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Graduate study in the biomedical sciences is the foundation for research in the medical and dental setting. It is often the doctoral student, with the enthusiasm and creativity found in young budding scientists, who develops the novel concept or methodology to advance a project into new frontiers.
With more than 500 students, the UMDNJ-Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) has a presence across the state with one primary goal - developing scientists who will contribute to biomedicine through creative research and scholarship.
GSBS offers programs leading to PhD and MS degrees at its three divisions, with faculty drawn primarily from the UMDNJ-New Jersey Dental School and the UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School in Newark; UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway; and the UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford. Joint MD/PhD, DO/PhD and DMD/PhD programs are also available. In addition, several programs are offered jointly with Rutgers University and the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Through relationships with other schools and institutes, students have access to a central DNA synthesis/sequencing lab, tissue culture labs and a transgenic mouse facility. Students are able to pursue their interests with such facilities as The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, The Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, the Cardiovascular Research Institute, and many others, further expanding their research capabilities.
Recent collaboration with the nationally recognized Liberty Science Center in Jersey City and with local high schools is expanding the teaching and experience of science to teachers, students and the general population.
Click here to learn more about the UMDNJ-Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
New Jersey Dental School
For a half century, New Jersey Dental School (NJDS) has shaped the dental profession by improving the oral health and quality of life for people in our state and beyond, through education, research, patient care and community service.
As the state’s only dental school, NJDS is a major resource for pre-graduate dental education and postgraduate specialty education. Our DMD (doctor of dental medicine) degree program prepares students to deliver the highest-quality oral treatment possible with care and compassion, using the latest techniques and materials. Students from around the world enroll in our postgraduate programs to develop their skills in particular areas of dentistry. With its outstanding reputation, the DMD program annually attracts well over 2,000 applicants for 90 spots. The international and postgraduate programs attract hundreds of applicants for even fewer openings.
Patients who need treatment know they can count on NJDS for the best possible care. Our faculty members are aware of the latest advances in dentistry so every patient can opt for a treatment plan that best suits his or her specific needs. Faculty-supervised students treat patients in our clinics and in sites throughout New Jersey and beyond.
Research activity at NJDS is robust. Each year our scientists garner millions in funding for research in oral health and in many other areas of human health. In addition to pure research, most of our specialty departments are engaged in clinical trials. Several NJDS researchers have received prestigious awards from national institutions and two faculty members were named Fulbright Scholars in 2009. Our Department of Oral Biology ranked seventh nationwide for scholarly productivity among universities offering similar programs.
New Jersey Dental School is clearly an institution on the move. As we begin the next 50 years, we will continue to be a strong and vibrant school, one that is recognized for its excellence in education and patient care, one that is dedicated to improving the lives of all we serve.
There are many opportunities to contribute to the growth of NJDS:
- The only Special Needs Clinic in the New Jersey/New York/Pennsylvania area provides state-of-the-art care for physically and mentally challenged patients who struggle to get dental care elsewhere.
- The Pediatric Clinic is the oral health care ‘home’ to the children of Newark and the surrounding area. Annually, NJDS treats thousands of children from birth to age 18 who would otherwise not receive care.
- Our nationally recognized Pain Center is on the forefront of oralfacial pain research. Patients travel from all over to be diagnosed and treated by internationally recognized experts in this field.
- Endowed Faculty Opportunities include chairs, professorships, research fellowships and lectureships.
- Endowed Scholarships are special funds that support the education of our dental students.
Click here to learn more about The UMDNJ-New Jersey Dental School.
New Jersey Medical School
New Jersey Medical School (NJMS), the oldest of the University's medical schools, traces its roots to 1954. A vibrant faculty and diverse student body complement the school’s rich tradition in education, research, patient care and community service.
The Jubilee Curriculum, introduced during New Jersey Medical School's 50th anniversary year in 2004, provides students with innovative content delivery through a reduction of lecture hours and exams, an increased focus on small group discussions and the introduction of clinical preceptorships in the first semester so that students can integrate classroom and clinical learning as quickly as possible. Students spend the entire year working with the same physician, completing approximately 18 half-day clinical sessions, two to three times more than most other medical students. The Physician's Core, the keystone of the new curriculum, teaches students the fundamentals of patient care such as humanism, professionalism, ethics, cultural competency and medical-legal issues. NJMS is one of a few schools to devote a half day each week to such subjects.
