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COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
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Dean of
the College of Medicine and Vice President for
Medical Affairs:
Robert A. Kreisberg, M.D.
Senior Associate Dean: Samuel J. Strada, Ph.D.
Director of Graduate Studies: Mary I. Townsley,
Ph.D.
(For
Doctor of Medicine see separate Bulletin)
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College
Of Medicine web site |
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| The
Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Basic Medical
Sciences at the University of South Alabama College
of Medicine awards the Ph.D. degree in Basic Medical
Science and is designed for students interested
in careers in biomedical investigation. Research
training is offered in each of six formal advanced
programs organized around traditional disciplines
basic to medicine: Biochemistry and Molecular
Biology, Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Microbiology
and Immunology, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology,
or Physiology, and in the interdisciplinary Cancer
Biology Program. |
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| REQUIREMENTS
FOR ADMISSION |
| The
requirements for admission to the Graduate Program
for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Basic Medical
Sciences are: |
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1.
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The applicant shall
possess by the time of matriculation a baccalaureate
degree or the equivalent from an accredited
college or university. |
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2.
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Two semesters or three
quarters of undergraduate work are recommended
in each of the following: physics, general
chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, English
composition, and mathematics (including
calculus and statistics). |
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3.
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A grade-point average
of at least 3.0 for all undergraduate and
graduate work, on a 4.0 scale. |
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4.
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Satisfactory standing
at the last educational institution attended. |
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5.
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Satisfactory scores
on all standardized achievement examinations.
The Graduate Record Examination is required.
In addition, foreign applicants must present
evidence of competence and fluency in spoken
and written English with a TOEFL score of
at least 600. |
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| Matriculation
is contingent upon review and recommendation by
the Admissions Committee of the Graduate Program
in Basic Medical Sciences. |
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| PROCEDURES
FOR ADMISSION |
| Applications
are accepted throughout the year. Matriculation
is recommended for the Summer or Fall Semester. |
| Application
forms and information can be obtained on-line
http://southmed.usouthal.edu/com/bmsphd
or by contacting the Director of the Graduate
Program in Basic Medical Sciences, 251 CSAB, College
of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile,
Alabama 36688-0002; Telephone: (251)460-6153;
Fax: (251)460-6071; Email: lflagge@jaguar1.usouthal.edu |
| To
be considered for review by the Admissions Committee,
an applicant must submit the following: |
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1.
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A
completed admissions application form
for the Graduate Program in the Basic
Medical Sciences.
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2.
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One
complete certified transcript submitted
from each college or university attended,
with all scholastic records of completed
work.
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3.
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An
official report of all scores of standardized
achievement examinations (GRE, TOEFL),
that have been taken.
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4.
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Three
letters of recommendation from instructors,
advisors, or other persons qualified to
evaluate the student's academic performance
and potential in graduate school.
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5.
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There
is no application fee, but upon acceptance
students must file a graduate school admissions
application with the $25.00 processing
fee.
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| All
documents for admission review (transcripts, test
scores and letters of recommendation) must be
official, i.e., mailed from the home institution
or testing agency directly to the Graduate Program
in Basic Medical Sciences at the address above,
and become the property of the University of South
Alabama. |
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| PROGRAM |
| Required
Course Work |
| Student
will matriculate into the first year interdisciplinary
core curriculum for the Ph.D. Program in Basic
Medical Sciences without the necessity to choose
an advanced program prior to entry; in year 1,
students complete IDL 577, 580, 581 and three
research rotations. The purpose of rotations is
to acquaint the students with various research
problems under investigation and aid in the selection
of a major professor in their area of specialization. |
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the end of the first year, the student should
have selected a major professor and matriculated
into an advanced program. Advanced curricula are
determined by the program, in conjunction with
the student's dissertation committee. Students
will develop communication skills by presentation
of formal lectures and seminars and the completion
and approval of a written research proposal. |
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| Dissertation
Committee |
| Typically,
by the end of one and a half years of study, the
student will consult with their major professor,
departmental Chair, and the Director of the Graduate
Program to select at least four additional graduate
faculty members to serve on the Dissertation Committee.
Two of the four shall be selected from the major
department and at least two from other Basic Medical
Science departments at the University of South
Alabama. In special situations, one member may
be selected from another institution with the
recommendation of the departmental Chair and the
Director of the Graduate Program and approval
of the Dean of the Graduate School. The Dissertation
Committee shall be recommended by the departmental
Chair with the Director of the Graduate Program,
and appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School.
