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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
http://www.southalabama.edu/com/ |
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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 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 and Lung
Biology Programs. |
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| REQUIREMENTS
FOR ADMISSION |
| The
requirements for admission to the
Interdisciplinary 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
for the Basic Medical Sciences Interdisciplinary
Graduate Program are accepted for matriculation
in the Fall Semester. Matriculation in the Summer
Semester is possible in limited circumstances.
The Basic Medial Sciences Graduate Program does
not accept students on a "non-degree"
basis. |
| Applications
for admission (U.S. citizens) are available through
the Office of Admissions at 182 Administration
Building, University of South Alabama, Mobile,
Alabama, 36688-0002. Foreign applicants should
apply through the Office of International Services
at Faculty Court South, University of South Alabama,
Mobile, Alabama, 36688-0002. Application materials
are also available through the university's web
site: www.southalabama.edu. |
| Information
and supplemental application materials for the
graduate program can be obtained on-line http://southmed.usouthal.edu/com/bmsphd
or by contacting the Director of the Interdisciplinary
Graduate Program in Basic Medical Sciences, MSB
3030, 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 application form.
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2.
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A
certified transcript from each college
or university attended.
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3.
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An
official report of all scores of standardized
achievement examinations (GRE, TOEFL).
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4.
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Supplemental
materials required for the program in
Basic Medical Sciences. These documents
must be submitted directly to the Graduate
Office for the Basic Medical Sciences
Interdisciplinary Graduate Program at
MSB 3030, College of Medicine, University
of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, 36688-0002:
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a. 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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b. A personal statement |
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| All
other
documents for admission review (transcripts,
test scores and letters of recommendation) must
be official, and become the property of the University
of South Alabama. |
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| PROGRAM |
| Required
Course Work |
| Students 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 576,
577, 580 and 581, GIS 501,
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. |
| By
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.
At least two members should
be from outside the student's major department
or program. 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 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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| The
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. |
| The
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. Documentation
of the committee meeting and the student's progress
report shall be submitted to the Graduate Office
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 (SPEC),
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 Qualifying Examination, composed of separate written and oral examinations, will be completed no later than the end of the third year in the program. The written component will focus on the student's approved research project and be prepared in the form of a hypothesis-driven research grant proposal. The written document must be approved by the Examination Committee (the student's Dissertation Advisory Committee and one outside member of the Graduate Faculty appointed by the Department Chair or Program Director who serves as its Chair) prior to scheduling of an oral examination. The student's oral defense of the written proposal and their knowledge of the underlying basic medical science discipline will comprise the oral component of the Qualifying Exam. Should the student fail one or both components of the Qualifying Exam, the student will be allowed to retake that component of the exam once more. |
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| Candidacy |
| The approved research proposal must be filed in the Graduate Office and will be submitted as the formal Research Proposal to the Graduate School within one month of the student's successful completion of the Qualifying Examination. The research Proposal must also be approved by the Dean of the Graduate School. Upon satisfactory completion of the Qualifying Exam and acceptance of the Research Proposal, the student will be admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. Students will not be permitted to register for Dissertation Research (799) until the candidacy requirement is satisfied. |
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| ACADEMIC
STANDARDS |
| To
remain in good academic standing in the Interdisciplinary
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,
SPEC 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. |
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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 |
| In
addition to the requirements set by the Graduate
School, 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 examination,
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,Barik, Funkhouser,
Honkanen, Nair, Pannell
Associate Professors: Gaubatz, Lane
Assistant Professor: Hartley |
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| DEPARTMENT
OF CELL BIOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE |
Chair:
Glenn Wilson (251) 460-6490
Professors: Gard,
Kayes, LeDoux, Wilson
Associate Professors: Aldes, Balczon, Bhatnagar,
Chronister, Critz,
Fields
Assistant Professors:
Chou, Ofori-Acquah |
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| DEPARTMENT
OF COMPARATIVE MEDICINE |
Chair:
Christian Abee (251) 460-6239
Professor: Abee
Associate Professors: Brady, Ruiz, Williams
Assistant Professors: Gibson, Schuler |
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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:
Audia, McGee |
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| DEPARTMENT
OF PHARMACOLOGY |
Chair:
Mark Gillespie (251) 460-6497
Professors: Ayling, Gillespie, Olson, Scammell,
Schaffer, Stevens, Strada
Associate Professors: Chinkers,
King, Whitehurst
Assistant Professors: Alexeyev,
Al-Mehdi |
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| DEPARTMENT
OF PHYSIOLOGY |
Chair:
Thomas Lincoln (251) 460-7004
Professors: Ballard,
Cohen, Downey, Lincoln, Parker, A. Taylor (Emeritus),
Townsley
Assistant Professors: M. Taylor, Weber, Yang |
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| CANCER
BIOLOGY |
Cancer Research Center: Oystein Fodstad (251) 460-6995
Advisory Committee: Aamdal,
Balczon, Fodstadt,
Honkanen, Lausch, Pannell,
Tucker |
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| LUNG
BIOLOGY |
Coordinator:
Mary Townsley (251) 460-6815
Advisory Committee: Stevens, Haynes, Strada, A. Taylor |
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DESCRIPTIONS OF ALL COLLEGE
OF MEDICINE COURSES:
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