PPBS Student Roadmap

The PPBS will be administered by a PPBS Program Director (PD) and a PPBS Recruiting and Admissions Director (DRA), both of whom will be appointed by the Dean and under the supervision of the Senior Associate Dean for Biomedical Education. Members of the Steering Committee (SC) and the Admissions Committee (AC) will be asked for and will provide recommendations and advice to these three individuals, as appropriate.

The PD is responsible for immediate supervision of all faculty committees and students within the PPBS. The PD will oversee all aspects of the PPBS including: student registration, advisement, and evaluation. The PD chairs the PPBS Steering Committee and acts as liaison between this committee and the PPBS students. The PD reports to the Senior Associate Dean for Biomedical Education.

The PPBS Steering Committee (SC) functions to provide lines of communication between the Departments and the Program/PD. The committee coordinates functions of all ad hoc committees and formulates and approves program policies and procedures. In addition, the committee evaluates the academic progress of PPBS students via one-on-one mentoring and evaluation of class and rotation performance. The mentoring role of SC members is considered a strength and vital aspect of the PPBS.

The SC is composed of one member from each participating Department or Program. The significant role of this committee requires that all SC members be fully invested in the training and mentorship of PhD students. Optimally this means that SC members either currently are training or have recently trained a PhD student. As with other standing committees of the Jacobs School, appointments to the SC are made by the Dean. Each Department, preferably in consultation with the PD, may vote to nominate a faculty member to the Dean, or the Dean may make the appointment at his/her discretion. Appointments to the SC shall be for a three-year term, which can be renewable, with no more than half of the SC turning over during any one year.

The SC is chaired by the PD and meets at least quarterly. SC members who have two consecutive unexcused absences from committee meetings and/or are remiss in their mentoring functions, may be dismissed from the SC by the Senior Associate Dean for Biomedical Education at the recommendation of the PD. Another member of that Department or Program will be appointed to the SC by the Dean as described above.

The Director of Recruiting and Admissions (DRA) is responsible for directing and coordinating all aspects of the recruiting and admissions process and will chair the Admissions Committee (AC). The AC will be composed of two members (one primary and one secondary) from each participating department/program. All members of the AC will be appointed by the Senior Associate Dean for Biomedical Education on behalf of the Dean. Prospective members will be nominated by their departmental or program faculty or Chair, preferably in consultation with the DRA, and appointed to the AC by the Senior Associate Dean for Biomedical Education. AC members must be invested in the recruitment, retention, and training of PhD students. Optimally, AC members will have an active research program and either currently be training or have recently trained a PhD student. Terms of service of primary members will be 2 years, after which the secondary member will take on the primary assignment and a new secondary member will be appointed. Terms of the departmental or program members will be assigned to ensure that membership will be overlapping to assist in maintaining committee integrity and functional ‘memory’.

Upon recommendation of the DRA, AC Members who have two consecutive unexcused absences and/or fail to carry out the responsibilities required by this Committee may be dismissed from the AC by the Senior Associate Dean for Biomedical Education. Appointment of a replacement Departmental representative to the AC by the Senior Associate Dean for Biomedical Education will be carried out as described above.

The DRA, upon advisement by the AC, works with the Office of Biomedical Education Director of Graduate Enrollment on developing and implementing recruitment strategies. The AC will review applications, interview prospective students, and determine which applicants are offered acceptances. The AC will have full authority to offer acceptances into the program and can be overridden by either the Senior Associate Dean for Biomedical Education or the PD ONLY under the most unusual circumstances, and then only after consultation with the DRA and the AC. To increase the chances of obtaining outstanding students into the program, members of the AC are expected to play an active role throughout recruitment, including after offers have been made, at the direction of the DRA. As diversity contributes to the strength of the program, the AC will also ensure implementation of University and SMBS affirmative action policies. The Senior Associate Dean for Biomedical Education will coordinate staff support of DRA and AC functions.

All incoming students are expected to have successfully completed courses in general and organic chemistry, physics, biology, and mathematics through calculus. Physical chemistry, cell biology, immunology, physiology, and genetics are desirable, although not required. All applicants must submit: (1) a complete and official transcript, (2) a personal statement describing their reasons for applying, any prior research experience, and career goals, and (3) a minimum of 3 confidential letters of recommendation written by individuals with a professional science background who have significant knowledge of the applicant. International applicants must also submit proof of English proficiency, unless eligible for a waiver under the Graduate School policy

Applicants are holistically reviewed and ranked based on the following criteria: GPA, personal statement, research experience, presentations and publications, letters of recommendation. GRE or other standardized test scores are not required; if submitted, they are not reviewed by the committee.

