Ours is a mentor-based program, and as a result students are admitted to work with a specific faculty member. These faculty members reflect the research interests and goals of the students. Typically, the faculty member provides financial and other types of support for the student. Students are expected to work in the faculty member’s lab in one of two ways:
- Students work closely with a Principal Investigator on a research grant. As a result the student learns fundamentals of research methods and procedures in the real world, using a very “hands on” approach.
- Students also may be asked to provide the kinds of services typically performed by research assistants (e.g. data collection, data entry, preparation of IRB materials); these duties may vary widely and will not necessarily be adding to the student’s fund of knowledge about research procedures on an on-going basis. Nonetheless, the tasks being done are those that are necessary to support the research enterprise, and so familiarity and experience with them are prerequisites to having an independent research lab.
The work students do in the lab should progress, first towards the development of the student’s second year independent research project, and eventually towards the development of the student’s dissertation. The program expects that students will participate in other publications and presentations while in the program as well.
HOW HOURS ARE SPENT & VACATION AND SICK TIME
These sections are currently being revised to reflect recent changes in how student compensation and benefits are provided.
ACCRUING CLINICAL HOURS DURING RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Please refer to the Tracking Clinical Hours page under Student Handbook/Clinical Practicum for how to count clinical hours accrued in the context of research activities.
Last updated 5/02/2023