The past few years have seen expansions in two Grand Valley State University health and sciences programs.

The first expansion, in the radiologic and imaging sciences department, has turned what was one major with three possible emphases into three separate majors.

ýWe had a program of study here in (radiologic) imaging, but we didnýt have separate majors in the program,ý said Roy Olsson, dean of the College of Health Professions. ýWeýve progressed far enough that the fields were uniquely different. We decided that the best avenue would be brand new programs that would represent the three fields.ý

GVSU has become one of only a handful of schools that offer the specific degreed programs.

ýOne (major) would be radiation therapy, which is mainly used for cancer. Then we have diagnostic medical stenography. Thatýs anything from ultrasound to any imaging you would have. Thatýs a pretty broad field,ý he said. ýThe third one is just an overall radiological imaging science degree thatýs pretty much an upper division program.

ýWe get a lot of community college kids that have some specialties and certifications already, and we give them some additional certifications. We give them a better avenue to get jobs ý MRI might be an example of that. Weýre looking into some additional ones in nuclear and some things in that area.ý

Currently, each of the three programs has an enrollment of about 30 students.

Also seeing recent expansion is GVSUýs cell and molecular biology program, which now has its own academic department. The program began in 2002 as an interdisciplinary program; in 2005, two masterýs degree programs were added, said Mark Staves, chair of the cell and molecular biology department.

ýThe masterýs comes in two flavors. Thereýs a standard thesis masterýs for people who are interested in going on to a Ph.D.

ýWe also started a relatively new kind of degree called a professional science masterýs, a PSM. (It) combines science with a certain amount of understanding about business, intellectual property and communication.ý

ýThe idea is that it is not a stepping stone to a Ph.D. but that they go right into an industry position, a government position or running a lab.ý

The professional science masterýs program in biotechnology currently has 30 students.

Undergraduate enrollment in the cell and molecular biology department has been growing, as well, and currently includes 70 students.

ýThe thing thatýs unique about the undergraduate program is that we require every student to have a significant research experience either here at Grand Valley or they could potentially work at another university or laboratory,ý Staves said. ýThey have to be doing science and later give a seminar on the work that theyýve done. Itýs like a miniature research conference.ý

Staves said the students who have completed the undergraduate program either have found jobs in the field or are enrolled in a masterýs or doctorate program.

ýMost of our students go off to grad school. ý The rest of them start jobs. Almost all of our graduates are working in their field or going on for a Ph.D.,ý he said. ýThey do really well when they go to grad school. They get excellent packages, their tuition and stipend, so weýre very proud of them.ý

He believes the reason the students do well is because of the research theyýve done during their undergraduate experience.

ýI think the reason that they do so well is they must complete a research project by the time they are done. Theyýve had that experience of presenting their work at a regional, national, or maybe an international meeting,ý Staves said. ýMany of them are working on a manuscript by the time they leave here, so theyýre really attractive to grad programs.

ýThe administration has looked at the program long enough, and they said, ýThis is a good thing. We want to keep it. We want to let it grow and be visible.ý Itýs sort of a stamp of approval that it has succeeded up to this point, and weýre going to elevate it to the level of a department.ý

This article can be found in the Grand Rapids Business Journal, October 26, 2009