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| Graduate Training in the Biomedical Sciences - Schools of Medicine & Pharmacy
As a first-year student, you will (1) take an integrated core curriculum that focuses on contemporary science, scientific integrity, and scientific writing, (2) design your own curriculum by taking specialized areas of science that align with your research interests and the research strengths of the graduate faculty, and (3) rotate in three research laboratories supported by federal grants. By April of Year 1, you will have obtained the didactic knowledge and research experience to make an informed selection of a faculty mentor and one of our seven Ph.D.- degree programs. PhD Training Programs:
Faculty in these programs utilize current methodologies pertinent to the areas identified in the titles and, in addition, utilize cellular and molecular approaches, animal models, and/or transgenic rodent biology to address contemporary scientific hypotheses. Pertinent Information
Admissions and Financial Aid Admissions Applicants must have a bachelor's degree and excellent GPA and GRE scores. On average, applicants have a GPA of 3.5 and GRE scores of 1140 (combined V+Q) and a 4.5 for the analytical essay. Three letters of recommendation and a personal statement are required. We recommend that you apply in December and January to receive maximum admissions consideration. Following pre-selection of students with excellent credentials and a perceived passion for research, you will be invited in groups of ~10 for paid, two-day visit/interviews from January through March. You are admitted as a common undifferentiated class by a graduate admissions committee comprised of the graduate directors of each of our seven Ph.D.-degree granting programs, a senior Ph.D. student from the Graduate Student Organization (GSO), and the Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies. Financial Aid As a Ph.D. student you will receive full financial support during your training, provided you remain in good academic standing and excel in research. Such support includes:
The Basic Sciences Intramural Grant Program (BSIGP) covers health insurance available through WVU Health Sciences. You will receive a health benefit of $780 for hospitalization and disability. You are responsible for some student fees (not covered by the tuition waiver), which during the 2008-09 academic year are ~ $570 for fall and spring semesters and approximately $300 for the summer semester. M.S. students are not eligible for institutional tuition waivers or stipends, but may be supported on a grant if funds are available. As a Ph.D. or M.S. student, you may be eligible for loans. Please visit the WVU Financial Aid Office for more information. Undifferentiated First-Year The advantages of an undifferentiated first-year are:
In Year 1, you will take an integrated core curriculum that focuses on contemporary science, participate in the research laboratories of at least three potential faculty mentors, and interact scientifically and socially in a graduate room with personal cubicles. In the second semester of Year 1, you will design your own curriculum by choosing electives in specialized areas of science that align with the research strengths of the specific graduate programs. By May of Year 1, you will have obtained the didactic knowledge and research experience to make an informed selection of a faculty mentor and a program of specialized training. All students do research in state-of-the-art, grant-supported research laboratories. Time to Completion to Ph.D. Degree A major goal/outcome is to have you complete the Ph.D. degree in a timely manner and with the best possible training to prepare you for further career development. The average time to completion to the Ph.D. degree was 5.1 years for our students who graduated from 2002 to 2007 as well as from 2000 to 2005.
Students who graduated from 2000 through 2005 obtained competitive, postdoctoral fellowships at the following institutions (representative list): Postdoctoral Fellowships:
Graduate Student Organization A GSO Senate administers the organization and is comprised of an elected representative from each of our seven graduate training programs and from the first-year undifferentiated class. GSO is organized into five committees: Advocacy, Curriculum, Events, Recruitment, and Social. Elected representatives of the GSO are voting members on the Ph.D. Admissions Committee and the M.D./Ph.D. Admissions Committee. As a student volunteer, you will organize and participate in recruitment of prospective graduate students. Each year the GSO sponsors an orientation social and picnic, a football tailgate, a professional workshop, and a student-invited, Distinguished Scientist Seminar Series.
The GSO awards each year 10, $400 awards for student travel to national meetings. |
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