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Anatomy PhD
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Anatomy PhD
The PhD program in Anatomy provides coursework to help students achieve advanced understanding of specific knowledge related to human anatomic sciences, including medical gross anatomy, human embryology and human microscopic anatomy.
The program provides the resources for students to acquire specialty training and teaching experience necessary to pursue an academic career in the biological sciences.
The 26-credit curriculum includes core courses in neuroanatomy, cell biology, systems biology and energy metabolism. Courses in ethics ensure students will conduct their activities with the highest of ethical standards. Each student will conduct original biomedical research under the supervision of a faculty member culminating in the oral defense of a written thesis.
Doctoral students also have the opportunity to gain teaching experience in discipline-specific fields of human embryology, medical gross anatomy, and neuroanatomy, and to engage in all areas of didactic, team-based learning and cadaver-laboratories for medical students and physician assistant students.
Program Details
Doctoral students have the opportunity to acquire disciplinary methods and techniques in any biomedical science field, including those basic, clinical or translational in nature, with the intent of using this knowledge to apply to new creative research, to demonstrate analytical thinking within the discipline, and to communicate their discipline-specific knowledge to others.
Doctoral degree students have the opportunity to rotate in 3 or 4 laboratories during the first two semesters with the intent of learning different methodologies, disciplines, and laboratory experiences before beginning more intensive research, thus encouraging interdisciplinary research and collaboration.
The program in Anatomy is approved to participate in the Dual-Title Clinical and Translational Sciences Graduate Program.
Coursework
During the first year of the Anatomy Graduate Program, incoming students focus on required anatomical courses, including Human Gross Anatomy, Human Embryology, Human Microscopic Anatomy (histology), and Human Neurobiology.
During the second year, students complete 6 credits of requisite graduate core curriculum, electives, research-related activities and professional development courses. Upper-class anatomy students have a unique opportunity to be involved in teaching gross anatomy to physician assistant and medical students, and advanced gross anatomy to residents and/or clinicians.
Required Courses
ANAT 503 Human Gross Anatomy
ANAT 512 Human Embryology
ANAT 505 Microscopic Anatomy I
ANAT 506 Microscopic Anatomy II
NEURO 511 Human Neurobiology
BMS 502 Cell and Systems Biology
BMS 503 Flow of Cellular Information
ANAT 602 Mentored Teaching
Ethics (1 credit)
Electives
Research
Doctoral degree students have the opportunity to rotate in 3 to 4 Anatomy faculty laboratories over the first 2 semesters, with the intent of learning different methodologies, disciplines, and experiencing laboratory personnel dynamics.
Following the candidacy examination, a doctoral student selects a laboratory with the permission of the principal investigator, and begins more intensive research. In consultation with their advisor, the student begins the process of forming a thesis committee.
Students are required to present evidence of their research progress annually, to meet with their committee at least once annually, and to share written observations on the progress of their work that are documented by the advisor, and program director.
At the end of the second academic year, the written and oral comprehensive exams are administered.
Teaching
Teaching is a significant and unique component of the Anatomy Graduate Program.
Beginning in the second year, qualified graduate students may participate in the medical curriculum, the Human Gross Anatomy course for medical students.
While the graduate council does not permit teaching to an equal rank, involvement in the medical curriculum is permitted. Students are involved in the course, particularly in the laboratory sessions and laboratory exams. Exceptional students may be asked to provide tutoring, review sessions, and lectures.
These experiences are unique to this curriculum and provide an excellent opportunity for students to be engaged in higher education instruction.
Students are able to undertake this opportunity each year, and are compensated by the program providing a stipend for the 2 months of the class.
Academic Requirements
To be awarded a PhDÂ degree in Anatomy, the student must successfully:
Earn a total of 30 credit hours, of which at least 18 must be in 500- and 600-level courses. Students must maintain a B average (3.0) or better in academic courses to be retained in the program and to continue to receive financial support.
Assist in teaching one of the laboratory courses: either Gross Anatomy or Neuroanatomy.
Satisfactorily complete the following: (i) candidacy examination, and (ii) comprehensive examinations. Students must also demonstrate competency in the English language.
Complete the ethics course.
Complete an original research project, and orally defend, in a public forum, a written thesis describing the experimental design, results, and significance of the work.
Doctoral students must maintain a 3.0 (B) average to remain in good academic standing, and to be eligible for both the candidacy and comprehensive examinations.
In addition, doctoral students must complete all 15 credits of required anatomy courses with grades of B- or better.
The candidacy exam is usually taken after 2 semesters of didactic coursework, and the comprehensive exams are administered after 4 semesters, a time usually coinciding with the completion of coursework.
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