A unique program at NJMS for students is The Healthcare Foundation Center for Humanism and Medicine at New Jersey Medical School, founded in 2004 with a generous grant from the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey. The Center promotes dignity and respect for the individual, commitment to the relief of suffering and the delivery of care that is kind, just and humble. There, students learn to listen, accept, engage, dialogue and collaborate with their patients. As early as the first year of their medical education, NJMS students are actively learning in clinical settings.
In addition to the required curriculum, students can choose electives in ethics, economics, history, the humanities and international medicine. A growing MD/PhD program is training future physician-scientists, while others dedicated to public health earn a dual MD/MPH degree. Students can also pursue a combined MD/MBA degree.
NJMS's mission includes excellence in research. The school has designated eight Areas of Excellence to highlight advances in disciplines to which considerable resources have been dedicated: Brain Injury and Stroke, Cancer/Oncology, Cardiovascular Biology, Cellular Signal Transduction, Immunology, Infectious Diseases, Neurosciences, and Psychiatry/Behavior Sciences.
Click here to learn more about the UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School.
The UMDNJ-School of Health Related Professions
Growth in the health care industry has propelled the UMDNJ–School of Health Related Professions (SHRP) into the forefront of preparing students for careers in the fast-paced health care environment. Today, more than 1,300 students attend SHRP, renowned for specializing in the education of health care practitioners.
The School has 36 educational programs to prepare students for health careers - six doctoral, ten master's degree and two graduate level certificate programs; five baccalaureate and four associate degree programs; and ten undergraduate certificate programs. The school also offers various short-term certificate programs. Many programs at SHRP have received national recognition and are widely respected in the health care field. All programs have one thing in common—exceptional preparation for a health-related career.
SHRP has a mixture of entry level programs, from post high school certificates in dental assistant to a clinical doctorate in physical therapy, and post-professional programs for the working allied health professional at the BS, MS and doctoral level as well as short term certificates. Most of the post-professional programs are on-line and available part-time.
All of SHRP resources go toward supporting a health care educational environment that attracts and nurtures the very best faculty and students. The School is committed to helping students receive high-caliber educations that leads to rewarding careers. If you are interested in supporting SHRP’s educational excellence in the allied health professions, please consider directing your contribution to one or more of the following scholarship funds:
- The Allied Dental Education Scholarship
- The Biomedical Informatics Scholarship
- The Clinical Laboratory Sciences Scholarship
- The Medical Imaging Sciences Scholarship
- The Nutritional Sciences Scholarship
- The Physical Therapy Scholarship
- The Physician Assistant Scholarship
- The Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions Scholarship
Click here to learn more about the UMDNJ-School of Health Related Professions.
The UMDNJ-School of Nursing
Mission
UMDNJ-School of Nursing promotes excellence in healthcare through quality, innovative education of nurses and other professionals. The School affirms its commitment to clinical practice, scholarship, and advocacy for underserved populations and the diverse communities it serves.
Overview
Established in 1992, UMDNJ-School of Nursing offers academic programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, post-master’s and doctoral degree levels for more than 1,000 students at the school’s Newark and Stratford, New Jersey campuses. The school also provides continuing education programs for healthcare professionals at locations across the state.
Major centers and community clinical outreach programs provide our students with a wide breadth and depth of experience during their tenure with us. These include:
- The New Jersey Center for Evidence-Based Practice
- The Stanley Bergen Center for Multicultural Education, Research and Practice
- The François-Xavier Bagnoud Center, which provides clinical care, education and technical assistance in the United States and globally to address the needs of vulnerable children and families, including those infected by HIV/AIDS
- The New Jersey Children’s Health Project, a mobile health clinic providing free care to underserved residents of Essex and Union Counties
- The nurse-managed Camden Health Center
In addition, international service programs take nursing students and faculty to provide care in developing nations such as the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
Why give to the School of Nursing?
If you would like to contribute to the continued growth of the School of Nursing and its students, consider the following opportunities:
- Gifts to fund student scholarships and fellowships
- Gifts to support faculty recruitment and retention by creating endowed chairs and professorships
- Gifts to fund program innovation and development
- Gifts to fund nursing research projects aimed at improving health outcomes
- Gifts to fund community clinical outreach programs
To discuss your particular interests contact Martha Bahamon, director of development, at (973) 679-4685 or mbahamon@njhf.org.
Learn more about the UMDNJ-School of Nursing.
The UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine
The School of Osteopathic Medicine (SOM) is the youngest of the UMDNJ medical schools, founded by an act of the State Legislature in 1977. In 1995, the School consolidated its education, research and clinical services on the Stratford campus.
