Lab Onboarding Documents

22 Mar 2019 by sammons

####PhD Student Timeline and Key Events

Year 1 May:

You have joined the lab, but you need to study for your Qualifying Exam (Part 1), which will take place near the end of May.

Year 1:

  • Your first summer is devoted to reading the relevant literature and gaining skills and confidence in the lab.
  • You must sign up for a total of 10 credits in all semesters moving forward. To do this, use BIO898 to bring your credits up to 10. This means signing up for between 1 and 7 credits of BIO898.
  • You are being paid by the lab
  • You should take a vacation.

Year 2:

  • You will be taking two didactic courses during this year.
  • You will also need to sign up for BIO681 (Seminar) in either the fall or spring semester.
  • If you are on a teaching assistantship, you will be (surprise) performing TA duties during both semesters.
  • Take some time off for winter break. Morgan usually takes 1.5 weeks off or so.
  • You must present as part of BIO650, our department colloquium, in the mid-to-late spring.
  • You must present at the Life Sciences Symposium.
  • If you are on a TAship, you are paid by the department for the academic year.
  • If you are not on a TAship, you are on a Research Assistantship (RA) and are paid by the lab.
  • The Lab pays you for the summer period.
  • You should take a vacation.

Year 3:

  • Congrats. You are done with all didatic course work, so welcome to full-time lab work.
  • Unless you’re still on a teaching assistantship, in which case you’re still doing that.
  • You will take your Qualifying Exam (Part II) by May of this year.
  • If you pass, congrats again! You are a PhD Candidate.
  • You must present as part of BIO650.
  • You must present at the Life Sciences Symposium.
  • You are paid either by the department (if TAing) or by the lab (if not).
  • You should take a vacation.

Year 4 (and beyond):

  • You will have a committee meeting every year.
  • You must present as part of BIO650.
  • You must present at the Life Sciences Symposium.
  • You are paid either by the department (if TAing) or by the lab (if not).
  • You should take a vacation.