Curriculum
The graduate program in pharmacology is described in the Bulletin of the Division of Graduate Medical Sciences and more fully in “Graduate Program in Pharmacology: Policies and Procedures” which is available in the Department Office (L-603).
Advising of Students
Each student should choose a field of interest and select an appropriate faculty member as advisor for supervision of research training, as soon as possible after admission into the program. Until a thesis or dissertation advisor is selected, the Chairman of the Graduate Education Committee will serve as advisor for new students. During the first year, students who have not chosen a research laboratory should familiarize themselves with research projects throughout the department. Reprints from each faculty member are available in the department and should be studied before visiting each laboratory.
Laboratory Rotations
During the first year, predoctoral trainees may register for two semesters of Laboratory Techniques in Modern Pharmacology (GMS 710), in which they complete four laboratory rotations of seven weeks each. This rotation experience provides exposure to a variety of experimental approaches to the study of pharmacology. Students are encouraged to select rotations in laboratories that approach problems from different perspectives, in keeping with the fundamental goal of providing them a broad and more complete understanding of research strategies that have been developed to address questions of pharmacological importance. Rotations are designed to be a teaching instrument and students are encouraged to obtain publication quality data. Each student submits a paper summarizing his or her research experience. Students receive a grade of Pass or Fail in GMS 710 based upon their performance in research rotations and the grading of their written reports.
Training in Responsible Conduct of Research
Formal training on scientific integrity and issues of ethical principles in research is a required component of the curriculum. Boston University School of Medicine sponsors a series of lectures, seminars and workshops devoted to the responsible conduct of research. This program is organized by an advisory committee comprised of faculty and students and implemented by the Office of Clinical Research in the Office of the Dean and Provost of the School of Medicine. To a very large degree, the topics addressed by this program match those identified by Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research, the American Association of Medical Colleges and the National Institutes of Health. This program, which was instituted in 1991, has covered a wide range of issues concerning the responsible conduct of research including, but not limited to, data acquisition, management, sharing and ownership, mentor/trainee responsibilities, publication practices and responsible authorship, peer review, collaborations, human subjects, laboratory animals, research misconduct and conflict of interest. The series is offered periodically throughout the academic year to provide an ongoing dynamic forum for the exchange of ideas.
Evaluation of Student Progress
The Committee on Graduate Education has established a file in which information such as course grades and progress in meeting Division and Department requirements is recorded. The files are also used to assist faculty in writing letters of recommendation. Faculty are asked to report course grades for their advisees, as well as results of qualifying exams, etc., and to forward copies of correspondence pertaining to their students’ academic status (e.g., petitions, waivers) to the department office for inclusion in their files. After each semester, the Committee presents a report on the progress of each student at a departmental faculty meeting, and the student will be evaluated with respect to continuation of financial aid and enrollment in the program. The Committee will also monitor attendance of students at pharmacology seminars and, if necessary, remind the students that their participation at seminars is required. Should a student request a leave of absence or an extension of time to finish his degree, the petition must be approved by the Advisor and the Graduate Education Committee before submission to the Division of Graduate Medical Sciences.
Student Achievement
Students enrolled in the Ph.D. program in pharmacology are expected to maintain a GPA of B (3.0) or higher. Students who fail to meet this standard will be considered by the Graduate Education Committee for a terminal M.A. degree only. Students will not receive course credit for marks below B-, in accord with standards of the Division of Graduate Medical Sciences. For students enrolled in the M.A. program, petitions for transfer to the Ph.D. program in pharmacology will not be approved by the department unless the student has earned a GPA of B or higher in the first year curriculum.
Graduate Education Committee
Most functions of the departmental graduate program are managed by a committee of four faculty members and one graduate student. The graduate student representative is selected every September by the students themselves. The committee meets regularly to review matters that relate directly to the program as it is described above and to make recommendations to the Department Chairman. When the agenda of a meeting specifically includes discussions of individual students, the graduate student representative will be excused from the entire meeting or portions of the meeting. The department administrative assistant has available a list of the current membership and chairman of this committee. It is recommended that all new students receive a copy of this list.
