Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Strategic Vision 2013 – 2017

Mission The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences provides an individualized, diverse and multidisciplinary learning environment for students to develop the knowledge, skills and creativity to succeed in the evolving biomedical space.

Education

Goal 1

Develop/enhance collaborative multidisciplinary graduate programs. Strategies 1.

Sustain a strong and educationally enriching program while maintaining student access. (E.4.1) Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Generate a well-defined MOU with UTSA. (Timeline: 10/2013) 2. Transfer the program from the School of Medicine to the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and organize programmatic administration. (Timeline: 01/2014) 3. Procure a Training Grant for programmatic sustainability. (Timeline: 2016)

Goal 2

Continue to develop the joint degree in Doctorate in Translational Science. Strategies 1. Ensure that the curricula and training offered by the four collaborating schools best prepares students to be successful physician-scientists in a rapidly growing and changing environment. (E.2.1) Benchmarks/Timelines 1. A multidisciplinary Committee on Graduate Studies with faculty representatives from each UT component governs the Translational Science PhD program. (Timeline: 2013) 2. As the program is implemented, processes of setting policies and procedures are discussed and revised based on monthly data reviews, student issues and discussion. (Timeline: 2014) 3. Provide novel administrative and academic structures which provide rigorous translational science training. (Timeline: 2014) 4. Successful student recruitment. (reviewed annually & cumulatively) (Timeline: 2014-2017) Outcome/metrics:

• • • •

Number of applications Student diversity – profession, gender, ethnicity, geography Enroll 3-5 exceptional students per year Effective processes of student evaluations across participating UT component campuses.

5. Student progress through the program. (reviewed annually & cumulatively) (Timeline: 2014-2017) • Time to dissertation candidacy • Semiannual evaluations by supervising professor and committee, reviewed by the Committee on Graduate Studies • Time from start of dissertation research to defense and graduation 6. Graduation rates. (Timeline: 2015-2016) • Number of graduates • Graduation rates 7. Peer-reviewed publications (reviewed annually & cumulatively) (Timeline: 20142107) • Number of scientific publications from dissertation research • Number of other publications (reviews, book chapters) and presentations.

Goal 3

Build a mechanism for tracking students and facilitating training grant submission. Strategies 1. Complete the implementation of the student resume builder that captures student productivity metrics while providing a resume for their use. Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Increased postdoctoral research opportunities at research intensive institutions for graduate students. (Timeline: 12/2013) 2. Improved opportunities for non-research career track students. (Timeline: 12/2013) 3. Improved job preparation for masters-level students. (Timeline: 12/2013) 4. Increase the number of proposals for independent funding submitted by doctoral students. (Timeline: 12/2013) 2. Complete the administrative views to facilitate mentor/track leader/COGS Chair access to graduate student information and statistics.

Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Improved efficiencies in monitoring student progress throughout graduate careers. (Timeline: 12/2013) 2. Increased retention. (Timeline: 12/2013) 3. Decrease time to graduation. (Timeline: 12/2013) 3. Implement tabular data reporting in support of statistics and metrics for training grant applications. Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Facilitate programs ability to compete nationally for training grants. (Timeline: 06/2013) 2. Submission of training grant applications from all PhD programs (including individual tracks). (Timeline: 06/2013) 3. 20% of doctoral graduate student funding provided by individual grants and/or supplements. (Timeline: 06/2013) 4. Launch the database for the Integrated Multidisciplinary Graduate Program (IMGP). Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Improved monitoring of student progress throughout graduate school careers. (Timeline: 08/2013) 2. Movement of student tracking systems and forms to digital platform. (Timeline: 08/2013) 3. Establish automated triggers and reminders for program metrics. (Timeline: 08/2013) 4. Enhance functionality to assist students in planning their path to graduation. (Timeline: 08/2013) 5. Adapt the system for all graduate programs. Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Implementation for all other doctoral programs. (Timeline: 12/2014) 2. Implementation for all Masters programs. (Timeline: 02/2015)

6. Expand functionality of database to provide a repository of alumni for use by faculty in training grant applications. Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Connect current students with alumni in similar fields to enhance networking. (Timeline: 12/2015) Goal 4

