It also allows undergraduates to have research opportunities in laboratories doing biomedical research in the LCOM and prepares you to go on to study for an advanced M.D. or Ph.D. degree in medicine, biotechnology, microbiology, and biochemistry.
Small classes, hands-on/intensive classroom laboratory experiences, and a strong commitment to undergraduate advising give students many opportunities to interact with the faculty, including a first-year colloquium in which students meet directly with the faculty to discuss on-going research projects and contemporary issues in microbiology and molecular genetics.
Undergraduates are encouraged to get involved in cutting-edge research projects in the department and the College of Medicine in such areas as DNA repair, infectious diseases, bioinformatics, structural biology, developmental genetics, and other fields. Internship opportunities outside of UVM with the nearby hospital, University of Vermont Medical Center, and the Department of Health, for example, are also available to pre-med students (Internship Guidelines). 85% of our majors take advantage of either research or internship opportunities.
Microbiology majors at the University of Vermont are uniquely qualified to explore career options in bioinformatics, biomedical ethics, genetic counseling, secondary school science teaching, or something as divergent as patent law. Our graduates have an excellent track record of admittance into top-notch medical and graduate schools and/or in acquiring high-paying laboratory research jobs upon graduation.
So, if you are interested in attending Medical or Graduate School in the Biomedical Sciences, or want a high-paying job in the biopharmaceutical industry after graduation, then a Microbiology or Molecular Genetics major is where you should be!!