Today, SOM ranks among the top osteopathic medical schools in the country and is one of the country’s leading osteopathic medical schools for federal research funding. The integrated, competency-based curriculum focuses on training New Jersey’s next generation of primary care physicians.
SOM is proud to be recognized for its academic excellence. Its diverse student body is comprised of 55 percent women, 50 percent minorities and 20 percent minorities under-represented in medicine. For over a decade, the School has been recognized as a national leader in emphasizing culturally competent medical care.
More than 55 percent of SOM graduates have established and grown their practices in the Garden State. As a result, the school is fulfilling its mission to expand access to primary care services across the state, with an emphasis on meeting the needs of underserved populations.
SOM also offers Ph.D. and M.S. degrees through its Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, as well as dual degree programs with Rutgers and other New Jersey educational institutions that enable exceptional scholars to receive a DO in conjunction with a PhD, JD, MPH, MPA or MS.
Osteopathic Medicine has its roots in the holistic approach to health care. It began as a reform movement within organized medicine in the United States in 1874. With a strong emphasis on primary care, its unique holistic approach to medicine emphasizes the interplay of environmental, psychological and physiological stressors on disease and healing.
To further its Osteopathic tradition, the School has initiated a “Plus One” residency in Neuro-muscular Medicine (NMM)/Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM). With a pre-requisite to admission being completion of any American Osteopathic Association (AOA) approved residency program, the graduates of the NMM/OMM program will be the academic leaders who train the next generation of Osteopathic physicians. The NMM/OMM residency/fellowship at SOM is one of only a handful of such programs nationally. Because advanced training in NMM/OMM does not qualify for traditional hospital-focused graduate medical education reimbursement, the School is creating an endowment to support this important training resource in perpetuity.
SOM is home to the CARES Institute, which is a unique beacon of hope for children and families coping with child abuse. Founded in 1985, the CARES Institute is a joint program of the School of Osteopathic Medicine Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry. The Institute’s medical and mental health programs help children and their families overcome the potentially devastating effects of abuse.
Recognized by the National Institutes of Mental Health and National Child Traumatic Stress Network as a model for other states to learn from their highly regarded diagnostic and treatment programs, including its Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy the CARES Institute also continues to serve as the Regional Child Abuse Diagnostic and Treatment Center for the seven southern counties of New Jersey. In addition to conducting multidisciplinary training for medical, mental health, social work and law enforcement professionals, the Institute promotes the use of best practices in child protection policies and investigations.
SOM is also the home of the New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging, which has earned a national reputation in educational and medical care for those age 55 and over. Consistently cited by US News and World Report as one of the top training sites for geriatrics in the country, it is the only program recognized for such excellence in New Jersey. The school’s geriatric center is blazing the trail to help the state’s increasingly older population age successfully, through state-of-the art patient care, interdisciplinary education to prepare much-needed future geriatric specialists, and groundbreaking research related to such afflictions as Alzheimer ’s disease.
The newest Center of Excellence at SOM is the NeuroMusculoskeletal Institute (NMI), helping patients suffering from chronic pain, muscular dystrophy, traumatic brain injury, gait dysfunction, headaches, balance disorders, post-stroke syndrome, spinal cord injury, back pain and nerve injuries of any sort to regain function and quality of life. The NMI, which includes SOM’s Departments of Rehabilitation Medicine and OMM, the Division of Orthopedic Surgery, the Pain and Headache Center, and the Wellness Center, offers a multidisciplinary treatment approach tailored to each patient’s unique needs, including medical pain management, physical therapy, acupuncture, Botox injections, OMM, and tendon transfer surgery. Due to its outstanding expertise in treatment, education and research and the array of coordinated services it offers, the NMI is the only program of its type in the state or region.
To support the School of Osteopathic Medicine, its students and its programs, you might consider directing your gift to one of these areas:
- The Scholarship Fund
- Programs within the New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging
- The CARES Institute, which provides medical treatment and counseling for child abuse victims in New Jersey
- The NeuroMusculoskeletal Institute (NMI)
- The Dean’s Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) Campaign
- The Dean’s Research Fund
Click here for more information on the School of Osteopathic Medicine.
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
As one of the nation’s leading comprehensive medical schools, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS) is dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in education, research, health care delivery, and the promotion of community health. In cooperation with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, the medical school’s principal affiliate, they comprise New Jersey’s premier academic medical center. In addition, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School has 34 other hospital affiliates and ambulatory care sites throughout the region.