The student shall convene the first committee
meeting no later than six months following the
selection of the Dissertation Committee. |
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purpose and duties of the Dissertation Committee
are: |
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1.
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To
establish a suitable academic and research
training program for each student.
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2.
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To counsel the student
in professional development.
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3.
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To
administer and judge a closed defense
of the dissertation at the end of a student's
training program.
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4.
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To
assist the student in gaining superior
scientific training and to accept responsibility
for helping the graduate obtain opportunities
for postdoctoral positions.
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student, in consultation with the major professor,
shall prepare and submit for approval to the Dissertation
Committee a two page research project description
no later than the end of one and a half years
of study. A more in -depth Research Proposal must
be submitted to the Dissertation Committee no
later than six months after the Qualifying Examination.
Approval of the Research Proposal is required
before a student can enroll in Research and Dissertation. |
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Dissertation Committee shall meet with the student
at six-month intervals to review progress. At
each meeting, the student shall make an oral presentation
of the progress being made on the project in an
orderly and professional manner and discuss any
significant problems which have arisen with a
view toward gaining constructive criticism from
the committee. At the conclusion of each of these
reviews, the Dissertation Committee shall meet
in executive session to discuss the acceptability
of the student's progress. The major professor
shall report the student's progress to the Director
of the Graduate Program after each meeting. |
| A
student whose progress is found to be unsatisfactory
by a majority of the committee members at two
such successive meetings shall be placed on probation.
If the student's progress is then found to continue
to be unsatisfactory, the Director of the Graduate
Program (in consultation with the Dissertation
Committee, the Student Evaluation and Promotions
Committee, and the departmental Chair in the student's
area of specialization) may take necessary action
up to and including a recommendation to the Dean
of the Graduate School for academic dismissal
of the student. |
| Changes
in the composition of an established Dissertation
Committee may be initiated by the student with
the consent of the Chair of the Dissertation Committee.
Changes in committee composition must be recommended
by the Chair of the student's department and the
Director of the Graduate Program, and approved
by the Dean of the Graduate School. |
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| Qualifying
Examination |
| The
student must complete a Qualifying Examination
consisting of written and oral portions prior
to the Admission to Candidacy for the Ph.D. degree.
The Qualifying Examination is given to assess
the student's knowledge in the area of specialization
and to assess the student's ability to relate
this knowledge to a specific research problem.
Successful completion is a prerequisite for continuing
in the program. |
| These
examinations usually will be given near the end
of the second year of study. If the exam is not
taken by that time, then the student must obtain
approval from their dissertation advisor, department
Chair, and Director of Graduate Program to delay
the exam. If approval is granted for a delay,
then the student will be required to finish the
exam no later than the end of the third year of
study. The oral portion of the Qualifying Examination
will be given within 90 days of satisfactory completion
of the written examination. A grade (Satisfactory,
Unsatisfactory) by a majority vote of the Examining
Committee must be reported to the Director of
the Graduate Program. |
| If
a student fails either the written or oral Qualifying
Examination, the student may petition the Chair
of the department to retake the examination a
second time within 60 days. Following departmental
review of the student's petition, the Chair of
the department shall forward the decision to either
grant or deny the petition for reexamination to
the Director of the Graduate Program. A student
will not be allowed to repeat an examination more
than one time. |
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| Candidacy |
| After
satisfactory performance has been recorded on
the Qualifying Examination, the student enters
the final phase of the program. This final phase
is the period during which the candidate develops
as an independent researcher. A formal Research
Proposal must be submitted within six months of
the student's successful completion of the Qualifying
Examination. The formal Research Proposal shall
include a review of pertinent literature, description
of research already completed by the student,
the remaining research objectives, and an experimental
plan. The research performed by the student culminates
in writing their doctoral dissertation. This work
must be original, independent, and exhibit scientific
merit. The student's written dissertation must
conform to standards established by the Graduate
School. Candidates must pass a closed defense
of the dissertation, administered by the candidate's
dissertation committee prior to scheduling the
open defense of dissertation. |
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| ACADEMIC
STANDARDS |
| To
remain in good academic standing in the Graduate
Program in Basic Medical Sciences, a student must
maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0.
If the cumulative GPA falls below 3.0, the student
will be placed on academic probation. The student
must return to good academic standing within two
semesters from the time of being placed on probation.
When it becomes evident that it is impossible
to remove the probationary status, the Director
will recommend dismissal from the Graduate Program.