Criteria that will be considered by the committee are overall, ability to perform adequately in academic coursework, prior research experience, and reference letters. Only fully completed applications will be reviewed by the AC. Following review of these criteria by the AC, students will be invited for a personal interview, whenever feasible. Offers of admission, agreed upon by the AC, will be issued by the DRA.

PPBS faculty are appointed to the Graduate Faculty, with primary appointments in one of the participating Departments or Programs. Faculty included on the lists of PPBS faculty are expected to be actively involved in training graduate students. Faculty who mentor rotation students must complete Pre-Rotation Agreement and Post-Rotation Evaluation as described below.

Prior to each semester, Faculty will be polled about their interest in mentoring a PPBS rotation student. Faculty will be asked about willingness to host a student and plans to accept and support a student in July of the following summer. Uncertainty about sufficient available funds will not preclude accepting rotation students however the list of interested faculty that is provided to students will distinguish faculty who are unsure about availability in the lab in the coming year. Before a student will be allowed to join a lab, the Departmental Chair will sign a “back-stopping” letter, indicating that the chair will commit to support a student through graduation. In the spring semester, the Office of Biomedical Education will contact faculty and department Chair to ensure that the Chair intends to sign this letter.

The Office of Biomedical Education is committed to continued professional development of both our students and faculty mentors. Mentors will be expected to abide by policies and procedures instituted by the Jacobs School and the University at Buffalo Graduate School to ensure fair and professional treatment of students at all stages of their career.

Curricular matters fall under the provenance of the SC, which is responsible for ensuring that coursework reflect the current emphases of our disciplines. As needed, and at least every five years, the SC will appoint an ad hoc committee to assess the PPBS curriculum and recommend necessary changes.

Students are required to maintain a GPA of 3.0, and to obtain a grade of at least “B” in all required courses. In addition, students must receive a Satisfactory (S) grade in all laboratory rotations. Failure to meet these requirements will result in the student being placed on academic probation and are grounds for dismissal from the program. Students will be considered for immediate dismissal upon receiving a grade of “F” in any course, or two grades from among “C”, “D”, or “U”, or a grade point average of 2.5 or below in any semester. Students shall be dismissed upon being found guilty of academic dishonesty according to existing regulations (see the University at Buffalo’s Academic Integrity Policy). Students are required to maintain the highest ethics in their study, laboratory work, and examinations. Failure to do so will result in immediate dismissal from the PPBS.

All PPBS students are to register for required coursework. Courses for the Spring semester must meet program guidelines, and students must have their courses approved by the PD prior to Spring registration. Any changes to the approved coursework are subject to PD approval.

For BMS 515 and BMS 516, use of AI in presentation preparation is permitted in a non-substantive way that does not alter intellectual contribution. This includes grammar correction, stylistic edits, and formatting. You must clearly identify the use of AI-based tools in your work and failure to do so will be considered a violation of the University Academic Integrity policy.

Use of AI is prohibited for all other aspects of course assignments (homework, examinations, and oral presentations), including the following:

• Use of AI to answer questions assigned for written homework or oral presentation
• Use of AI to generate oral questions for participation points
• Use of AI during examinations

Use of AI in any of these manners will also be considered a violation of the University Academic Integrity policy and subject to university sanctions.

Though up to the discretion of the mentor, it is also strongly advised to avoid the use of AI for generation of rotation presentations or other rotation-related assignments.

To assist students in choosing a thesis mentor, students participate in a series of laboratory rotations. Students are required to complete three (3) laboratory rotations (BMS 509A and BMS 510A) during the academic year. Students also must participate in a fourth laboratory rotation during the spring semester. For this fourth laboratory rotation, students have the option of rotating in a new laboratory, continuing with their third laboratory rotation, or returning to finish a project in a prior laboratory rotation. These options require permission of the rotation faculty involved. Laboratory rotations are a “hands on” experience to assist students in choosing a dissertation mentor, and conversely, for the faculty to decide whether they would be willing to act as the student’s major advisor. All laboratory rotation assignments are made by the PD.

During the summer prior to enrollment, students will receive a list of faculty who are accepting new students into their laboratory; throughout the year students will be apprised of any changes to this list. In order to make an informed decision about choosing laboratory rotations and a thesis mentor, students are strongly encouraged to meet individually with faculty and other members of their laboratory to explore the faculty member’s research and other issues about working in that particular laboratory. Because laboratory rotations are intended to broaden a student’s research experience, students are encouraged to perform their rotations with faculty in different disciplines.   

