THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY AND

THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN

OLECULAR PATHOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY

ACULTY AND STUDENT HANDBOOK:

EQUIREMENTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

EPARTMENT OF PATHOLOGY, MICROBIOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY

ANDERBILT UNIVERSITY

Revised October 16, 2023

Pathology Graduate Handbook

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CONTENTS

I. PURPOSE OF THE MPI STUDENT HANDBOOK .............................................................................. 3

II. O

VERVIEW ............................................................................................................................... 3

III. P

ROGRAM ............................................................................................................................... 3

A. First Year

Special note concerning direct admission ..................................................................... 3

B. Course Requirements — Ph.D.

Required Courses ......................................................................................................... 4

Electives in the Molecular Pathology and Immunology Graduate Program .................... 5

C. Course Requirements — MSTP (Medical Scientist Training Program) ...................... 6

D. Selection of Thesis Advisory Committee ..................................................................... 7

E. Phase I Planning Meeting ............................................................................................... 7

F. Phase II Qualifying Examination ................................................................................... 9

G. Thesis Advisory Committee Meetings and Role of Thesis Advisory Committee ..... 10

H. Role of the Mentor During Phase I Exam, Phase II Exam, and Dissertation Defense 11

I. Journal Club and Research Presentations .....................................................................11

J. Conflict Resolution .......................................................................................................... 11

K. Changing Laboratories ..................................................................................................... 12

L. Ph.D. Thesis

Preparation ................................................................................................................. 13

Defense ...................................................................................................................... 14

Summary .............................................................................................................. 14

Guidelines for Examiners ...................................................................................... 15

Final preparation and thesis submission ............................................................... 16

M. Graduate Student Travel ................................................................................................ 17

N. Master’s Degree .............................................................................................................. 17

O. Unsatisfactory Performance............................................................................................ 18

IV. R

ESEARCH EXPECTATIONS ..................................................................................................... 19

V. T

RAINING FOR THE PROFESSION .............................................................................................. 20

VI. A

DVISING AND MENTORING ..................................................................................................... 20

VII. PROGRESS TOWARDS THE DEGREE ......................................................................................... 20

VIII F

ORMS LIST ........................................................................................................................... 21

IX. G

RADUATE SCHOOL POLICY ON PARENTAL LEAVE ................................................................. 22

X. G

RADUATE SCHOOL POLICY ON OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT……..…..…………………..……..…….. 22

Pathology Graduate Handbook

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I. PURPOSE OF THE MPI STUDENT HANDBOOK

The purpose of the PhD in Molecular Pathology and Immunology Student Handbook is to help guide

students as they progress through the PhD program. Because the Ph.D. program is conferred and

governed by the academic requirements established by the Vanderbilt University (VU) Graduate School,

students should also be familiar with the policies and procedures in the

Vanderbilt University Student

Handbook and Vanderbilt University Graduate School Catalog. For questions about information in the

handbook, students should contact their advisor, the Program Manager, or the Director of Graduate

Studies (DGS).

II. OVERVIEW

The graduate program in Molecular Pathology and Immunology provides training in biochemical, cell,

and molecular biological research to elucidate the fundamental mechanisms of human disease

processes. The program emphasizes training in experimental laboratory investigation leading to the

Ph.D. degree for students interested in pursuing careers in basic biomedical research and teaching.

Graduate study in this area offers students the opportunity to integrate principles of immunology,

molecular genetics, cell biology, biochemistry, and biophysics into research relevant to improving the

quality of life through the discovery of new avenues for treatment of disease.

III. PROGRAM

A. First Year

The first year of graduate study in Biomedical Sciences at Vanderbilt is under the direction of one of the

introductory programs, such as the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program (IGP), Quantitative Chemical

Biology (QCB) or Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). All graduate students in the Biomedical

Sciences, regardless of their specific interests will be enrolled in one of these programs for their first

years of study. During this tenure, the students take a common curriculum that is designed to provide a

solid core of knowledge in all of the disciplines of basic biomedical science. Even though the students

entering this program come from diverse academic backgrounds, it is the aim of this program to prepare

students to enter any department with the foundation to perform effectively in any advanced course and

to complete the requirements for the Ph.D. degree. During this initial training, students identify the

laboratory in which they will pursue their thesis research through research project rotations or discussions

with the laboratory PI. At the end of the Spring semester, the students declare their choice of a

department and laboratory for their thesis research. If the student chooses the laboratory of a PI with a

primary or secondary appointment in Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, they will decide with

their mentor which of the two graduate programs (Molecular Pathology and Immunology or Microbe-Host

Interactions) with which they will associate.

* Special Note concerning direct admission:

On rare occasions, a student can gain admission directly into the graduate program in Molecular

Pathology and Immunology. To do so, a student must complete an application in SLATE, providing all

requested information. The application will be interviewed by the DGS and at least 2 other faculty

members (one of whom should be a member of the MPI GEC). The application, including interview

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evaluations, will be reviewed by GEC who must provide formal approval for the student to enter the

program.

Direct admission usually occurs when the prospective student has already identified a research

laboratory and a mentor within the Department, and the mentor has agreed to provide financial support

(tuition, fees, and stipend) for the student. In most cases, students gaining direct admission will be

required to take the IGP coursework during their first year. They will not be limited to 8 hours/semester

as with the typical IGP student.

Direct admission to the Cellular & Molecular Pathology Program without having first identified an advisor

will occur only under very unusual circumstances. Before joining a lab, the student will be required to

complete three 7-week research rotations with Pathology faculty members. These rotations will be

interdigitated with course work or they may be taken during the summer. No rotations may be arranged

and undertaken without prior approval of the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS). In addition, when a

laboratory rotation is undertaken, the student and faculty member involved should notify the DGS in

writing. This should include a brief outline of the nature of the proposed project. At the conclusion of the

rotation, a brief report should be filed by the faculty member and a grade reported to the DGS.

