Applying To Graduate School

The Next Step in Your
Biomedical Sciences Career
C Gita Bosch, PhD, MBA
Academic & Educational Consulting
theacademicconsultant.com

Topics to be covered
 Preparing and planning for
graduate/professional school – the
undergraduate years
 Finding information and selecting a school
 The application and admissions process
 Financing your education
B

What is your right next step
 What do you want to do
 Why do you want to do this
 Where will you be in 10 years
 How do you think you will get there
 Is this a realistic plan
B

Career Education
 What/Where
 Academia
 K-12
 Undergraduate/graduate
 Research Institute
 Government
 NIH
 NASA
 White House
 Business
 Biotech
 Law
 Journals (e.g., editors)
 Industry
 Pharmaceutical companies (big
pharma)
 Clinical Practice
 How
 PhD
 MD/PhD
 MD
 MSc
 PSM
 Post-Bac
 BA/BS
B

Getting to graduate school
 Directly from undergraduate
 Masters degree
 Postbac program
 PREP
 NIH
 Job (1+ years)
 Research technician
B

The Undergraduate Years
Year 1 Sum Year 2 Sum Year 3 Sum Year 4
Post-
Bac
Fall Fall Fall Aug
I I I Sep F
N N N Oct E
T T T Nov L
E E Early E Dec L
Spring R Spring R Spring R Jan O
N N N Feb W
S S S Mar S
H H Late H Apr H
I I Spring I May I
P P P Jun P
B

The undergraduate years
 Introductory courses
 Basic science
courses
 English
 Reading
 Writing
 Advanced courses
 Research
techniques
 Non-science
courses
 ―Life-enriching‖
 Arts & Humanities
 Analytical skills
 Communications
skills
B

Between sophomore & junior years
―Am I prepared and have a strong enough
academic record to apply to the programs that I am
interested in?‖
Yes: continue on your current trajectory
No: why not? What are the barriers? Learning?
Interest?
Re-examine your educational/career goals v timing
Asses and rethink
B

 Independent
research
 Prep courses and
standardized tests
 GRE
 MCAT
 Prepare application
materials
 Retake standardized
tests if needed
 Summer programs
B

Research Opportunities-PhD & MD/PhD
 Hands-on research
 Cutting-edge projects
 Become intellectually immersed
 Gain problem-solving and critical
analysis skills
 Foster scientific confidence and maturity
 A look into the life of a graduate student
B

Clinical Opportunities-MD/PhD & MD
 A look into the life of a physician
 Experience with interpersonal skills
 Networking opportunities
 Interactions w/ healthcare providers
 Learn more about a medical specialty
B

Introductory Science Courses
Explore Programs: Advisors, Grad School Fairs, ABRCMS, etc.
Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior PostBac
Take the GRE/MCAT Apply
Research Experiences
Advanced Science Courses
Interview
www.aamc.org/phd
B

Topics to be covered
 Preparing and planning for graduate/professional
school – the undergraduate years
 Finding information and selecting a school
 The application and admissions process
 Financing your education
B

How/Where to find information
 Internet
 Network contacts
 Conferences
 Talk to faculty advisors
 Summer internships/fellowships
B

SWOT Analysis
Schools Strengths Weaknesses Courses Other Test
Appl
Deadline
Appl
Sent Contacts
Outcome
of Contact Notes
One
Research;
teaching
opp
Location;
culture Biochem Research
GRE/
MCAT 12/15/12 12/14/12
school
contacted
me
interview
scheduled
for 1/10/13 great school
Two Location Research Biology ResearchMCAT 01/15/13 12/15/12
I contacted
school
needs rec
letter
letter rec'd;
interviewed - not
like environment
Three
Research;
location no mentoring
Sciences
and Math ResearchGRE 12/30/12 11/24/12
I contacted
school
sch not
interested
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Requirements
B

“…all great institutions are continually
changing---renovating, building,
recruiting, developing new programs
and collaborations, and pursuing new
ideas.”(Harold Varmus)
What to look for in an Institution
B

What to look for in a Program?
vs
What do you want to do?
B

What is the goal of the program?
 Provide the training for you
 develop a knowledge base in a specific area
 develop specific teaching & life skills
 reach your goals as researcher and scholar
Provide the opportunity for you to become
a leader in your field
B

What does the program look like
 Year one
 Core curriculum
 Life skills
 Laboratory rotations
 Year two
 Elective coursework
 Year three & beyond
 Research
B

Coursework
Rotations Qualifying Exam Dissertation Research Defense of Dissertation
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 …
Select Mentor & Advisers
Professional Development
Presenting Your Research
Milestones * * * *
Funding Your Graduate Education
PhD
Graduate School
www.aamc.org/phd

Structure & Organization
 What is the structure/organization of the
programs
 Are there enough faculty in your area of
interest
 Is there academic help if you need it
 Are there special programs for students
B

The Facilities
 What do the facilities/laboratories look like
 Where is the campus located
 What is there to do when you are not in class
 Are there cultural/sports events in the area
 Housing
 Are there special amenities/services for students
 Is it easy to get from place to place
B

The Admissions File
 Application Form
 complete the entire application form, i.e., answer all questions
 Scores & GPA
 a strong academic record is essential
 verify and have transcripts and test scores sent early
 Personal Statement
 Letters of Recommendation
 Interview
B

Personal Statement
 Introduction of you
 Writing skills
 Commitment and motivation
 Inform and persuade
Who am I?
What do I
want to do?
B

What does the school want
to know? BE HONEST
 Your goals—degree, field, specialty
 Why are you pursuing this degree?
 What events brought you to this point?
 What makes you qualified to do this?
 Why are you applying to this School?
 How will they help you reach your goals?
B

