Information related to these programs is available by contacting Dr. Michael Holers . The required didactic courses include a mix of lecture, seminar, and tutorial formats. Students will also read and discuss original research articles that are relevant to the science in these various areas. It is anticipated that during the first two years, when formal lectures are given by faculty in the clinical investigation and health services areas, students will have a basis to choose areas of specific research and mentors to whom they have been exposed. Because many of the students will be physician fellows completing their clinical training in a specialty area of clinical medicine in the first year of their program, we have limited the curriculum requirements of the first year to accommodate the time the students will also need for their further clinical training.
Sufficient flexibility is present in the program to accommodate all types of schedules, however.
At the end of the first year of their didactic curriculum course work, students will take a written Preliminary Examination to assess their comprehension of the educational concepts of this training. At the end of all required didactic course work, the students must then pass a Graduate School Comprehensive Examination that will admit them to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree in Clinical Science. After successful completion of required course work and a passing grade on the examination, a thesis committee will be formed, a colloquium held with the dissertation committee, and at least one to two further years of research will follow. Normally before completing the course work, each student will have chosen a thesis advisor and a research problem on which to focus thesis work. The Thesis Committee, which may include members of the Comprehensive Examining Committee, will meet at least once per year with the student and the student's advisor to monitor the student's progress.