Meet our first class of MIS students
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine’s (VUSM) newest degree program, the Master of Imaging Science (MIS) is a 12-month, 30-hour deep dive into all modalities of biomedical imaging. Students learn through didactic coursework and hands-on clinical and research experience, all within the world-class, highly specialized facilities of the Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science (VUIIS).
“Most people who end up in imaging science were trained in another area and found their way to imaging through various paths,” said Dan Gochberg, PhD, director of Graduate Studies and professor of Radiology & Radiological Sciences. By contrast, the Vanderbilt master’s in imaging science provides a direct path to the next step in a student’s imaging career. “The MIS can serve as a stepping stone towards future education such as MD and PhD programs, along with employment in industry and academic laboratories,” Gochberg said.
The inaugural class of Vanderbilt’s MIS program will graduate in August 2024. They are a small but mighty group of talented students from diverse fields, backgrounds, and areas of expertise. Each student came to the program via a unique path, and each has a different plan for what to do post-degree.
The application for the VUSM Master of Imaging Science is open now for the 2024-2025 academic year. Meet Vanderbilt’s MIS class of 2024 below, learn more about the program, and reach out to us with questions!
Ryan Martin: A musician changing his tune
Many folks come to Nashville to break into the music business, but musician Ryan Martin, a jazz guitarist with two music-related master’s degrees, came here to deepen his understanding of imaging science.
After completing his second master’s in music, Martin worked as an imaging technologist in a hospital, doing clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). It was during this work that he discovered Vanderbilt’s Master of Imaging Science program and began to think seriously about a career in medicine. Read more…
Lindsey Brigante: An imaging professional mapping a new course
Lindsey Brigante had worked in imaging for ten years, and she was ready to take the next step. “My undergrad degree is in diagnostic imaging, and I’ve worked as an MRI technologist and in quality control for clinical trials for a few years,” Brigante said. In her industry experience, “There’s management and there are techs. There’s really no in between, and I wanted to do more with imaging than quality control or scan acquisition. Getting experience within clinical trials helped me discover the vast opportunities available beyond clinical imaging.” Read more…
Jack Yarnall: A new graduate getting the most from a gap year
Jack Yarnall had known for years that he wanted a career in medicine. His mother’s bout with cancer and his resulting experiences in a hospital setting made him especially aware of the impact that good and caring physicians can have on patients and their families. However, having much of his undergraduate experience disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic left Yarnall unsure about whether he wanted to jump directly into another four-year commitment for his MD degree. An email from the VU Health Professions Advisory Office introduced him to the perfect gap-year option: the new, 12-month Master of Imaging Science degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Read more…
Monce Escobar Arteaga: a young scientist making a medical career pivot
After completing her undergraduate degree in psychology with a minor in biology, Monserrat “Monce” Escobar Arteaga assumed she would eventually go to medical school. “As a first-generation student, going to medical school was the traditional path I was expected to take, and that was the only path that I knew of.” While her work after graduation strengthened Arteaga’s desire to work in medicine, it also led her to discover a different path altogether. Read more…