With 2,800 full-time and volunteer faculty, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School encompasses 22 basic science and clinical departments, hosts centers and institutes including The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the Child Health Institute of New Jersey, the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute and the Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey. The medical school maintains educational programs at the undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels for more than 1,500 students on its campuses in New Brunswick, Piscataway, and Camden and provides continuing education courses for health care professionals and community education programs.
You may direct your gift to support:
Scholarships
Support for physician education provides incalculable benefits to students, to our medical school and to the field of medicine. Rising tuition and managed care costs mean that today’s medical students graduate with more debt and less ability to pay off loans.
Fellowships
Fellowships account for some of the most innovative and significant research, education and medicine to be performed by faculty within the state-of-the-art clinical settings in our departments and institutes.
Medical Research
Many departments perform research to develop new and better ways to predict, diagnose, treat and prevent a wide range of illnesses. Our innovations span research lab to bedside, bringing laboratory discoveries to our patients.
You may also designate your gift to support a specific specialty area within Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, including:
Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine (CABM)
Jointly administered by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, CABM was founded in 1985 to advance knowledge in the life sciences for the improvement of human health. Completed in 1990, the 100,000 square foot CABM building is centrally located on the Busch/Piscataway campus. Programs include:
- Basic research in cell and developmental biology, molecular genetics, and structural biology to improve understanding of fundamental life processes.
- CABM faculty train undergraduate, graduate, and medical students and postdoctoral fellows for leadership roles in science and technology.
- CABM serves the public interest by enhancing economic development through corporate collaborations in research and education. It is designated by the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology as a New Jersey Advanced Technology Center
The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ)
As one of the nation’s 40 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers and the only one in New Jersey, CINJ delivers advanced comprehensive care to adults and children and conducts cutting-edge cancer research.
The Cardiovascular Institute of New Jersey (CVINJ)
Cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure and stroke, was the number one cause of death in the United States throughout the entire 20th century - and retains this dubious distinction now into the 21st century. CVINJ is fast becoming a world-class cardiovascular program offering comprehensive, state-of-the-art heart disease prevention and treatment services for the residents of New Jersey.
The Child Health Institute of New Jersey (CHINJ)
The Child Health Institute of New Jersey (CHINJ) was established in 1998 by the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School with the mission to advance basic science knowledge of vertebrate development and growth, and mechanisms of human diseases. The Institute has initiated research programs in basic and translational research in childhood diseases and is recruiting world-class investigators in the areas of immunity, autoimmunity and inflammation, autism and neurodevelopment, pediatric cancers and stem cells, and obesity, metabolism and genetics.
Stem Cell Institute
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey have jointly established The Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey to carry out research, training and clinical studies on the application of stem cells to the treatment and cure of human disease. Scientific programs will be sponsored to advance stem cell research worldwide and collaborations will be established with patients and patient advocacy groups to enhance public awareness and appreciation for the applications of stem cells to human health.
Click here for more information about the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
The School of Public Health
Imagine public health educators teaching inner city school kids how to stay healthy, or local public health officers being trained to respond to a bioterrorist attack or infectious disease outbreak in your town.
Imagine public health economists conducting the research needed for health insurance reform.
Imagine conducting studies to stem the higher incidence of disease and death in minority communities.
These are only a few examples of what your gift to the School of Public Health can do. Public health encompasses an incredible range of health issues, limited only by your own imagination.
The UMDNJ-School of Public Health, the newest of UMDNJ's eight schools, is the only graduate school of public health in New Jersey. The School offers a wide variety of programs to prepare students for their chosen public health disciplines and exemplifies the power of collaboration. The School is sponsored by UMDNJ in cooperation with Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and New Jersey Institute of Technology. Students and faculty benefit from the extensive teaching, research and service expertise of our academic partners, as well as from local and state health agencies.
SPH offers concentrations in biostatistics. dental public health; environmental and occupational health; epidemiology; health education and behavioral science; health systems and policy; quantitative methods; and urban health administration. Students earn a master of public health, a doctor of public health or a doctor of philosophy in public health. More than 400 students are currently enrolled at SPH.
If you feel passionate about public health, there are many ways you can help:
- fund scholarships and fellowships;
- support public health research;
- support the expansion of our statewide campuses;
- start or maintain programs in needy communities in New Jersey and abroad; and
- support UMDNJ-School of Public Health faculty
The Community Scholars Program that we started at New Jersey Medical School works with neighborhood clinics and organizations to develop projects to give medical students practical community experience.”
Dr. Richard Pozen