B. Course Requirements — Ph.D.

Required:

Summer (generally in the first year)

M&IM 8332: Foundations in Microbiology and Immunology I**

Fall (generally in the second year)

Each week must attend either Pathology or Immunology Journal Club,

either

PATH-GS 8331: Seminar in Experimental Pathology (Pathophysiology Journal Club)

PATH-GS 8339: Foundations of Immunology (for 1 credit): (Immunology Journal Club)

MPI Introductory Course

choose one of the following:

PATH-GS 8351: Cellular and Molecular Basis of Disease I

PATH-GS 8339: Foundations of Immunology (2 or 3 credits depending on Journal Club)

Spring (generally in the second year)

Each week must attend either the Pathology or Immunology Journal Club, either:

PATH-GS 8332: Current Topics in Experimental Pathology (Pathophysiology JC)

PATH-GS 8322: Experimental Methods in Pathology (Immunology JC)

M&IM 8335: Research Proposals: Preparation & Critical Review

M&IM 8334: Special Topics in Molecular Pathogenesis (you must choose at least 4 of the

offered half-credit Modules for a total of 2 credits)

Every Semester

Research

PATH-GS 8999: Non-Candidate Research (research prior to entering candidacy)

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PATH-GS 9999: Ph.D. Dissertation Research (research after entering candidacy)

**Foundations I provides introductory material on pathology, immunology, and microbiology and is

recommended but not required. If a student, in consultation with their mentor, feels a different course

would better meet their needs, they should discuss their plans with the DGS for approval. Elective

courses:

Required coursework is minimal to allow the student flexibility in their education. Elective coursework will

generally be required to complete the graduate school requirements. Students are encouraged to choose

courses that fit into their career plans from any biomedical graduate program.

Students must make a grade of B- or better in all coursework to receive credit, complete at least 24 hours

of didactic work, and receive satisfactory (S) grades in Pathology 8999 and Pathology 9999. Three

unsatisfactory grades will result in dismissal from the program.

Other venues: Students in the Molecular Pathology and Immunology Graduate Program are expected to

attend weekly "Journal Club" sessions in either Immunology or Molecular Pathology and "Molecular

Pathogenesis Trainee (MPT)" presentations. Attendance can be excused if the student has an

emergency, is attending an offsite conference or if an important seminar or meeting is occurring on site

that conflicts with attendance at "MPT" or "Journal Club." It is expected that absences will be rare during

the semester. For anticipated absences, it is the student's responsibility to obtain permission to be absent

from the DGS (for MPT) or course director for "Journal Club" as soon as they realize a conflict exists. In

the case of emergencies, notification should be as soon as possible but no later than one week following

the absence. It is at the discretion of the "MPT" or "Journal Club" directors whether an absence is

excused. The DGS and MPI Program Manager should be copied on all requests for absence. Attendance

is kept at "MPT" or "Journal Club" and the student's attendance record is provided to the student's

Dissertation Advisory Committee Chair prior to each meeting of the committee. The student's attendance

is factored into the committee's overall evaluation of the student's progress.

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C. Course Requirements — MSTP (Medical Scientist Training Program) Students

OLECULAR

ATHOLOGY AND

MMUNOLOGY

GS Credit

Hours

Semester

Total

Cumulative

Total

MEDICAL SCHOOL

Fall (VMS I)

• HBA, M&IMM, Homeostasis

• MSTP Seminar (IGP 8310)

Spring (VMS I)

• EDR, BB&M

• MSTP Seminar (IGP 8310)

Fall (VMS II)

• MSTP Seminar (IGP 8310)

Spring (VMS II)

• MSTP Seminar (IGP 8310)

Didactic Hours 14

GRADUATE SCHOOL

Fall

• Journal Club

• Cellular and Molecular Basis of Disease or Immunology

If an MSTP student feels they have sufficient

background in immunology or pathogenesis, they can

(with mentors permission) request and alternate

course.

• MSTP Seminar

Spring

• Journal Club

• Research Proposals: Preparation & Critical Review

• Selected Topics in Molecular Pathogenesis

• MSTP Seminar

Didactic Hours 10

Total Didactic Hours 24

Pathology Graduate Handbook

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D. Selection of Thesis Advisory Committee

The Thesis Advisory Committee will consist of at least five faculty members including the mentor, but a

committee can consist of more than five members. All committee members must be a member of the

Graduate School Faculty (this requirement can be waived in certain circumstances). At least three

members, including the Thesis Advisor, must be a member of the MPI program*. At least one member of

the committee must not have a primary or secondary appointment in PMI but have a Graduate Faculty

Appointment within another program. A majority of the committee members should be tenured faculty

members, particularly if the Thesis Advisor is non-tenured.

The Thesis Advisory Committee helps advise the student throughout the course of their graduate training.

Members should be selected carefully, based on their specific areas of expertise and their expected

contributions in advising the student during the dissertation research. The committee will also administer

both Phase I and Phase II of the Qualifying Exam and the final defense of their thesis. To help ensure

that the committee make up provides a breadth of guidance and has a range of experience, the student

and preceptor should feel free to consult with the DGS regarding prospective committee members.

Once a potential slate of committee members is decided upon, it must be approved by the MPI Graduate

Education Committee (GEC). The student should submit to the DGS the list of prospective committee

members

, a description for each member indicating why, relative to the thesis research, the particular

faculty member has been selected

, and list any potential conflicts of interest. The form for submitting

this information is available from the MPI Program Manager. The DGS will submit the proposed

committee members to the MPI Graduate Education Committee (GEC) for advice and consent. After

obtaining approval from the GEC, the student may contact the faculty to determine their willingness and

availability to serve. Faculty members should not be asked to serve on the committee until the list has

been approved by the DGS and GEC.

