
GMS Welcomes 17 Students into 2022 STaRS Program Cohort
This week, Graduate Medical Sciences will welcome the 17 students who make up the 2022 Summer Training as Research Scholars (STaRS) program cohort. STaRS is a program designed to promote more equitable access to graduate education for students historically underrepresented in science and medicine. Throughout the summer program, the STaRS cohort will have the opportunity to participate in research and enhance the skills required for successful entry into, and completion of, a graduate or MD/PHD program in biomedical sciences. Each STaRS scholar will be mentored by faculty and lab members from GMS. They will be placed in a biomedical laboratory that represents... More

“The End of the Beginning”: GMS Celebrates First In-Person Commencement Since 2019
Pomp and circumstance returned to Graduate Medical Sciences for the first time since 2019 at last week’s commencement ceremonies. Over 300 students walked during the in-person exercises at the BU Track & Tennis Center, including graduates from September 2021 and January 2022, as well as May 2022 and August 2022 degree candidates. It was also the first time in University history that the Physician Assistant Master's Program attended the GMS-wide commencement instead of hosting an individual ceremony. Altogether, GMS has conferred or will confer the following degrees: 39 PhD Five dual MD/PhD 44 MA 479 MS (including degree candidates for August 2022) ... More

Amy Brodeur, MFS, and Matthew Layne, PhD, Receive GMS Educator of the Year Awards
Each year, Boston University and Graduate Medical Sciences honors several faculty members who show steadfast dedication and passion toward graduate and doctoral education. These awards are based on student recommendations from across the GMS programs. This year, we are thrilled to announce that GMS has awarded the 2022 Educator of the Year awards to Amy Brodeur, MFS, and Matthew Layne, PhD. Amy N. Brodeur, MFS Associate Director, Biomedical Forensic Sciences Program Assistant Professor, Anatomy & Neurobiology Brodeur, recognized as GMS Educator of the Year for MA and MS programs, has seen the Biomedical Forensic Sciences Program grow from its launch in September 2006 to now. At... More

Mark Your Calendars for the GMS Spring Formal and BUMC Dodgeball Tournament!
Mark your calendars! We have two exciting events lined up for the GMS community to celebrate the end of the academic year: May 13: GMS Spring Semi-Formal Join your fellow GMS students and friends for the GMS Spring Formal on Friday, May 13 at 7 p.m., hosted by the Graduate Medical Sciences Student Organization! The event will include catered food, a bar and live music with a DJ, all surrounded by panoramic views of Boston at Hiebert Lounge. Formal dress is not required to attend. Tickets are $15 each, and you can purchase them here. Keep in mind that this event is open to GMS... More

Student Spotlight: Tom Morin (PhD ’22)
Tom Morin (PhD ’22), a fifth-year student in the Graduate Program for Neuroscience, grew up in Braintree, Mass. As a kid, Tom always imagined that somewhere out in the world was a literal tree with brains growing out of it. “I couldn’t wait to find this tree, pick my very own brain from among the branches, and see what it looked like,” Morin wrote in an email. “I was wrong about the tree, but now I get to look at brains all the time!” The May 2022 degree candidate has spent the last five years working alongside Dr. Chantal Stern to research the... More

GMS Gathers to Celebrate the Retirement of Dr. Deborah Stearns-Kurosawa, former Associate Provost and Dean
Faculty and staff from across Graduate Medical Sciences and the Boston University Medical Campus gathered in the Robert W. Wilkins Boardroom on April 27 to celebrate the retirement of Dr. Deborah Stearns-Kurosawa and Dr. Shinichiro Kurosawa. Dr. Stearns-Kurosawa and Dr. Kurosawa joined BU in 2008, relocating their research from Oklahoma to New England. They currently serve as associate professors in the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine. Dr. Stearns-Kurosawa also served as Associate Provost and Dean of Graduate Medical Sciences ad interim from September 1, 2019, to December 31, 2021, guiding faculty, staff and students through the many transitions brought on by the... More

Finding a Moment to Relax Before Finals with GMS Student Affairs
Students had a chance to unwind before finals season with two separate Student Life & Wellness events this week. The first was a Free Self-Care Kit event hosted by the Student Wellness Committee on Tuesday, April 26. Students had the chance to stop by the C3 Suite and build bags filled with relaxation essentials like snacks, face masks and fidget toys. The next day, GMS Student Affairs hosted a Finals Destress Healthy Snack Break in the C3 Suite. Students could pick up free açaí bowls, oat bowls and seasonal fruit to take a nutritious mid-day break in the middle of their busy... More

BPSO Hosts Spring Formal at Boston University Castle
The Biomedical PhD Student Organization (BPSO) hosted its 2022 Spring Formal at the Boston University Castle on April 22. All BU Medical Campus students were invited along with a +1. The formal included light refreshments and a cash bar, hosted in the Castle's stately Great Hall and side rooms. Below are pictures sent in from the formal's attendees. Check out the full slideshow, and head here to learn more about BPSO. For a full list of upcoming GMS events, head to our calendar.

Why Diversity Statements Are Needed From Faculty Candidates
On Wednesday April 27, faculty were invited to join panelists from BU, Columbia, Cornell and Emory as they discussed why diversity statements are needed from faculty candidates, what content to look for and whether they should be mandatory. The panelists shared best practices for reviewing and weighing faculty diversity statements during the faculty hiring process and answered participant questions. Why Diversity Statements Needed From Faculty Flyer_ See below for the recording of the event! Additional resources can be found here.

Boston Business Journal Features GMS BEST BET Program
Boston Business Journal featured the Graduate Medical Sciences BEST BET program in an April 8 editorial written by Lauren Celano, co-founder and CEO of Propel Careers. BEST BET was one of two national programs mentioned that are actively engaging with college talent across the country to help fill the life sciences pipeline shortage. BEST BET, which stands for Broadening Experience in Scientific Training – Beginning Enhancement Program – is a collaborative effort with four other universities nationwide to focus on career exploration to engage traditionally underrepresented undergraduate students studying science. The program aims to build the capacity of minority-serving undergraduate institutions to... More