In addition to the aforementioned standards, students
accumulating more than nine (9) semester hours
of "C" or 6 semester hours of "D"
and/or "F" will automatically be recommended
for dismissal. |
| At
the request of the Director of the Graduate Program,
the Student Performance and Evaluations Committee
will review student progress and could recommend
dismissal on the basis of unsatisfactory performance
on preliminary/qualifying examinations, unsatisfactory
research progress, scientific misconduct or failure
to meet other requirements of the Ph.D. program
in a timely manner. When appropriate, SPEC will
meet with the student prior to formulating a recommendation
to the Director of the Graduate Program and the
Graduate School. |
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| STUDENT
APPEALS |
| Any
student wishing to appeal a SPEC recommendation
for dismissal must present their case at a meeting
of the SPEC which may also be attended by a student
advocate (e.g. Department Chair, Program Director
or other designated member of the College of Medicine
Graduate Faculty). The student advocate can speak
on the student's behalf during this meeting. Following
the appeal hearing, SPEC will render a decision
in a closed session, with a majority vote of committee
members present required. Any recommendation regarding
the appeal will be forwarded to the Director of
the Graduate Program and Senior Associate Dean
of the College of Medicine. Following administrative
review, the Senior Associate Dean will communicate
the recommendations to the Dean of the Graduate
School. In the event that a student is dissatisfied
with the appeals decision rendered by SPEC, he
or she can initiate an "administrative appeals
procedure" as stipulated in the University
Undergraduate/ Graduate
Bulletin. In the case of administrative
appeal, the Senior Associate Dean will serve as
the final arbitrator for the College of Medicine. |
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| DEGREE
REQUIREMENTS |
| The
following requirements must be completed for the
Ph.D. degree in the Basic Medical Sciences: completion
of the core and advanced curricula, a minimum
overall 3.0 grade-point average on all work attempted
for credit, qualifying examinations, a completed
dissertation approved by the student's major professor
and a majority of the Dissertation Committee,
and closed and open defenses of the research presented
in the dissertation. |
| All
requirements for the Ph.D. degree should normally
be completed within four to five years from the
date of matriculation, and must be completed within
seven years. A student who has not satisfactorily
completed a dissertation in a seven-year period
must apply for a defined extension to complete
the degree. This request must be approved by the
major professor, the Chair of the department,
the Director of the Graduate Program, and the
Dean of the Graduate School. |
| If
the student does not complete the degree requirements
in the defined extension period, the Director
of the Graduate Program, with the advice of the
Graduate Executive Committee, may recommend to
the Dean of the Graduate School appropriate action
up to and including dismissal. |
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| DEPARTMENT
OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY |
Chair:
Nathan Aronson (251-460-6402)
Professors: Aronson, Funkhouser, Nair, Turrens,
Umbreit
Associate Professors: Baliga, Barik, Gaubatz,
Honkanen, Lane
Assistant Professor: Hartley |
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| DEPARTMENT
OF CELL BIOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE |
Chair:
Glenn Wilson (251-460-6490)
Professors: Kayes, LeDoux,Wilson
Associate Professors: Aldes, Balczon, Bhatnagar,
Chronister, Fields, Gard,
Pace, W. Zimmer
Assistant Professor: Critz |
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| DEPARTMENT
OF COMPARATIVE MEDICINE |
Chair:
Christian Abee (251-460-6239)
Professor: Abee
Associate Professors: Brady, Williams
Assistant Professor: Gibson |
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| DEPARTMENT
OF MICROBIOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY |
Chair:
Joseph Coggin, Jr. (251-460-6339)
Professors: Coggin, Foster, Lausch, Oakes, Winkler,
Wood
Associate Professors: Hester, Rohrer
Assistant Professors: Alexeyev, Barsoum, Cao,
McGee |
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| DEPARTMENT
OF PHARMACOLOGY |
Chair:
Mark Gillespie (251-460-6497)
Professors: Ayling, Gillespie, Olson, Scammell,
Schaffer, Strada, Thompson
Associate Professors: Chinkers, D. Zimmer, Stevens
Assistant Professor: Al-Mehdi |
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| DEPARTMENT
OF PHYSIOLOGY |
Chair:
Aubrey Taylor (251-460-7004)
Professors: Cohen, Downey, Parker, Taylor, Townsley
Associate Professor: Ballard |
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| CANCER
BIOLOGY |
Acting
Coordinator: Susan LeDoux
Advisory Committee: Balczon, Honkanen, Lausch,
Pace, Umbreit,
D. Zimmer |
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DESCRIPTIONS OF ALL COLLEGE
OF MEDICINE COURSES:
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