After faculty members have agreed to serve on the committee and a chair chosen, a "Request to Appoint

a Thesis Committee" form should be completed and submitted to the Graduate School. The Graduate

School then officially appoints the committee and notifies each member. The "Request to Appoint a

Thesis Committee" form and other forms can be found on the Graduate School website

https://gradschool.vanderbilt.edu/academics/forms_timeline.php

.The completed form should be

submitted to Liz Roelofsz, who will obtain signatures and submit it to the Graduate School.

The Chair of the Thesis Advisory Committee should be selected by the Thesis Advisor and the student

in consultation with the DGS. In general, the Chair of the committee should be a tenured member of the

MPI program.

*All primary and secondary graduate faculty within the Molecular Pathogenesis division are members of

both the MPI and MHI programs.

E. Phase I Planning Meeting

In the student’s first year in the MPI program (preferably in November or December), they will meet with

their committee for the initial Phase I Planning Meeting prior to their Phase II Qualifying Exam. During

this meeting, the committee will (1) evaluate the student’s ability to independently define a basic scientific

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research question, evaluate relevant literature, and propose critical experiments to address the question;

and (2) explore the student’s basic knowledge in the field of immunology and pathology (3) determine if

the student is ready to begin undertaking independent research. The goals of the meeting are to introduce

the student to thesis committee members and the process of a committee meeting, to provide

constructive guidance early in a project, and to help prepare students for their Ph.D. Qualifying Exam,

which will happen about a year later. For this reason, the Phase I meeting will follow a similar format to

that of the qualifying exam. Since MSTP students begin their lab work later, they may schedule their

Phase I meeting early in the Winter/Spring semester but should do so as soon as they feel prepared in

their G1 year.

For the Phase I meeting, the student is required to develop a set of specific aims based on the research

they plan to undertake in the Thesis Advisor’s laboratory and defend the aims and their rationale before

the Thesis Advisory Committee. A one-page outline of the specific aims (following the guidelines and

rules for the aims section of an NIH F31 grant) must be submitted to the Thesis Advisory Committee and

DGS at least 10 days prior to the date of the meeting. This document should be prepared in consultation

with the thesis mentor. Although the Aims document will only be one page, the student should come to

the meeting prepared to 1) explain and defend the hypothesis to be tested and explain how the specific

aims directly address the hypothesis, 2) why the proposed experimental approach and design were

selected, 3) what outcomes are anticipated for each aim, and 4) what problems with the approach might

be encountered. In addition, the student should provide the committee with a written list of ten key journal

articles they found the most critical in developing their hypothesis. The list should also include 2-3 bullet

points for each paper that highlight the importance of these papers to the hypothesis. During the meeting,

the student should be prepared to discuss how these papers contributed to their hypothesis and research

design.

The format of the Phase I meeting is left to the committee to decide but generally the student will prepare

a short (~20 minute) presentation of their hypothesis, their specific aims, and their approach to testing

their hypothesis and achieving their specific aims. The committee will ask questions during and after the

presentation. It is important that the committee ask questions focused on the proposal to be able to

evaluate the student's ability to define a basic research question and propose experiments to address

that question. Equally important, the committee should ask questions to assess the student's breadth of

knowledge of basic immunology and cell pathology as it relates to their proposal. While the amount of

time allotted for each of these areas is not specified, it is important that sufficient questions are asked to

determine if the student is prepared to proceed with the dissertation proposal and thesis research and to

allow the committee to provide the student with substantive feedback regarding areas that need to be

improved prior to taking their Qualifying exam.

Similar to a regular committee meeting or the Qualifying exam, the Phase I Meeting should last no longer

than two hours. During the meeting, the thesis advisor must not participate in the questioning or

discussion. If the committee finds a sufficient gap in knowledge or experimental plans, students may be

asked to seek additional coursework, re-write the specific aims page, or repeat the Phase I meeting,

although the latter is considered only in rare circumstances.

To ensure that the Phase I meeting occurs prior to the end of December, the student should finalize the

date of the meeting as soon as possible after the specific aims have been determined, recognizing that

the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is usually a difficult time to schedule meetings. The student

should notify the MPI Director of Graduate Studies and the Program Manager as soon as a meeting date

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is finalized. The Program Manager can help arrange a suitable room for the meeting. Notification of the

date and scheduling of a room should be completed no less than four weeks in advance of the meeting.

A student should feel free to use the revised aims page, as well as an expanded document describing

the experiments to accomplish the specific aims, as the written material for the "Research Proposals:

Preparation & Critical Review" course.

Following the Phase I meeting, the Chair of the committee should meet with the student to discuss how

the student did and pass on any comments from committee members. The chair will also author a letter

indicating those aspects of the exam in which the student performed well and indicating aspects where

deficiencies were noted. In the case of deficiencies, their severity should be indicated and a mechanism

for the student to improve his/her performance should be described. This letter should be approved by

all committee members and then sent to the student (with copies going to the mentor and DGS).

F. Phase II Qualifying Examination

A student must have completed at least 24 hours of didactic work prior to taking the Qualifying Exam.

Unless there are special circumstances approved by the DGS (in consultation with the MPI GEC), the

Qualifying Examination should be undertaken during the fall semester of the student's third year (second

year in the MPI program).

Once you have established a date for your Qualifying Examination, you should fill out the Request to

Schedule Qualifying Exam form and submit it to the Program Manager for the DGS to sign. After being

signed, the Program Manager will submit the form to the Graduate School. The form is available at

https://gradschool.vanderbilt.edu/academics/forms_timeline.php

For the Qualifying examination, the student must submit to the Committee and to the DGS a dissertation

research proposal in the format of an NIH F31 grant proposal. (Use Arial, Helvetica, Palatino Linotype,

or Georgia typeface, and a font size of 11 points or larger with 0.5-inch margins, no more than 6 lines/inch,

and no more than 15 characters per inch average spacing.) The proposal should include a Specific Aims

page (1 page) and a Research Strategy (Significance, Innovation, and Approach) up to a maximum of 7

pages (6 pages for Research Strategy and 1 page for Specific Aims). The Phase II proposal could be

an extension or refinement of work proposed in the prequalification meeting or could be based on a new

research direction as decided by the student and her/his mentor. The student in consultation with the

committee will set a date and will notify the DGS who in turn notifies the Associate Dean of the Graduate

School. The DGS and Program Manager must be notified four (4) weeks prior to the date of the exam.

