A Comprehensive Approach to Graduate Education in the Biomedical Sciences

Abstract

There are roughly 130 biomedical sciences-related PhD training programs in the U.S. with about half of the graduates remaining in academia post-graduation. Biomedical sciences PhD programs emphasize rigorous training in research to prepare students to enter academia but may lack training in other areas that contribute to career success. Trainees face many challenges in graduate school, including meeting the basic scientific knowledge and research milestones, developing strong communication skills, and enriching their skillset through professional and career development opportunities to best position themselves for future success. To accomplish all of this while maintaining a healthy sense of self can be daunting. The Graduate School (TGS) at Augusta University (AU) aims to facilitate ground-breaking research alongside outstanding education by providing a holistic and comprehensive graduate experience. TGS is currently undergoing review and revision of three of the four arms of graduate education: academics, research, student well-being, and professional development. We use data collected from an external review and 52 currently enrolled and previously graduated (within 3 years) biomedical sciences PhD students to identify opportunities for improving the first-year core curriculum at AU. In response, TGS developed a first-year core curriculum committee tasked with reviewing, revising, and addressing gaps in the first-year core curriculum. Furthermore, TGS has developed and launched GradWell, a health and wellness initiative, and has also partnered with external collaborators to offer strategic professional development opportunities to biomedical sciences students, prioritizing holistic growth to enhance the student experience. Continuous programmatic evaluation related to curriculum, student well-being, and professional development is critical to ensure programs are meeting the evolving needs of students while incorporating innovative pedagogy to maximize training opportunities and the development of well-rounded research scientists. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.