Program Objectives and Philosophy
Is it for you? The graduate program in Pharmacology and Toxicology is focused on training students to become leaders in a variety of scientific settings including academia, biotechnology companies, the pharmaceutical industry, and government/regulatory agencies. In light of this goal, we seek students who are highly motivated to become such leaders and who, in turn, are seeking a graduate program that provides: a) a broad didactic foundation in the basic biomedical sciences, as well as basic and advanced coursework in pharmacology and toxicology; b) significant research opportunity and experience; and c) additional training in other critical professional skills such as written and verbal communication and statistical analysis.
How long is the program? The average time to the PhD degree for our students is 5 years.
How much does it cost? In general, there is little cost to you to obtain the PhD degree. All of our students are fully supported by a stipend ($25,000 / year as of 7/09) that is used to cover living expenses. In addition, students entering the program with a Bachelor's degree receive 10 semesters (5 years) of tuition benefit, allowing them to complete their degree without having to pay tuition. Students also receive health insurance while enrolled in the program.
What is the governance of the program? The Graduate Training Committee (GTC) provides the oversight for the graduate program. The GTC, comprised of five faculty members and one graduate student, meets monthly to discuss program policies, curricular issues, student progress, and student concerns. In addition, twice each year (December and June), the GTC meets with each student in the program to ensure that they are making progress toward their degree and career goals and to address any concerns or questions the student has.
Once a student has been advanced to PhD candidacy (at the end of the second year), they assemble a dissertation supervisory committee that is chaired by their research mentor. This committee of five people serves as an advisory committee and the student meets at least every six months to review progress on their research and to obtain advice. This committee also serves as the examining committee for the defense of the dissertation work.
What are the policies and procedures of the graduate program? The GTC maintains a "Policies and Procedures" manual for the graduate program. For a PDF copy of this manual, click here.
What is the attrition rate in the graduate program? The attrition rate in our program has been, and is expected to remain very low. Over the past 10 years, only five of the 45 students who matriculated into the program have left without completing the PhD degree. From these five, two completed a Master's degree before leaving, one transferred to a related graduate program at the University, and two left during their first year.
We make every attempt during the interview process to select students who are a good fit for our graduate program, and thus likely to successfully complete the program. In addition, we ardently strive during the interview process to help the students determine whether our program will meet their needs. Finally, the biannual interviews with the GTC provide a venue for early identification and resolution of problems during a student's tenure that might otherwise lead to a student withdrawing from the graduate program.
What fellowship opportunities are available? As noted above, students are fully supported on stipends and a tuition benefit program during their time in the graduate program. However, students also are strongly encouraged to apply for internal and external fellowships to demonstrate their commitment and ability to secure external funding. As an added incentive, students who receive a competitive fellowship are allowed to supplement their stipend up to the amount of the fellowship or a maximum of $5,000. Historically, our graduate students have been very successful in procuring National Research Service Awards (NRSA) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education fellowships (AFPE), Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America Foundation fellowships (PhRMA), as well as positions on internal training grants.
What are the general policies of the Graduate School at the University of Utah? General information about the Graduate School at the University of Utah can be found on the Graduate School website.
Why should I attend graduate school at the University of Utah? Many people inquire. Many people come. Few people leave. Why Utah?