Inform and persuade
 Beginning
 Interesting & captivating = the hook
 Who are you?
 Why do you want to go to graduate school?
 Middle
 Substance = Research Statements
 Experiences
 Ending
 Reader wants to meet you
 Why this program
B

SKGSBS
Writing about your research
 Introduce the overall purpose of the
research
 Describe specifically what you worked
on and what you did
 Describe how your work fitted into the
overall objective of the main project, the
field and human health
B

Research paragraph
One of the goals of the laboratory is to ….
We studied ….. My project involved ….. The
resulting structures were …. Because they
….. these structures could be used to …..
B

Read it
out loud
The Final Touch
 No errors!
 Grammar. Spelling. Language.
 Proofread!
 Punctuation: commas, colons, & semicolons
 Apostrophes and hyphens
 Subject-Verb agreement
 Word usage
Listen to
it
B

Personal Statement
 Deliberate & thoughtful
 Clear & simple language
 Concise (trim the fat)
 Interesting & creative
 Style & tone
 Vary the sentence forms
 Seamless transitions between paragraphs
 More is not necessarily better
B
ERROR-
FREE
ZONE

Letters of Recommendation
 What is the purpose of the letters of
recommendation?
 How many should there be?
 Who should write your letters?
 To waive your right to access or not to
waive your right to access?
B

Letters of Recommendation
 Ask recommenders if they can write you a
strong letter of recommendation
 Give them a copy of the personal
statement; if possible, ask them to meet
 Give them plenty of time to write a
thoughtful substantive letter
B

The interview -- objectives
School
Be interviewed by
the faculty,
students and
administration
 They want to see
the application
come to life
You
Interview the
faculty, students
and
administration
 Is this the right fit
for you?
B

The interview -- objectives
 Make a positive
and professional
first impression
 Learn about the
facilities
 Be
 Professional
 Prepared
 Personable
 Enthusiastic
 Engaging/
interesting
 Knowledgeable
B

At the interview
 Dress professionally
 Clothing, shoes, jewelry, make-up
 Relax and be professional & social
 Introduce yourself (the handshake)
 Sit up, smile and speak clearly; participate in the
conversation; show confidence
B
Show them the
person you presented
in the application

At the interview
 You are always ―on‖
 Be careful of bad behavior
 Emphasize your strengths and experiences
 Show enthusiasm & commitment when you talk
about your research
 Show some interest in the interviewer’s research
 It is OK to say ―I do not know‖
YOU SCHOOL
B

What Schools look for
 Commitment
 Motivation
 Maturity
 Academic record/Coursework
 Aptitude for science/Critical thinking
 Research experiences
 Extracurricular activities/Life experiences
B

The Application Year
Jul/Aug
2012
Apr
2012
Mar
2012
Feb
2012
Jan
2012
Dec
2011
Nov
2011
Oct
2011
Sep
2011
Aug
2011
Select schools
Start application form
Request letters
Schedule/Take GREs
Submit application form
Request transcripts
Check on documents
Interviews/2nd visits
Receive offers
Decision 4/15
Matriculate!
B

What is Financial Aid?
Work
Research Assistantships
Teaching Assistantships
Graduate Student Assistantships
Grants
Non-Work
Fellowships
Scholarships
Grants
Loans
B

Cost
 Costs & FA are
different for
 PhD
 MD/PhD
 MD
 Sources of funding
are different for
 PhD
 MD/PhD
 MD
 Expenses
 Tuition & Fees
 Living Expenses
 Revenues
 Fellowships, etc
 Loans
 Grants
 Job
B

 Stipend (COL)
 Full Tuition
 Medical Insurance
 Travel Awards
 First Year Student Allowance
 Laptops/iPads
 Relocation costs
 Professional organization membership
Fellowship Package
PhD & MD/PhD
B

 Institutional
 Central
 Departmental
 External
 National Institutes of Health (NIH)
 National Science Foundation (NSF)
 Ford Foundation
 Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)
 Professional Associations
Funding sources for fellowships
B

 What if it is not enough for me to live on?
 Is renewal automatic each year?
 If not, what is the renewal process?
 Are there restrictions on the uses of the
funds?
 Does the fellowship provide health
insurance? Travel?
MAQ about fellowships
B

 Can you request special supplements,
such as monies to purchase a computer?
 When does the award start?
 Is the start date flexible?
 Can the award period be extended? How?
 What happens if I do not complete the
Program?
 Are there payback obligations?
MAQ about fellowships
B

 The program offers you admission
 You accept or decline the offer
 Academic program/research strength/faculty
 Location
 Financial support
 Teaching opportunities
 Research opportunities
 Mentoring -- personal, professional, academic
 Culture and environment of the School
 Amenities
Matriculation decision
B

Data Analysis
Schools Strengths Weaknesses Courses Other Test
Appl
Deadline
Appl
Sent Contacts
Outcome
of Contact
Interview
Notes
One
Research;
teaching
opp
Location;
culture Biochem Research
GRE/
MCAT 12/15/12 12/14/12
school
contacted
me
interview
scheduled
for 1/10/13 great school
Two Location Research Biology ResearchMCAT 01/15/13 12/15/12
I contacted
school
needs rec
letter
letter rec'd;
interviewed - not
like environment
Three
Research;
location no mentoring
Sciences
and Math ResearchGRE 12/30/12 11/24/12
I contacted
school
sch not
interested
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Requirements
B

We must not forget that when radium was
discovered no one knew that it would prove
useful in hospitals. The work was one of pure
science. And this is a proof that scientific work
must not be considered from the point of view
of the direct usefulness of it. It must be done
for itself, for the beauty of science, and then
there is always the chance that a scientific
discovery may become like the radium a
benefit for humanity. Marie Curie
B

Applying To Graduate School

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