Early in the fall semester, students will submit a prioritized list of three or four faculty members in whose laboratories they would like to perform the first Fall laboratory rotation (BMS 509). Students are strongly urged to make full use of web and other local resources to familiarize themselves, in general terms, with faculty research programs prior to submitting this list. The PD will review the lists and will make decisions to match students and faculty to best accommodate all students and mentors fairly. Later in the Fall semester a similar matching procedure will be carried out to establish the students’ Fall II laboratory rotations (BMS510). Similarly, the process will continue with choices made in December for the students’ Spring I rotations (BMS 509, 510). All students shall do a fourth rotation, which may involve returning to one of their earlier rotation labs. Once rotation assignments have been made, students may request a change in their assignments at any time prior to the actual start date of the laboratory rotation. This change requires permission of the PD. Students or faculty may not request changes after the start date for each laboratory rotation.

At the beginning of the laboratory rotation, faculty will discuss the objective of the studies to be undertaken, what techniques will be used, as well as their requirements and expectations. A Pre-Laboratory Rotation Agreement form will be signed and submitted to the PD. Students are expected to work approximately 15 - 20 hrs/week in the laboratory during their rotations. Any reasons for an absence from the rotation for a period longer than two consecutive days of the week should be discussed with the rotation mentor. If a student is routinely absent from a rotation, the mentor will inform the PD of the situation who will discuss the issue with the rotation student. At the end of the laboratory rotation faculty will submit their review the student’s performance including a discussion of student’s strengths and weakness, and areas in need of improvement. At this ‘exit interview’, faculty may indicate their willingness to act as the student’s thesis advisor. However, to enable students in later rotations to have equal access and opportunity, neither the faculty nor the students may make any commitments regarding the student being offered a position in a laboratory. Faculty will have full access to the files of students who rotate in their laboratory.

During rotations, students and mentors should not commit to joining a lab. At a stated time point (currently half-way through the Spring I rotation), students will be permitted to approach faculty to ask about making an “unofficial match”, which will lead to joining that lab and matriculating in that department. The PD will review the request and ensure that the requested mentor is willing and financially able to accept that student into their laboratory. Final acceptance into a specific laboratory and doctoral program is contingent upon completion of requirements set forth by the Office of Biomedical Education and acceptance by the departmental or program Admissions Committee and completion of the Letter of Intent for Dissertation Residency. Students selecting a mentor having joint appointments in multiple departments/programs must indicate the course of study that they will follow.

Students who are not successful in finding a thesis mentor during the Spring II or III rotations will have the opportunity to participate in one or more extra laboratory rotations in the summer. The intent of this additional laboratory rotation is to find a thesis mentor. All students must be matched with a thesis mentor by early August of the end of their first year. Failure to match with a mentor will lead to dismissal from the JSMBS PhD program.

The PPBS SC reviews student performance including all grades and laboratory rotation evaluations at the end of each semester. Students who have not met the minimum GPA (3.0) requirement or who have received a “Unsatisfactory” grade in a rotation will be placed on probation. Poor academic performance will lead to dismissal from the program. Students will be considered for immediate dismissal upon receiving a grade of “F” in any course, or two grades from among “C”, “D”, or “U”, or a grade point average of 2.5 or below in any semester. Students shall be dismissed upon being found guilty of academic dishonesty according to existing regulations (see the University at Buffalo’s Academic Integrity Policy). Students are required to maintain the highest ethics in their study, laboratory work, and examinations. Failure to do so will result in immediate dismissal from the PPBS. Generally, final academic decisions are made after the spring semester allowing the students the opportunity to improve their performance. It is very important that students who have any concerns or questions discuss those issues with the PD.

During the first year of the program, students receive guidance and advice from the PD and from members of the SC. First year students who feel that they have a need for course mentoring should contact the appropriate course coordinator and the PD as soon as possible to make the necessary arrangements. Upon matriculation into specific doctoral programs, students will receive guidance from their dissertation mentor and the Director of Graduate Studies of their program.  

Students must adhere to the calendar set forth by the PPBS and the Jacobs School Graduate Student handbook. No vacations may be taken during coursework or rotations. Students with compelling reasons for taking a longer vacation or leave or who are unable to meet the requirements of the calendar of the PPBS must receive explicit permission from the PD after consultation with the SC. This request, in writing, must be made in a timely fashion, i.e., prior to making airline or other arrangements, to allow review by the PD and SC. Failure to receive prior approval may result in loss of financial support and/or termination from the PPBS.