Academics

The Minor in Science and Patient Advocacy

This minor equips undergraduate students with a deep understanding of the complex challenges involved in advocating for rare disease patients. Through a highly experiential curriculum, students develop critical skills needed to collaborate with various stakeholders, including researchers, clinicians, biotech and pharmaceutical companies, and patients, to bridge existing gaps. Additionally, the program offers scientific training in advanced research and clinical medicine technologies relevant to rare diseases, ensuring that trainees gain the scientific expertise necessary to become effective advocates for rare disease patients.

Throughout the program, students learn from and work directly with industry leaders, patients, and patient advocacy organizations on projects that lead to direct impact. Learn more about the classes here.

Rationale

There are over 7,000 classified rare diseases, with many exhibiting large genetic heterogeneity and variations in clinical pathology. Lack of knowledge of the wide clinical spectrum of rare diseases, extended length of time to diagnosis, lack of specialists to treat the disease, and ineffective treatments are a few of the challenges rare disease patients face. Combined with the emerging need for proficiency with advanced genomic and therapeutic-based approaches to rare disease diagnosis and care, there is a critical need to provide individuals seeking careers in the health care field the skills needed to understand and convey the complex issues facing patients of rare disease.

Explore the curriculum, program requirements, and co-curricular opportunities by viewing the tabs to the left.