The written proposal must be submitted to the members of the committee at least 10 days prior to the

examination.

The format for the examination will be determined by the committee but generally includes a brief oral

presentation by the student followed by a question/answer period. All questions should be related to the

proposal but can include general knowledge when it relates to the proposed experiments or outcomes.

If the student passes the examination, they are admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. If the

committee feels the student has failed the exam, they will be given an opportunity to retake the exam. If

the student fails the second exam, they will be withdrawn from the Ph.D. program. If, however, the

committee feels that the student could remediate the deficiencies in the exam, the student can be given

a "provisional pass" and asked to re-write all or part of the proposal or undertake other remediation. The

committee may also specify a time period in which the students must respond to the concerns. If the

student does not successfully address the concerns of the committee (determined, at the committee's

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discretion, either by written documentation or reexamination), the student will have been deemed to have

failed the examination and will be asked to withdraw from the Ph.D. program. By the regulations of the

Graduate School, the candidate has a maximum of 4 years from the date of passing the qualifying

examination to complete the Ph.D. degree. However, an extension can be granted when circumstances

warrant.

Following the exam, the Chair of the committee should meet with the student to discuss how the student

did and pass on any comments from committee members. The chair will also author a letter indicating

those aspects of the exam in which the student performed well and indicating aspects where deficiencies

were noted. In the case of deficiencies, their severity should be indicated and a mechanism for the student

to improve his/her performance should be described. This letter should be approved by all committee

members and then sent to the student (with copies going to the mentor and DGS). The Chair is also

responsible for completing all paperwork (REDCap SACs forms, etc) needed to record the results of the

exam.

G. Thesis Advisory Committee Meetings and Role of Thesis Advisory Committee

It is the responsibility of the Thesis Advisory Committee to ensure that the requirements of the department

and the Graduate School are met by the candidate for the degree. In addition to reviewing the scientific

progress of the student, the committee should be generally concerned with the student's development

during the program. Students should feel free to seek help from any member of the Thesis Advisory

Committee.

After the Phase I qualifying exam, the Thesis Advisory Committee should meet with the student at a time

about midway between the Phase I and Phase II qualifying exams to review progress. Following

successful completion of Phase II of the Qualifying Exam, the Thesis Advisory Committee should meet

with the student and Advisor at least every 6 months to review progress and to assist the student in

planning the direction of research. Most advisory committee meetings should last no longer than an hour.

However, the student should schedule the room for at least an hour and a half. This will ensure there

is sufficient time to discuss all necessary issues and for the committee chair to discuss the committee’s

comments with the student after the meeting.

The DGS should be notified of the committee meetings. Prior to these meetings, the student will develop

a progress report for the period of time since the last meeting. This report should be given to each

committee member at least one week prior to the meeting. The Chair of the Thesis Advisory Committee

will use the Student Advisory Committee report form (available through RedCap) to record the results of

each meeting. The student will make arrangements through RedCap and invite, via Redcap, the

Committee Chair to access the form. The report form should be approved by the student after discussion

with the committee Chair. In addition, the Chair should provide a letter to the applicant detailing the

results of the meeting. After discussion with the committee chair, the student should prepare a draft for

this letter that the Committee Chair will critique and edit as necessary. The final letter should be agreed

upon by all committee members before being sent to the student. Copies of the letter should be sent to

each member of the Thesis Advisory Committee and Mentor. Copies of the report and letter also must

be filed (via RedCap) and copies sent to the DGS. This procedure will help maintain open communication

between the student, thesis advisor, DGS, and the Committee. If a student receives an unsatisfactory

report, they must schedule a meeting with the DGS to discuss the situation.

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H. Role of the Mentor During Prequalification Meeting, Qualifying Exam, and Dissertation

Defense

Mentors provide a unique perspective on the student and their research. Their participation in committee

meetings is crucial. However, in the Phase I and Phase II examinations as well as at the final

examination, the student must perform unaided and unhindered. Consequently, mentors are not allowed

to participate in the examinations nor in the subsequent deliberations concerning the student’s

performance, unless directly called upon by the committee chair to provide clarification or advice.

I. Journal Club and Research Presentations

Written and oral communication are the key methods by which scientists communicate their work and

excellent communication skills are critical to scientific progress and advancement of one's career in

science. For that reason, MPI students are required to attend the programs MPT and journal clubs each

semester they are in the program. MPI students are expected to actively participate in discussion during

these sessions. Each year MPI students are required to present for MPT a 25-minute (presentation and

questions) update on their research. Attendance at MPT and journal clubs will be tracked. At the end of

each semester, the DGS reviews attendance records. If a student has three or more unexcused

absences, they will receive a letter from the DGS (and copied to their Mentor) reiterating the requirement

to regularly attend MPT and journal club. In addition, the students’ Committee Chair will be notified, and

their poor attendance record will be discussed and documented as part of the record of their next

committee meeting.

J. Conflict resolution

It is recognized that there may exist scientific or other issues that interfere with the student’s progress or

with the mentor-student relationship. The student may feel that his/her academic progress is being limited

in some way or is being unfairly evaluated; that his/her intellectual contributions are not being fairly

acknowledged; or that another type of interpersonal conflict exists. Students have several avenues

available to them to achieve resolution of such concerns. However, the DGS is always available to

discuss an issue. Students who already have a thesis advisory committee are encouraged to discuss

scientific concerns with the chair or members of that committee. In addition, students are always free to

discuss concerns with the Division Chief.

