Laboratory Rotation Mentor Selection (pdf)
Student Evaluation Form (pdf)
Jacqueline F. McGinty, Ph.D., Course Director (mcginty@musc.edu)
First Year Curriculum students are required to enroll in two 6-8 week long laboratory rotations in each of the fall and spring semesters. Students receiving a Dean's Scholarship rotate through at least three different laboratories (different mentors) to maximize their exposure to a diversity of scientific experiences and technologies. Self-funded or mentor-supported students are required to rotate through two separate laboratories in the Fall semester of the first year and may petition the Associate Dean for approval to repeat one of those laboratory rotations twice in the Spring semester. Rotation objectives may include one or all of the following:
- To acquaint students with potential dissertation mentors. Students will:
- Receive a briefing on the research focus of the laboratory
- Receive 1-3 review and/or research papers to read and discuss with the mentor during the rotation
- To introduce students to conduct of laboratory science. Students will:
- Work on limited projects with the goal of understanding the basis for the hypothesis being tested and the general approach to test the hypothesis
- Participate in weekly group or laboratory meetings
- Attend department or program seminars
- To acquire skill in diverse laboratory techniques. Students will:
- Learn techniques (theory, limitations, etc) associated with the rotation project by collaborating with a mentor, graduate student, postdoctoral trainee and/or technician
- Conduct laboratory research throughout the week and weekends when indicated
- To acquaint students with other graduate students and faculty, students will attend seminars, journal clubs and other research activities of the department or program.
Lab Biosafety: Before starting Lab Rotations, all students are required to attend Dr. Dan Eisenman's biosafety seminar addressing issues pertaining to compliance, occupational safety, and biological and chemical hazards. The website http://www.musc.edu/biosafety is an invaluable resource in this context.
Mentor Selection. Having reviewed each research program in the Program Exposures, students submit their first and second mentor choices for each laboratory rotation to Keisha Brown in the Graduate Office. Every effort is made to accommodate students' first choices; however, if several students select the same mentor, students who delay submission may be assigned their second choice of mentor or they may need to select another mentor. Laboratory resources should be weighed carefully in selecting rotations; students should ensure that space and financial support would be available if they decide to pursue their dissertation in that mentor's lab. Schedules for the laboratory rotations and form submission deadlines are shown here and in the FYC Calendar (pages 9 to 12).
| Rotation | Submit Choices | Begin | End | Evaluations Due |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 9, 2009 | Sep 14, 2009 | Oct 30, 2009 | Oct 30 , 2009 |
| 2 | Oct 28, 2009 | Nov 2 , 2009 | Dec 18, 2009 | Dec 18, 2009 |
| 3 | Dec 16 , 2009 | Jan 6, 2010 | Mar 5, 2010 | Mar 5, 2010 |
| 4 | Mar 3 , 2010 | Mar 15, 2010 | May 7, 2010 | May 7, 2010 |
Evaluation of Lab Rotations. At the end of the laboratory rotation, mentors are responsible for submitting a signed evaluation form (APPENDIX II) to Keisha Brown in the Graduate Office. Prompt submission of the evaluation form provides the necessary information for the Course Director to assign an Honors/Pass/Fail grade. In addition, students will complete a mandatory WebCT-based evaluation of the laboratory rotation. Failure to submit timely evaluations will result in an incomplete grade for the rotation.
Selection of Dissertation Mentor. Laboratory Rotations, Program Exposures, Spring Selectives, attendance and participation in journal clubs and seminars, and focused discussion throughout the year with faculty advisors, mentors, and senior students regarding all aspects of available Ph.D. programs should facilitate selection of a dissertation mentor by the end of the spring semester. In addition, students should discuss with each Principal Investigator in whose lab they rotate the prospects (including potential stipend funding) for performing their dissertation research in that lab. Students should submit their Ph.D. program selection form (Appendix III) in the two week period following the last laboratory rotation.