Develop the Integrated Multidisciplinary Graduate Program (IMGP). Strategies 1. Make the Integrated Multidisciplinary Graduate Program a degree granting graduate program. (E.2.4) Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Consolidate six individual basic science programs into a single-degree granting IMGP. (Timeline: 10/2013) 2. Submit preauthorization request for revamped, fully integrated IMGP to Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). (Timeline: 10/2014) 3. Submit full request for new IMGP to THECB. (Timeline: 10/2015) 2. Advance the curriculum. Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Revise Core Course – integrate more patient-based problems/examples; integrate more technology. (Timeline: 08/2013) 2. Expand prematriculation courses to prepare students before they arrive. (Timeline: 08/2013) 3. Develop a more flexible, integrated and streamlined curriculum. 08/2013)

(Timeline:

4. Reduce average time to graduate to five years for all programs. (Timeline: 20132017) 3. Enhance recruitment strategies to raise the quality of entering students. (E.3.2) Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Implement single recruitment committee for all six basic science programs

currently in the IMGP. (Timeline: 08/2013) 2. Introduce Skype interviews/chalk talks with both domestic and foreign student applicants considered for admission. (Timeline: 08/2013) 4. Provide venues that develop other career paths for students. (E.2.5) Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Submit training grant applications for biomedical workforce jobs. (Timeline: 05/2013) 2. Establish Career Advisory Council. (Timeline: 05/2013) 3. Develop networking opportunities for graduate and postdoctoral students within the local health care community. (Timeline: 10/2013) Goal 5

Instill in students professionalism that reflects the highest standards of the health profession and science, and acknowledges the diversity of the general population. Strategies 1. Strengthen and develop innovation plans to shorten degree time for Ph.D. students, and provide career advising. Set clear criteria and expectations in an agreement between the student and department regarding the completion of the program. (E.3.4 and Chancellor’s Framework 6.1, 6.2, 6.3) Benchmarks/Timelines 1. In collaboration with mentoring faculty, develop and seek approval for the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Compact between students and faculty mentors. (Timeline: 2013) 2. In collaboration with mentoring faculty, develop and establish a Milestones Agreement between students and mentoring faculty. (Timeline: 2013) 3. Increase student participation in creating an Individual Development Plan to regularly review with mentoring faculty. (Timeline: 2013) 4. Formulate a Career Advisory Council and develop mechanisms, programs, and/or lectureships for communication and advisement for graduate students. (Timeline: 2014) 5. In collaboration with the Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics, develop core concepts of ethical knowledge to target professional development and responsible conduct of research in biomedical scientists. (Timeline: 2014)

Goal 6

Create the conditions for a successful NIH Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) application for the MD/PhD program. Strategies 1. Improve the quality and number of MD/PhD applicants by doubling the number of applicants, and raising the academic qualifications (MCAT/GPA) to the national AAMC averages of MD/PhD applicants. (E.2.3) Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Reach 200 applicants per year by the 2017 cycle and match national MD/PhD academic achievement (MCAT & GPA) means of the AAMC database. MD/PhD programs funded by NIH/MSTP account for 74% of the applications and 72% of matriculating positions in the entering class. Achieving the national means in academic achievements, therefore, is representative of MSTP funded MD/PhD programs. (Timeline: 2013-2017) 2. Continue recruiting applicants for the MD/PhD program by attending Health Fairs at R1 institutions, post-baccalaureate research interns at NIH, underrepresented minorities involved in biomedical research, an via MD/PhD web-forum participation. (Timeline: 2013-2017) 3. Development of attractive recruitment materials for distribution at health fairs and online for electronic recruiting via email. (Timeline: 2013-2017) 4. Continue developing quarterly newsletters and make quarterly updates to the MD/PhD website. (Timeline: 2013-2017) 5. Continue using the AMCAS application system. (Timeline: 2013-2017) 2. Improve the quality of MD/PhD matriculants to the national AAMC averages of MD/PhD matriculants. Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Reach the academic standards of the national AAMC means for MD/PhD matriculants by the entering class of 2016. MD/PhD programs funded by NIH MSTP account for 72% of matriculating positions in the entering class. Achieving the national means in academic achievements, therefore is representative of MSTP funded MD/PhD programs. (Timeline: 2017) 2. Increase the number of applicants with high academic achievements (i.e., MCAT score >32). (Timeline: 2013-2017)