The counseling personnel in the BRET office or the Student Care Network are also reasonable avenues

to gain advice on resolving conflicts. Students should communicate any such concerns with the

appropriate persons while the problems are still in their early stages. If confidentiality is required, the

student is advised to consult with the counseling personnel at the Student Care Network

(https://wp0.vanderbilt.edu/studentcarenetwork/helping-others/)

It is the intention of the MPI program to provide a safe, understanding, and nurturing environment.

Students should not hesitate to bring forward issues of sexual harassment or discrimination of any kind

to the attention of their mentor or the MPI program leadership. However, please realize that faculty and

staff are not confidential sources. They are required by law to report any information they have about

harassment, assault, or discrimination. On the other hand, the Professional Counselors and Project Safe

Staff ARE confidential sources and can provide advice and direct you to other resources. Information on

Project Safe is available at:

https://wp0.vanderbilt.edu/projectsafe/

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K. MPI Policies on Changing Research Groups

Experience has taught us that despite a rotation system for choosing a mentor, not all mentor-mentee

matches are successful in the long term. If a student has consulted with their thesis committee chair

(provided they are sufficiently advanced to have one), their Director of Graduate Studies, and an Auxiliary

Mentor of their choosing, and come to the decision that changing mentors will allow them to thrive in their

graduate studies, the BRET Office will support the student during the transition to a new group.

Specifically, the BRET office will support any student who matriculated through the IGP, QCB, or was a

direct admit to a School of Medicine program that accepts students from the IGP and QCB, to conduct

up to two 4-week rotations in any group within the School of Medicine led by a member of the graduate

faculty that has expressed an interest in considering the student for pursuit of their thesis research. To

begin this process, please contact the Senior Associate Dean for BRET.

Process to document and mitigate issues occurring between mentor and mentee

1) The students’ committee should be vigilant regarding changes in the mentor-mentee relationship,

altered performance or mental state of the student, or if the student or mentor brings up issues citing

established and discussed expectations between mentor and student. In that case, the committee Chair

should contact the DGS to make them aware of these observations and seek feedback.

2) The DGS can meet with the student, with or without the committee chair or an auxiliary mentor (a list

of auxiliary mentors can be found here:

https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/bret/auxiliary-mentoring/ ) to

discuss the issue(s) and see if there is any avenue for resolution.

3) The student can also choose to meet with the thesis committee chair, or auxiliary mentor without the

DGS, to discuss issues and intent to transfer labs.

4) If the issues cannot be resolved, and the student decides to leave a research group, they should first

contact the Senior Associate Dean for BRET to initiate the process for interim support. At this point, the

student should also notify the thesis committee of this decision. This is important, so as to maintain a

professional relationship with the original thesis committee members especially if some of these

individuals may serve on the new committee, upon selection of a new thesis lab.

5) The student – as is typical for any professional environment – should give adequate notice (minimum

2 weeks) to the current research group. This should be done in writing, via email and the DGS should be

copied for record keeping. This should allow the student to close out their work in the lab with minimum

inconvenience to the PI and laboratory. This is viewed as a component of professional development. The

student should also again, notify the thesis committee, as this committee will change with the change of

labs. Before leaving their current laboratory, the student must submit their up-to-date lab notebook and

records to their previous PI and a document containing the location and description of any materials they

have generated or procured in the lab. Students may not remove materials or intellectual property

(including unpublished data) from their old lab without specific permission from the former mentor. This

is in accordance with procedures currently in place for departing lab members (graduates or summer

students and staff).

6) If the student wishes to stay within MPI, they must find a new lab by contacting the program faculty in

whose research they are interested. The DGS can assist in this, but it is the student’s responsibility, and

success is not guaranteed by the program. A proposed new mentor must be willing to provide bench

space, funds for the stipend and student fees including health insurance, all remaining tuition payments,

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supplies for the proposed project, and, of course, mentoring. If the student happens to be supported by

a T32 Training Grant, ongoing support may be possible pending approval of the Training Grant Director.

However, the student cannot assume that their training grant will continue to support them after they

change labs. If the student is supported by an Individual Fellowship, they must contact their Program

Official to determine whether their Fellowship support will continue following the change in mentorship.

Documentation of approvals and confirmation of continued support need to be submitted to the DGS for

final approval before the switch in labs can be made.

7) Once a new lab is selected, the student will reset their thesis committee in concert with the DGS and

new PI. Once the new committee is assembled it is sent to the GEC for approval.

Note that a student moving to another MPI laboratory may need to select a new Dissertation Committee

and will need to propose a new project that is distinct from that in the former laboratory (unless the former

PI agrees to allow the student to use some of their data or if the former PI has died). The new committee

may require that a student demonstrate sufficient knowledge in the new area of study through a formal

exam, a written proposal, or both. In the event that there appears to be an overlap between the new and

previous research projects or between the new project and other work in the former mentor’s lab, the

DGS, in collaboration with the Graduate Education Committee, will evaluate this. If they find that too

much overlap exists, a new project must be conceived.

8) The thesis committee ultimately makes the decision regarding whether the total body of work

constitutes a thesis. Therefore, During the first meeting, the new committee will outline expectations and

how the process will move forward. If the student includes data from their first laboratory in their thesis,

the original PI will have the opportunity to review the thesis. If the PI finds an issue with the included

content, the GEC will be consulted to arbitrate.

9) Students should note that the Graduate School expects students to complete the Ph.D. requirements

within 4 years after passing the Qualifying Exam. Thus, students who change labs should expect to

expend more effort in order to graduate in a timely manner or be in contact with the DGS, along with their

new mentor in order to request the appropriate extensions – as needed – from the graduate school. Do

not wait until it is too late! If you have something to discuss, please reach out to your DGS.

