First Year Students

The goal of the program is to help incoming students make a smooth transition to graduate school and provide them with academic and social support as they progress through their first year. Click here for information on the program topics

• Who are the people in your neighborhood. Covers the different roles and responsibilities of the members of the department and medical school, including faculty, research staff, office personnel and the institutional hierarchy.

• Getting your hands dirty. How to choose a rotation, make the most out of the experience, and the expectations for the rotation paper.

•  A Crash Course in Ethics. Includes a discussion of the honor code, research misconduct and plagiarism. Case studies are used to highlight various dilemmas a first year graduate student might face.

• Mastering your coursework. Provides an overview of the graduate school and departmental curriculum, including the philosophy behind IDSP classes and the role of upper level departmental courses. A discussion on grades, availability of academic help, and study skill resources is included.

• Becoming a colleague. Discusses opportunities students have to develop their professional skills including journal clubs, seminar presentations, meeting with guest speakers, poster session, attending conferences, and serving on committees.