3. Improve the interview process to demonstrate high level of commitment of our MD/PhD program to the development of clinician scientists by involving: (Timeline: 2013-2017) o Potential PhD mentors with exciting research that matches the range of interests of those applicants. o Our MD/PhD students in social settings during the interview process. o Continuing 8-minute ‘chalk-talk’ by each applicant about one of their research projects. 4. Post-acceptance recruiting materials highlighting our research strengths and success in student training grants, and pay for second visit to our institution. (Timeline: 2013-2017) 5. Offer additional scholarships to top candidates for the MD/PhD program. (Timeline: 2013-2017) 6. Use our annual MD/PhD retreat as a recruiting event for the second visit of accepted students. (Timeline: 2013-2017) 3. Develop a MD/PhD specific mentoring program pairing MD/PhD students with practicing clinician-scientist faculty. (E.2.3) Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Involve at least five young clinician-scientists at the Assistant Professor level and organize small group meetings of MD/PhD students. (Quarterly) (Timeline: 2013-2017) Accomplishments •

MD/PhD Veritas groups of 6-7 students were formed and met with young MD/PhD mentors and MD/PhD leadership for lunches. (Quarterly)

4. Develop a “Certificate of Mentoring” for clinician-scientist faculty and PhD mentors. (E.4.2) Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Implement a formal Certificate of Mentoring for clinician-scientist faculty and PhD mentors. (Timeline: 08/2014) 2. Adapting the Wisconsin/Yale/UCSF Entering Mentoring course for PhD mentors and supplementing the course with additional materials such as the HHMI mentoring lectures. (Timeline: 08/2014)

3. A pilot course is being developed by the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and a survey will be distributed to postdoctoral participants to provide feedback. (Timeline: 05/2013) 5. Enhance the clinician-scientist enrichment activities by bringing three distinguished clinician-scientists guests per year to meet with the students and junior clinician-scientist faculty. Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Host at least three external clinician-scientists per year. (Timeline: 2013-2017) 2. Utilize the MD/PhD Veritas groups to select and invite guest scientists and host. (Timeline: 2013-2017) 6. Maintain a program size of 35 to 40 MD/PhD students. Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Maintain a MD/PhD program size of 35-40 students a year. (Timeline: 20132017) 2. Expand enrollment from 5 new students to 7 new students each year to propel the program for MSTP funding. (Timeline: 2013-2017) 7. Submit a NIH MSTP application in 2016. Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Obtain MSTP funding. (Timeline: 08/2017) Accomplishment •

The MD/PhD program has created a successful nurturing environment for the development of the clinician-scientist as demonstrated by earning NIH Fellowship funding of F-series grants by six MD/PhD students, 8th out of 110 MD/PhD programs.

Community Engagement Goal 1

Inspire science literacy and community awareness in the South Texas region. Strategies 1. Incorporate community/outreach service to be part of the students’ academic experience. (C.1.4) Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Establish outreach efforts in collaboration with School of Medicine to identify predoctoral students in the newly created, consolidated Valley University between UT Pan American and UT Brownsville. (Timeline: 2013-2017) 2. Recruit graduate students to mentor/teach/tutor pipeline/summer programs. (Timeline: 2013-2017)

Goal 2

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Develop resources and programs to enhance scientific understanding and support education of K-12 pipeline. Strategies 1. Establish independent resources to develop current summer opportunities for undergraduate students in the biomedical sciences. (C.1.4) Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Identify community outreach programs in collaboration with the Office of Recruitment and Science Outreach. (Timeline: 2013-2017) 2. Recruit graduate students to mentor/teach/tutor pipeline/summer programs. (Timeline: 2013-2017)

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2. Integrate technological resources in designing science mentoring program between graduate students and K-12 students. (C.1.3) Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Identify and recruit students to create an online mentoring/tutoring service program for K-12 students. (Timeline: 2013-2017)

Goal 3

Broaden participation in science by exposing students from historically underrepresented populations in science education programs. Strategies 1. Engage students at all levels of the K-12 spectrum in learning about, and contributing to biomedical research. (C.1.3) Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Recruit faculty and graduate students to participate in community outreach programs to include, but not limited to summer pipeline programs, Doctor’s Day, Science Fairs and Science Expo. (Timeline: 2013-2017) 2. In collaboration with K-12 teachers, recruit graduate students to teach and encourage careers in the biomedical sciences in local elementary, middle and high schools. (Timeline: 2013-2017) 2. Increase awareness of careers in biomedical sciences. (C.1.3) Benchmarks/Timelines 1. Recruit faculty and graduate students to participate in local and community educational projects to discuss careers in biomedical science and research. (Timeline: 2013-2017)