L. Ph.D. Thesis

Preparation

The Thesis Advisory Committee, in consultation with the student, the thesis advisor, and the DGS, will

determine when the student has completed the requirements for the dissertation research and is

prepared to write the thesis. Since the generation of original knowledge and publication of this knowledge

is felt to be an integral part of graduate education, the student must demonstrate independent scholarship

resulting in a tangible product before they will be allowed to defend their thesis. Normally this will be

demonstrated by the production of at least one first-author manuscript describing original work that has

been accepted for publication by a refereed journal. At the discretion of the dissertation committee, a co-

first author paper is acceptable for meeting this requirement as long as the committee is convinced that

the student has contributed intellectually in a substantial way to the design of experiments, analysis of

data, and the writing of the manuscript, in addition to performing the experiments. Recognizing the

diversity of scientific endeavors, at the discretion of the Thesis Advisory Committee and with approval of

the MPI Graduate Education Committee, alternative proof of independent scholarship may be accepted.

Alternatives might include successfully patenting a piece of equipment or technique or development of

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• Page 14 •

software tools that advance some aspect of scientific endeavor and are made widely available to the

scientific community. In deliberating whether a co-first author paper or alternative proof of scholarship

will be accepted for meeting the independent scholarship requirement, the committee should consider

whether the student has completed a body of work that reflects independent scholarship signifying that

the student is ready for their next step towards an independent career in science.

The student should obtain the document (http://www.vanderbilt.edu/gradschool/form_locator/

)

"Instructions for the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations" from the DGS. This describes the

requirements for the writing of the thesis as dictated by the Graduate School. If further questions arise,

the Graduate School office in Alumni Hall should be consulted. The format for the thesis is flexible;

however, the student should obtain approval for the format from the thesis advisor, the DGS, and the

Graduate School prior to writing the document. A suggested format is given below:

1. Introduction — Background of the problem (historical or contextual) and the rationale for the

approach to the problem

2. Methods and Materials

3. Results (en bloc or in sections)

4. Discussion of each section

5. General Discussion

6. Appendix — Reprints of published work, if not incorporated into the body of the thesis.

The student must notify the DGS and the Program Manager of the Thesis Advisory Committee

membership, date, time, and location of the defense at least four (4) weeks in advance of the defense

date. The student must submit a copy of the thesis to each member of the committee at least two weeks

prior to the final defense and examination. The student will fill out the Intent to Graduate Form and take

it to the program manager. The student will schedule an appointment with Liz Leis or Linda Harris to

review the dissertation format.

Defense

Graduate School rules for the formal Thesis Defense are laid out in the Graduate School Handbook.

Below are the MPI-specific rules for the defense.

The defense will occur in two parts. A closed exam involving only the members of the Thesis Advisory

Committee and a public exam involving a presentation of the research to the academic community. The

student should contact the program manager who can help the student make arrangements for a room

and send out appropriate notifications for each part of the exam.

The closed exam will involve the evaluation of both the written thesis and the student’s ability to answer

questions regarding their research. The committee must receive a completed copy of the dissertation no

later than 2 weeks before the exam. Failure to submit the Thesis to the committee by the deadline may

result in the exam being cancelled and rescheduled. The DGS will be the final determiner regarding

whether to postpone the exam for failure to provide the Thesis in a timely manner.

The committee will review the Thesis in advance of the meeting and, if significant problems exist in the

written document, the exam can be postponed by a unanimous decision of the committee (excluding the

mentor). A decision to postpone should be made no later than 1 week before the exam.

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Guidelines for reading and evaluating the thesis are the following:

1. The data presented are adequate in scope and no major questions arise concerning the

design of experiments employed to collect the data.

2. Introduction, Results, and Discussion are not flawed to a degree that requires drastic rewriting

and/or reinterpretation.

3. The thesis is well written, and the presentation is sufficiently clear to allow an unambiguous

understanding of the principal themes.

4. Overall, the thesis as presented is acceptable as the basis for the examination of the

candidate.

The closed exam will be conducted by the members of the Thesis Advisory Committee (except

the mentor). Other members of the graduate faculty may attend the exam with the approval of the DGS.

The DGS will make a determination about whether a faculty member's presence is warranted in

consultation with the student and committee members. The visitors may not take part in the formal

questioning of the candidate nor the decision regarding whether the student has passed or failed the

exam. The format for the closed examination will be determined by the committee but generally includes

a brief oral presentation by the student followed by a question/answer period. The exam should last no

longer than 2 hours. In determining whether the student has passed or failed, the committee will evaluate

both the written thesis and the student’s ability to answer questions about their research. At the end of

the examination, the student is asked to leave the room while the committee discusses the examination

and evaluates the student's performance. The student is then informed of the results of the examination.

The SACS forms may be filled out at this time but should not be submitted to the Graduate School until

both portions of the exam are completed.

No earlier than 2 weeks after the successful completion of the closed exam, the student will present the

public portion of the exam. This will be in the form of a standard one-hour seminar on their research.

The Program Manager can help make arrangements for this presentation and send out notifications. The

graduate school must be notified no later than 14 days in advance of the open portion of the exam using

the form available on the Graduate School website (see the Forms List Appendix below). Notification to

the Graduate School of the Exam Date will not be made until the student passes the closed portion of

the exam. Thus, if the open defense is scheduled for 2 weeks after the closed defense, the student should

realize the open defense may need to be canceled if the student does not pass the closed exam or if the

committee requires written changes to the Thesis document or remediation of some aspect of the oral

defense before certifying a pass. No exceptions will be granted except under extreme circumstances at

the discretion of the DGS in consultation with the Examining Committee. Students wanting to ensure

that they are allowed to participate in the Commencement exercises for the year they graduate

should make sure they complete both portions of the Final Exam well in advance of the Graduate

School deadline for submitting paperwork for Graduation.

The seminar portion of the exam is presented to the Thesis Advisory Committee and the academic public.

It is permissible for the student to acknowledge those who have helped them complete their Ph.D.

requirements. However, there should be no more than 2 acknowledgment slides and the

acknowledgment portion of the presentation limited to 5 minutes or less. At the conclusion of their

seminar, the student will answer questions from the public and their committee members. The public will

be dismissed, and the committee will make a final determination of whether the student should be

awarded a Ph.D. If successful, the members of the examining committee will sign the appropriate forms.

