Graduate Education
Mission and Goals
Our mission at Stanford University School of Medicine's graduate education program is to train future leaders in the biosciences.
We envision a program providing an array of excellent curricular and research opportunities for graduate students in biomedical disciplines. As part of graduate studies in the biosciences at Stanford University, students will pursue courses of study in traditional disciplines as well as novel and emerging interdisciplinary areas.
We support our mission and the fulfillment of this vision through the following goals:
- Attract the most promising students that broadly represent all economic and ethnic groups.
- Provide training programs of unsurpassed quality, depth, and breadth featuring innovative, multidisciplinary, and student-initiated course offerings.
- Provide and encourage opportunities for cross-disciplinary inquiry and scientific interchange.
- Provide continued individualized guidance for each student's research and education.
- Educate graduate students about the challenges in medicine and opportunities in translational research.
- Provide support to optimize opportunities for further training and a successful transition to a career in the biosciences.
The medical school's graduate education programs are currently considered very strong, reflecting the programs' progressive approach to interdisciplinary courses and training as well as the strengths of their associated faculty and areas of research. Very high application rates and a successful track record in recruiting and enrolling high quality students reinforce this perception.
The defining strengths of the medical school's graduate education programs include a wealth of expertise in basic and clinical sciences; the proximity to scientists and scholars in the Humanities and Sciences, Engineering, and other schools; and convenient access to industrial scientists in Stanford-affiliated biotechnology and information technology industries.
However, the rapid pace of change in the biomedical sciences poses a particular challenge to the graduate education programs. Continued scientific and administrative barriers between departments at Stanford impede the programs' ability to adapt to the needs of future scientific leaders. The high cost of tuition at Stanford also prevents some students from working with researchers here.
The continued and increased success of our graduate education programs will depend on our ability to continuously adapt our programs to the requirements of emerging sciences and to eliminate organizational and financial barriers to our students' ability to take advantage of these opportunities.
Strategic InitiativesOur mission and vision for graduate education will be pursued through coordinated improvements and change in the areas of student quality and diversity, educational experiences, and career development.
To achieve our goal of improving student quality and diversity, we will address the following initiatives:
- Increase the number of presidential fellowships (or equivalents) available for biosciences graduate students and establish an endowment to make graduate education tuition free.
- Develop outreach and mentorship programs to establish Stanford as a national leader in the biosciences education of minorities.
- Establish facilities for biosciences graduate programs, including space for seminar rooms, informal gatherings, and food service.
- Mitigate the impacts of childcare and housing costs on the recruitment and retention of graduate students.
To achieve our goal of training program quality and student involvement, we will address the following initiatives:
- Encourage the development of student-initiated courses.
- Strengthen connections with clinical departments to establish novel research-oriented courses in human health and physiology and disease mechanisms designed for biosciences students.
- Strengthen connections with other professional schools to make appropriate courses available to biosciences students and provide necessary funding for these teaching collaborations.
- To achieve our goal of cross-disciplinary training and individualized guidance, we will address the following initiatives:
- Develop and fund a pre-differentiation camp for early orientation of new biosciences graduate students.
- Develop and fund joint seminar and symposia programs in disease mechanisms with the clinical department.
- Provide funding and organizational support for student-initiated biosciences mini-symposia.
- Develop and fund a graduate students' travel fund, awarded on a competitive basis, to support attendance at scientific meetings and off-site educational programs.
- Strengthen connections with the biotechnology community through joint programs, seminars, and workshops.
To achieve our goal of continued training and career development, we will address the following initiatives:
- Initiate and fund a biosciences career development center with knowledgeable and helpful staff.
- Develop a graduate student teacher program to provide students with opportunities to participate in media, government, public policy, and education and publishing communities.
- Develop biotechnology strategic partnerships and internship opportunities for biosciences graduate students.
- Develop a world-class program for graduate students under the auspices of the new Joint Department of Bioengineering that was approved by the Board of Trustees in June 2002.
Prioritization and Implementation
The further development and implementation of the Graduate Education strategic initiatives will be pursued under the direction and coordination of the Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training in coordination with the University's Committee on Graduate Admissions and Policy (C-GAP).
Of the 15 initiatives proposed for graduate education, 10 have been prioritized for development and implementation in FY2001-2002 and FY2002-2003. These priority initiatives reinforce the Medical School's commitment to excellence in the interdisciplinary education of bioscientists.
Student Quality and Diversity ProjectsDevelop programs to establish Stanford as a national leader in bioscience education of under-represented minorities.
