Coursework Comprehensive Examination PhD Dissertation Proposal Subsequent Years and Completion The overall University of Pittsburgh and Molecular Pharmacology Graduate Program requirements for obtaining a PhD are the same for MD/PhD students. However, MD/PhD students obtain advance credit for medical school coursework and laboratory rotations completed prior to enrollment. Coursework MD/PhD students entering the Molecular Pharmacology program receive 16 credit hours for their MD coursework that is applied towards the 32 credit hours of coursework required by the University. In addition, prior to entering the Molecular Pharmacology program formally, students will have received 9 additional credit hours derived from the completion of INTBP required courses. These include 4 credits for Foundations of Biomedical Sciences Conference (INTBP 2005), 2 credit hours for two laboratory rotations (INTBP 2020; 1 credit hour each) and 3 credits for INTBP 2013 D2K: From Data to Knowledge – Biomedical Experimental Design & Analysis. INTBP 2013 is required in addition to the Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics course taken during the first year of medical school. If an equivalent graduate level statistics course has already been completed with a grade of B or better, the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies may be petitioned in writing for permission to opt out of this course. Documentation to support the petition must include a textbook used for the course or a syllabus that includes a detailed description of the course. Thus, MD/PhD students will enter the Molecular Pharmacology Program with 25 of the 32 hours completed (16 credit hours from their MD coursework and 9 credits from INTBP). The remainder credit hours of required coursework will be derived from three courses (typically 9-10 credits). Two courses must be core Molecular Pharmacology courses or Molecular Pharmacology elective courses (5-6 credits). The third course (3-4 credits) can be taken from either course offerings of the Molecular Pharmacology program or any graduate program that is included in the MD/PhD program. Choice of Courses for MD/PhD Students in the Molecular Pharmacology Program Molecular Pharmacology Required Core Courses-choose 5-6 credit hours. Molecular Pharmacology (2 credit hours) Biology of Signal Transduction (3 credit hours) Cancer Biology & Therapeutics (3 credit hours) Drug Discovery (3 credit hours) Neuropharmacology (3 credit hours). Electives – See ELECTIVES section – choose 3-4 credit hours. Comprehensive Examination The comprehensive exam or (CE) is a major milestone in the Molecular Pharmacology PhD Program. The exam takes the form of a research proposal. As such it is expected to be an original, scholarly proposal that is presented in both written and oral form and defended. Examination The examinations set for PhD students will be taken by MD/PhD students as follows: All MD/PhD students in the Molecular Pharmacology program are required to complete their comprehensive examination during their first graduate year. A full description of the Comprehensive Examination is contained in the Molecular Pharmacology Graduate Student Handbook. A minimum of at least two hours should be scheduled for the oral defense. The Molecular Pharmacology program Comprehensive Examination Guidelines, are the same for MD and PhD students. The University requires that PhD students accumulate at least 40 credit hours of PhD Dissertation Research, which requires a minimum of 1.5 years to complete. A Doctoral Committee is formed according to program guidelines (see Graduate Student Handbook) and will meet with the student soon after completion of the Comprehensive Examination. Dissertation Overview/Prospectus Meeting At the first meeting of the Doctoral Committee, the students must present a written research proposal (i.e. Dissertation Proposal). This proposal should detail the intended course of the dissertation research, and should include an indication of experimental techniques to be used, but need not provide extended experimental details or preliminary data. The proposal must gain the unanimous approval of the Doctoral Committee to be considered acceptable. If deemed unacceptable, the student will be given an opportunity to present the proposal at a later date. A minimum of at least two hours should be scheduled for the first meeting of the Doctoral Committee (i.e. Dissertation Overview/Prospectus Meeting). The written proposal and oral presentation must gain the unanimous approval of the Doctoral Committee to be considered acceptable. Acceptance of the proposal both written proposal and oral presentation by the Doctoral Committee will allow students to be admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree. This ensures that students can obtain PhD Dissertation Credit Hours beginning in Fall term of the third year. The University requires that PhD students accumulate at least 40 credit hours of PhD Dissertation Research, which requires a minimum of 1.5 years to complete. The Committee will be composed of the student’s PhD advisor, three faculty from the Molecular Pharmacology Training Program, and one external examiner. Approval for the inclusion of additional faculty on this committee must be obtained from the Program Director. The Molecular Pharmacology program Dissertation Overview/Prospectus Meeting, are the same for MD and PhD students. Dissertation Committee Meetings Students focus on dissertation research and are required to meet with their Doctoral Committee every six months to discuss progress and future plans. Subsequent Years and Completion Students focus on dissertation research and are required to meet with their Doctoral Committee every six months to discuss progress and future plans. The final copy of the dissertation will be submitted to the Doctoral Committee. The thesis defense will consist of a public seminar on the subject of the dissertation, followed by an examination by the Doctoral Committee, and chaired by a member of the Doctoral Committee other than the major advisor. Nonmembers of the Doctoral Committee who make a prior request may attend this latter examination, but such visitors may not participate in the questioning. Approval of the thesis will be granted if there is no more than one dissenting vote by full members of the Doctoral Committee exclusive of the major advisor. Additional details regarding content and style of the dissertation are provided in the Molecular Pharmacology Graduate Student Handbook.