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The signed form should be provided to the Program Manager who will submit the forms to the Graduate

School.

Final Preparation and Thesis Submission

Following the examination, the student must, with the help of the Thesis Advisor, make any

necessary corrections to the thesis. It is then the responsibility of the student to submit the thesis to the

Graduate School.

The following items must be submitted to the Graduate School by the deadline listed on the

Intent to Graduate form:

1. One copy of the title page on 8.5 X 11 inch plain, white paper (copy paper is acceptable) with

the original signatures of committee members (month, day, and year of conferral date must be listed

on the title page—see selections on Intent to Graduate form).

2. One copy of the abstract on plain, white paper (copy paper is acceptable) with the original signature

of the dissertation director. Take a copy of the title page and abstract to defense to get signatures.

3. One photocopy of the signed title page on plain, white copy paper.

4. ProQuest Publishing Agreement (printed submission) or ProQuest Publishing Agreement (electronic

submission). Complete pages 4 & 5 only. Include page 6 if you elect to register your copyright.

5. Survey of Earned Doctorates http://sed-ncses.org. Email confirmation of the completed survey

to [email protected].

6. Curriculum vitae. Send electronically to [email protected].

7. Fees: The MPI Program will pay the 25.00 Traditional Publishing fee.

Electronic submission

Printed submission

$25.00

Traditional Publishing OR

$65.00

Traditional Publishing OR

$120.00 Open Access Publishing

$55.00

One check for the total amount due should be made payable to Vanderbilt University. Cash is accepted

in the exact amount only.

Thesis or Dissertation Submission

Students are encouraged to submit electronically. Printed manuscript copies are not required when

electronic submission is selected.

Electronic submission: Revise the title page with typed names of committee members, then convert

the document to a PDF. Name your file with your last name (for instance, Schemmer.pdf). Upload on the

ETD (Electronic Theses and Dissertations) website. There are no binding fees.

Authors determine the access to their work when creating their ETD account. Choices are listed

below. The availability can be changed at a later time by the author or by a graduate school staff member,

with permission from the author.

• Release immediately for access worldwide.

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• Page 17 •

• Restrict to campus access only. Will be released in two years from approval date unless the

Graduate School authorizes an extension.

• Restrict to campus access only. Will be released in one year from approval date unless the

Graduate School authorizes an extension.

• Restrict to campus access only. Will be released in six months from approval date unless the

Graduate School authorizes an extension.

• Withhold all access for patent and/or proprietary purposes. Will be released in two years from

approval date unless the Graduate School authorizes an extension.

• Withhold all access for patent and/or proprietary purposes. Will be released in one year from

approval date unless the Graduate School authorizes an extension.

• Withhold all access for patent and/or proprietary purposes. Will be released in six months from

the approval date unless the Graduate School authorizes an extension.

Printed submission: Two copies of the entire thesis or dissertation, printed on white, acid-free 8.5 X 11-

inch paper, of at least 20-lb. weight and 25% cotton content, must be turned in to the Graduate

School. Copies must be sharp, clear, and free of smudges or extraneous marks. Text print must be

consistently clear and in black ink. Print on one side of the page only. The use of color in graphics, figures,

and tables enhances detail and is encouraged.

The binding fee is $38.00. Both copies are placed in the Vanderbilt University library system. The

electronic publishing fee is also required from doctoral students (Traditional or Open Access).

Graduate Student Travel

The Molecular Pathology and Immunology Graduate Program encourages all students to present at

national and international meetings during their training. Dissemination of research findings and

engagement with scientific peers is a professional obligation of being a research scientist.

In order to facilitate student travel, the BRET office has developed guidelines to help students navigate

the process of planning a trip and getting reimbursed for the expenses associated with the

travel. Students in MPI are expected to follow these guidelines. By following these expectations and

guidelines, students' needs will be met in the most efficient manner. Aaron Howard

[email protected] in the BRET office is the travel coordinator for Molecular Pathology and

Immunology Graduate students. Please read the student travel guidelines before contacting Aaron. Here

is the link https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/bret/guidelines-for-student-travel/

. Aaron Howard can

arrange to prepay airfares, registration fees, prepaid hotel, etc. so the student does need to use their

personal credit card. All airfare MUST be booked through CONCUR. Airfare not booked through

CONCUR will NOT be reimbursed.

Graduate School Travel Grant: Students are encouraged to present their research at major

regional, national, and international conferences. After completing at least one academic year at

Vanderbilt, students may apply for a travel grant from the Graduate School for up to $1,000 per budget

year (July 1 to June 30) for domestic or international travel. Students are allowed a total of three travel

grants during their entire tenure at Vanderbilt.

N. Master’s Degree

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• Page 18 •

The Molecular Pathology and Immunology program does not offer a dedicated Master’s degree program.

However, a student who has successfully completed 24 hours of didactic coursework and 30 hours of

total credits towards the Ph.D., can apply to leave the MPI program with a Master’s degree. In addition

to the credit hours, a thesis or other evidence of independent intellectual productivity (patent, published

article, new method development, etc.) is required. Two members of the Graduate Education Committee

will be assigned to review and approve the Thesis or submitted Intellectual Property. If the student has

passed the Phase II qualifying exam, the approved written Phase II Qualifying Exam document can be

submitted as the thesis. When all requirements are met, the Graduate Education Committee will approve

the request and the MPI Director of Graduate Studies will submit the necessary paperwork to the

Graduate School.

O. Unsatisfactory Performance and Procedures and Guidelines for Dismissal from the MPI

Graduate Program

A student must maintain a 3.0 average for didactic coursework to remain in the Graduate Program. After

completing their didactic course requirements, students will register for research hours. Performance in

the “research” course is graded as satisfactory (S) or unsatisfactory (U) by the student’s mentor for the

fall, spring, and summer semesters.

