Goals of our Graduate Training Program
- To expose our students to the latest conceptual and technical developments in pharmacology and related biomedical sciences.
- To mentor our students in the development of their critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills, as well as technical proficiency in a laboratory setting (THESE FACULTY ARE NOW ACCEPTING STUDENTS).
- To help our students identify and make progress toward their personal career goals.
Achieving these Goals
To achieve these goals, the Program has designed a comprehensive program of instruction:
- First year students participate in School-wide interdisciplinary courses in cellular and molecular biology, as well as one of several systems biology courses. This provides all incoming students, regardless of their background, with a common biomedical knowledge base necessary prior to pursuit of more specialized coursework.
- All beginning graduate students participate in three rotations in the labs of Program faculty over the course of their first year. The lab rotations provide the students with mentored, hands-on lab research experience and critical exposure to technical and conceptual developments in the field. They also provide our students with the opportunity to work closely with three different faculty members prior to choosing a dissertation mentor.
- Departmental and interdepartmental seminars provide our students with the opportunity to learn about the latest developments in pharmacology and other areas of biomedical science, to interact with visiting scientists, and to establish professional connections.
- In Journal Club, students hone their analytical and communication skills through the presentation of recently published articles and the presentation of their own research findings.
- Timely progression within the Program and the student's professional development are a shared responsibility of the student, the student's mentor (once chosen), and the Graduate Committee. Progress is monitored through a series of carefully developed milestones (course performance, rotation reports, oral and written qualifying exams, dissertation committee meetings, etc).
- It is our expectation as Program faculty that every student will present their research findings at national meetings, publish peer-review papers, complete their graduate studies in a timely manner (generally 4-5 years), and successfully obtain a position in keeping with their professional goals.
Read a more detailed description of the Graduate Program in Pharmacology (pdf), including course requirements, a model curriculum, and Program guidelines.
- View more information on the Concentration in Molecular Neuropharmacology
- View information on the Concentration in Molecular and Environmental Toxicology.
View more general information of careers and opportunities in Pharmacology
View more information on how to apply