- Rotation 1 – Mon., Aug. 21 – Fri., Oct. 20
- Presentation week 10/16-10/20
- Rotation 2 – Mon., Oct. 23 – Fri., Dec. 15
- Presentation week 12/11-12/15
- Rotation 3 – Mon., Jan. 8 – Fri., Mar. 1
- Presentation week 2/26-3/1
During the first year, all BMS doctoral students are required to undertake three 7-week rotations in three different BMS laboratories. The rotations consist of small research projects in a given laboratory. The purpose of the rotations is to enable the student to become well acquainted with individual faculty members and other graduate students, to learn about their research, to acquire some research techniques and skills, and to establish a basis for selecting a major professor. At the end of each rotation, it is that the student will do a written summation and will orally present a 10-15 summation of their rotation. Students who do not participate in the research rotation presentations will receive an unsatisfactory grade. These presentations are often a part of a journal club in the concentration which coincides with their rotation project.
Rotation Writing Requirement
Getting involved in scientific writing early in graduate training is important. First-year BMS students are expected to write a brief summary of their rotation project in the format of a scientific paper, with the following sections:
- Introduction (background, statement of hypothesis)
- Methods
- Results
- Discussion (conclusions)
The total length should be 7-10 pages, double-spaced, not counting figures or tables. This paper should be submitted to the rotation mentor at least a few days BEFORE the rotation presentation. This should help you organize your thoughts and prepare for your oral presentation. Ask your rotation mentor for feedback about your writing.