Selecting a Major/Dissertation Advisor
After completion of the GPiBS curriculum, a student will be expected to select a Doctoral Advisor. Choosing a Doctoral Advisor involves a mutual agreement between the student and the Pathology graduate faculty member. The Program Director must be notified before a final agreement is formalized to ensure that the proposed Doctoral Advisor is aware of his/her financial and educational responsibilities.
Selecting a Dissertation/Advisory Committee
When a student has chosen a laboratory in which to perform his/her dissertation research, and the faculty member directing that lab accepts the student, the faculty member becomes responsible for supervising and supporting the student, becomes the student's Major/Doctoral Advisor, and becomes the Committee Chair of the student's Doctoral Committee.
After successful completion of the written and oral portions of the General Exam the student and his/her major advisor, will select a Doctoral Committee. The Committee must contain at least two primary Pathology graduate faculty members which can include the mentor, and must have a graduate faculty member from outside the department. The minimum size of a Doctoral Committee is 5. It is the student's responsibility to contact prospective committee members and confirm their availability and willingness to serve on the Doctoral Committee. After this, the student should submit their names, in writing, to the Graduate Program Coordinator who will submit them to the Pathology Graduate Education Committee for approval. After being approved the Coordinator then submits the "Request for Approval of Doctoral Committee" form to the Dean of the Graduate School formally requesting that a Doctoral Committee be established with these chosen faculty members.
The Doctoral Committee must meet minimally twice a year with the student until the student has completed all the requirements for graduation. It is the student's responsibility to schedule these meetings. The official Pathology Doctoral Committee evaluation should be completed after each meeting and forwarded to the Graduate Coordinator.
The Graduate Coordinator keeps track of these meetings. If meetings are not held as scheduled, the student and Major Advisor will be notified by the Graduate Coordinator.