A position of associate director for graduate education, functioning as a student recruiter, has been created and is currently under search within the Office of Graduate Education. This position will be responsible for the development of graduate student diversity and outreach programs.
Programs on graduate student diversity will be developed in coordination with other related Medical School initiatives.
The associate director for graduate education position will be filled by the fall of 2002. Initial new graduate student recruitment programs will be developed and proposed in FY2002-2003.
Establish an intellectual and physical "home" for the biosciences graduate program, including space for seminar rooms, informal gathering, and food service.
The programming, design and construction of new educational facilities are critical to the successful implementation of a new medical education curriculum as well as planned initiatives in graduate education, postdoctoral training and information resources and technology. As envisioned, the Stanford Medicine Information and Learning Environment (SMILE) will break new ground in the delivery of medical and graduate education and information resources, reflecting the new model of biomedical sciences and the emerging new relationships between information and its users.
The SMILE project will be pursued as a joint initiative under the direction of the Dean through a project executive committee consisting of the Senior Associate Deans for Medical Education, Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training, Information Resources and Technology, and Finance and Administration and including the Chair of the Medical School Faculty Senate.
Preliminary SMILE program recommendations will be ready for Medical School and University leadership review by summer 2003. The project is targeted for completion in time for the 2007-2008 academic year.
Further improve programs to mitigate the impacts of childcare and housing costs on the recruitment and retention of graduate students.
Medical School academic leaders and graduate programs staff will work with the University to develop effective and affordable housing and childcare program enhancements for graduate students.
Initial program enhancements will be proposed for consideration by the Provost for implementation in FY2002-2003.
Program Quality and Cross-Disciplinary Training ProjectsEncourage the development of student-initiated reading courses.
Under the Associate Dean for Graduate Education and in coordination with the graduate students organization, a detailed program will be developed.
The initial course is targeted for implementation in the spring quarter of 2003.
Strengthen connections with clinical departments to establish novel research-oriented courses in human health and physiology and disease mechanisms designed for biosciences students.
The Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training will initiate a survey of current interdepartmental programs to fully document current course content and student mobility and to identify areas of opportunity for the introduction of new content on human health and disease mechanisms. The elements of a new interdepartmental program will also be developed from survey data.
Enhancements to current IDP content are targeted for implementation by fall quarter 2002.
Introduction of a new interdepartmental program on human health and disease mechanisms is targeted for implementation by fall quarter 2003.
Develop a "pre-differentiation" camp for the early orientation of new students.
Under the Associate Dean for Graduate Education, the program, schedule, logistics and funding for a biosciences pre-differentiation camp will be developed.
The pre-differentiation camp program is targeted for implementation in the summer/fall of 2003.
Provide funding and organizational support for student-initiated mini-symposia.
Under the Associate Dean for Graduate Education, the program, schedule, logistics and funding will be developed.
The initial symposium is targeted for implementation in the spring quarter of 2003.
Develop a Graduate Student Travel fund to support attendance at scientific meetings and off-site educational programs to be awarded on a competitive basis.
The Associate Dean for Graduate Education will coordinate with CGAP and the graduate student organizations in the development of a program proposal and student selection criteria.
The program will be announced during student orientation in fall 2002. The initial awards will be announced during admissions weekend in March 2003.
Strengthen connections with the biotechnology community through seminars and workshops.
The Associate Dean for Graduate Education will develop a program proposal and solicit
industry participation.
An initial symposium is targeted for winter quarter 2003.
Continued Training and Career Development ProjectsInitiate a biosciences professional outreach center with knowledgeable and helpful professional staff.
The Associate Dean for Graduate Education will work with the Associate Dean for Postdoctoral Services and the Director of Finance and Administration for Student Services to develop a plan and budget for a joint Professional Development and Career Center, providing career counseling and placement services for biosciences graduate students and postdoctoral trainees.
The professional development center is targeted for development and activation during FY2002-2003.
Projects To-Be ScheduledThe remaining Graduate Education strategic initiatives will be pursued, following the activation of the priority initiatives, as resources and opportunities permit. These remaining initiatives include:
- Increase the number of Presidential Fellowships, or equivalent fellowships, available to biosciences graduate students and/or establish an endowment to make graduate education tuition-free.
- Strengthen connections with other professional schools to make appropriate courses available to biosciences students and to fund these teaching collaborations appropriately.
- Develop and fund, with clinical departments, joint seminar and symposia programs in disease mechanisms.
- Develop a graduate student teacher program to provide students with teaching and editing opportunities in the academic and publishing communities.
- Develop biotechnology internship opportunities for biosciences graduate students.
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