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Admission and Prerequisites
Admission to the accelerated Ph.D. program requires an M.D. degree from an accredited medical school. Selection for admission is based on prior academic record, potential for independent research, and three letters of recommendation. Application forms for the program may be obtained from the address below. Competitive candidates will be asked to visit the department for an interview. Admission to the accelerated Ph.D. program may be coordinated with residency or fellowship programs in the School of Medicine at the University of Virginia, and applicants should indicate the department desired. Applications to residency and fellowship programs are independent, and are the responsibility of the applicant. Support is commensurate with residency and fellowship programs. Address for applications:
Pam Mullinex
Graduate Committee Administrative Assistant
Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics
PO Box 800736 Charlottesville, Virginia 22908-0736
Telephone: (434) 924-5108 Fax: (434) 982-1616
email: physiograd@virginia.edu
Program of Study
The accelerated Ph.D. program for M.D.s requires two years' residence in the program, 30 credit hours composed of graduate-level courses, seminars and laboratory rotations, and 18 credit hours of thesis work based on original research. The duration of the program is flexible and is designed to be completed in three years. The major emphasis of the program will be on intensive (hands-on) laboratory research. Graduate-level course selection will be tailored to each individual's background and needs by the Graduate Advisory Committee. Research training is broadened through laboratory rotations, departmental seminars and participation in journal clubs, the writing of an NIH-style grant proposal as part of the qualifying examination, and thesis research. Registration for courses is flexible, laboratory rotations may begin at any time, and coursework can be pursued during either the Fall or Spring semesters. All students enrolled in the program must fulfill the general academic regulations for doctoral degrees, as set forth by the School of Graduate Arts and Sciences.
Laboratory Rotations. Laboratory rotations provide the opportunity to learn selected bench skills from pipetting and chromatography to total internal reflectance fluorescence microscopy, and to help the student choose a laboratory in which to carry out his/her dissertation work. Rotations also serve to develop the student's cognitive and problem-solving skills, such as the formulation and testing of hypotheses and the design of experiments.
Seminars. Weekly departmental seminars are presented by national and international experts in a wide variety of areas encompassing departmental research interests. All graduate students also participate in a student-speaker lunch discussion group. In addition to weekly seminars in other basic sciences departments and centers, a joint distinguished lecture series sponsors a monthly seminar by an internationally recognized expert.
Qualifying Examination. An important component of research is to learn how to define a significant problem, formulate a hypothesis and design appropriate and imaginative experiments to assess the feasibility and the possible outcomes, and test the hypothesis. These skills are developed in the form of preparation of an NIH-style grant. The NIH-style grant should be on the dissertation topic, and this should be completed by the end of the first year. An oral presentation will be made to the Graduate Committee, which will review the grant using the NIH study-section format. Satisfactory completion of this proposal will be linked to advancement to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree.
Thesis Requirements. The thesis consists of original research that meets the standards of high-quality, peer-reviewed journals. A dissertation topic should be selected by the end of the first year. A dissertation committee of four or five professors, including the thesis adviser, will advise and counsel the student. Upon completion of the research project, the results must be published or accepted for publication in a minimum of two peer-reviewed, leading journals in the respective field. The dissertation should be prepared according to the rules and deadlines of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Finally, the doctoral candidate is required to pass an oral examination in defense of the dissertation.
Accelerated Ph.D. Program for Candidates with an M.D. Degree
A Typical Program of Study (Based on 30 hours of coursework and 18 hours of non-topical dissertation credits. 24 transfer credits are allowed for previous courses taken in an accredited Medical School curriculum.)
Course Credits
Two of the following core courses (8-10 credits):
BIMS 812 Cell Structure and Function 5
BIMS 811 Gene Structure, Expression and Regulation 5
BIMS 503 General Biochemistry 4
Plus 20-22 credits of the following:
PHY 995 Laboratory Rotation (Topical Research) 3
PHY 995 Laboratory Rotation (Topical Research) 3
PHY 801 Mol. Physiol. and Biol. Phys. Seminar (Four semesters) 8
GSAS 710 Research Ethics (required) 1
PHY 995 Topical Research 3-12
PHY 506 Molecular and Cellular Biophysics 4
plus: PHY 999 Non-topical Dissertation Research 18
Qualifying examination (summer at end of 1st yr)
Defense of Thesis
Graduate courses such as those listed on pages 10-16 may be substituted upon consultation and agreement with the Graduate Committee. It is expected that coursework will be tailored to each candidate's research interests.
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