First Year Mentoring Group Information
The first year mentoring groups were created to support our first year students as they transition into graduate school. Within the Biomedical Sciences Program, the groups offer students with a “home base” until choosing a research mentor. The small groups are comprised of a graduate faculty member and one to two advanced graduate students. Each mentoring group will discuss a wide range of topics, including graduate school expectations, laboratory rotation selections, preparing for core course exams, and preparing for rotation practice talks. Students are encouraged to actively participate in group discussion and to feel comfortable asking questions and providing feedback. There is a schedule of weekly topics that will be provided to the group. The outline each week is handled by a different advanced student member. Groups will meet in various conference rooms on the 3rd floor of the Harrell Medical Education Building.
The groups will meet on Thursdays from 11:00-12:00 during the fall semester. The groups may not meet during the spring semester, depending on student need and group feedback.
Fall 2018 schedule:
| Date/Time/Place | Topic |
| Wednesday, July 25 R5-265 | Pre SGM (Faculty and Student mentors) |
| Thursday, 16 August/ 11-12/ HME cluster | Group Welcoming – introductions/Choosing lab rotation |
| Thursday, 23 August/ 11-12/ HME cluster | Choosing a Lab Rotation/Choosing Your Research Lab/ |
| Thursday, 30 August/ 11-12/ HME cluster | Graduate School Expectations |
| Thursday, 6 September/ 11-12/ HME cluster | Writing Chapters/Research Papers -plagiarism |
| Thursday, 13 September/ 11-12/ HME cluster | Preparing for exams- NO MEETING |
| Thursday, 20 September/ 11-12/ HME cluster | Rotation Expectations – write-up |
| Thursday, 27 September/ 11-12/ HME cluster | Preparing for exams- NO MEETING |
| Thursday, 4 October/ 11-1/ HME cluster | First Rotation Talk Practice (presentations 10/8-10/11) |
| Thursday, 11 October/ 11-12/ HME cluster | Journal Clubs, Seminars & Reading Research Papers |
| Thursday, 18 October/ 11-12/ HME cluster | Preparing for Qualifying Exams |
| Thursday, 25 October/ 11-12/ HME cluster | Preparing for exams- NO MEETING |
| Thursday, 1 November/ 11-12/ HME cluster | Scientific Meetings/Career/Professional Development |
| Thursday, 8 November/ 11-12/ HME cluster | Preparing for exams- NO MEETING |
| Thursday, 15 November/ 11-12/ HME cluster | Fellowship Applications |
| Thursday, 29 November/ 11-12/ HME cluster | Preparing for exams- NO MEETING |
| Thursday, 6 December/ 11-1/ HME cluster | Second Rotation Talk practice (presentations 12/10-12/14) |