Anatomy PhD Landing Hero with Page Title

Michael Ludwig and Caitlin McMenamin, both students in the Anatomy PhD Program at Penn State College of Medicine, are seen at work in a lab in the Department of Neural & Behavioral Sciences. The two are looking downward and framed at right by clean glassware hanging on a lab wall.

Anatomy PhD

Navigation Menu

Anatomy PhD Intro with CTA Code Block

Deeper Training in Anatomical Sciences

The PhD program in Anatomy at Penn State College of Medicine is designed for those interested in acquiring advanced training in the anatomical sciences.

The doctoral degree provides coursework to help students achieve advanced understanding of specific knowledge related to human anatomic sciences, including medical gross anatomy, human embryology and human microscopic anatomy.

The program provides the resources for students to acquire specialty training and teaching experience necessary to pursue an academic career in the biological sciences.

The program in Anatomy is fully approved to participate in the Dual-Title Clinical and Translational Sciences Graduate Program.

Get in Touch

Interested in our Anatomy PhD program? Use the buttons below to contact us.

Find out more Apply today

About the Program

In addition to the traditional areas of study including human gross anatomy, human didactic laboratory (human structure), human microscopy anatomy and human embryology, the 30-credit curriculum includes core courses in neuroanatomy, cell biology, systems biology and energy metabolism. Courses in ethics ensure students will conduct their activities with the highest of ethical standards.

Each student will conduct original biomedical research under the supervision of a faculty member culminating in the oral defense of a written thesis.

Doctoral students also have the opportunity to gain teaching experience in discipline-specific fields of human embryology, medical gross anatomy, and neuroanatomy, and to engage in all areas of didactic, team-based learning and cadaver-laboratories for medical students and physician assistant students.

Learn more about the Anatomy PhD curriculum.

Education More about Penn State College of Medicine H2 and brand video Code

More About Penn State College of Medicine

Learn more about Penn State College of Medicine in this video.

Anatomy What's New H2 Code

What's New in Anatomy

Education & Admissions Landing Student Resources H2 Code

Student Resources

Education & Admissions Student Resources for Degree Pages Code

Penn State College of Medicine strives to create the best culture of respect and inclusion for our students. A number of programs, services and facilities are available.

Dr. Inginia Genao sits on a bench outside the Penn State College of Medicine with a student.
Dr. Inginia Genao, right, Penn State College of Medicine’s vice dean of diversity, equity and belonging, meets with a student on the College of Medicine campus.
See more resources for current students

Sitewide Campus Life H2 header

Campus Life

Sitewide Campus Life Double Feature Boxes

Student Housing

Housing is available to Penn State College of Medicine students, residents and postdocs in University Manor East and West apartment complexes. One of the complexes is pictured as seen from a higher floor of a nearby building, with a road and trees framing it in the background.
Housing in University Manor apartments is available to Penn State College of Medicine students.

Penn State College of Medicine offers housing in its University Manor East or University Manor West apartments to full-time students, residents, postdoctoral scholars and visiting scholars.

Read more about on-campus housing.

Life in Hershey, PA

Penn State College of Medicine is in Hershey, PA, a town known as the home of the HersheyPark amusement park and the Hershey Chocolate Factory. Two banners depicting cartoon candy characters are seen on a light pole in downtown Hershey, PA, in summer 2016, with a brick building with large glass windows in the background.
Hershey, Pa., is known as "The Sweetest Place on Earth."

Penn State College of Medicine's primary campus is located in Hershey, Pa. The area provides numerous diverse and delicious dining experiences, sports, concerts and entertainment, and is a short drive away from the Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, metro areas.

Read more about life in Hershey.