A student is required to meet with their advisory committee at least once every six months. During the

meeting, the student will update the committee on their progress and receive advice. Following the

meeting, the committee chair will submit a report and an overall evaluation of the student’s progress as

assessed by the committee members.

If a student receives a “U” grade for research hours, receives an unsatisfactory (U) overall performance

evaluation by their advisory committee, or if performance issues are reported to the Director of Graduate

Studies by the mentor, a formal review of performance will be initiated.

What to expect on behalf of the mentor:

• A student in danger of receiving a “U” in their research should be informed of poor performance during

the semester and given a chance to improve their performance. “Satisfactory” performance is that

which the committee determines represents adequate progress toward the Ph.D. degree during the

six-month evaluation period. While this is by nature subjective, it involves substantial effort from the

student and full involvement in the expected activities of the laboratory, including presentations at

group meetings, participation in seminars and conferences, preparation of manuscripts, study of the

literature, and regular meetings with the mentor. Students are expected to schedule their committee

meetings on time and meet the program's deadlines. A Satisfactory can be awarded in periods in

which no publishable results are obtained if the committee determines that the student's research

efforts and involvement during that period were appropriate. An Unsatisfactory grade can be awarded

when students show a pattern of insufficient effort, inadequate preparation, inadequate poor

attendance in the lab, or unwillingness to cooperate with the mentor.

• At any point, if a mentor deems that a student is performing below expectations, they should initiate

a discussion with the student regarding how to improve performance. If the student continues to

perform below expectation, the mentor should notify the Director of Graduate Studies and also

provide the student with a written document describing deficiencies and suggested ways the student

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can improve. Mentors should not assign an unsatisfactory grade in research without having discussed

the issues with the student and providing a chance for remediation.

When there are performance issues documented or an unsatisfactory grade is awarded, the Director of

Graduate Studies will independently discuss performance issues with the student, the mentor, and the

student’s Thesis Advisory Committee to ascertain the cause of the issues. Following this, the Director of

Graduate Studies will arrange a meeting, attended by the Director of Graduate Studies, the student, the

mentor, and, if necessary, the Thesis Advisory Committee. This group will discuss and document any

performance issues and agree upon steps to be taken to remediate performance issues. A memo

summarizing the meeting will be provided to all who attend the meeting and copied to the Graduate

School. The summary will clearly outline how the student will remediate performance issues and will

provide a reasonable timeline for completing the remediation. If the student repeatedly fails to meet the

clearly stated deadlines, resulting in two more consecutive “U”s, the Molecular Pathology and

Immunology graduate program may submit the documentation of failure to the Graduate School and

recommend that the student be dismissed from the Graduate School.

If the Director of Graduate Studies has a conflict of interest, the Molecular Pathogenesis Division Chief

may act in the DGS’ stead. If both have a conflict of interest which would prevent them from being

impartial in examining performance issues and help devise remediation plans, the MPI Graduate

Education Committee will designate a faculty member to oversee discussions and planning. If the student

feels that the graduate program has not been fair in assessing their progress and their attempts at

providing adequate guidance to remediate performance issues, the student may appeal to the Associate

Dean for BRET for mediating resolution. All students may also seek a success planning meeting with the

Graduate School’s Senior Academic Life Coach for advice and perspective on their situation.

https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/bret/wellness_resources_student_faculty/

Receiving 3 unsatisfactory (U) grades for research hours will result in dismissal from the Graduate

School. Moreover, no course credits are given when a “U” is awarded.

IV RESEARCH EXPECTATIONS

Students are required to meet with their Ph.D. Thesis Advisory Committee every six months or more

often if requested by the student or their committee. Students are expected to conduct themselves and

their research in an ethical and professional manner. The Thesis Advisory Committee, in consultation

with the student, the thesis advisor, and the DGS, will determine when the student has completed the

requirements for the dissertation research and is prepared to write the thesis. Since the generation of

original knowledge and publication of this knowledge is felt to be an integral part of graduate education,

the student must demonstrate independent scholarship resulting in a tangible product before they will be

allowed to defend their thesis. Normally this will be demonstrated by the production of at least one first-

author manuscript describing original work that has been accepted for publication by a refereed journal.

At the discretion of the dissertation committee, a co-first author paper is acceptable for meeting this

requirement as long as the committee is convinced that the student has contributed intellectually in a

substantial way to the design of experiments, analysis of data, and the writing of the manuscript, in

addition to performing the experiments. Recognizing the diversity of scientific endeavors, at the discretion

of the Thesis Advisory Committee and with approval of the MPI Graduate Education Committee,

alternative proof of independent scholarship may be accepted. Alternatives might include successfully

Pathology Graduate Handbook

• Page 20 •

patenting a piece of equipment or technique or the development of software tools that advance some

aspect of scientific endeavor and are made widely available to the scientific community. While tangible

evidence of scholarly activity is required, it should not be viewed as sufficient. In other words, thesis

committees will only grant permission to defend once a student has accumulated a sufficient body of

work and has demonstrated that they can answer questions about their project at thesis committee

meetings at a level expected for a student obtaining a Ph.D. degree from MPI. There is no requirement

for external grant funding or attendance at an academic conference, but these are encouraged.

V. TRAINING FOR THE PROFESSION

The emphasis of the graduate program is on research and research training in the areas of Pathology

and Immunology. This training is applicable to a wide variety of career options, and we encourage MPI

students to take advantage of the many career exploration and development resources provided by the

Biomedical Research Education and Training (BRET) office:

HTTPS://MEDSCHOOL.VANDERBILT.EDU/BRET/PROFESSIONAL-RESOURCES-2/

The MPI Graduate Program does not require teaching as part of the curriculum. However, there are

opportunities for teaching within the department. If a student is interested in training and experience in

teaching, they should discuss possible opportunities with the Director of Graduate Studies and receive

permission from their Thesis Advisor.

VI. ADVISING AND MENTORING

The MPI program views effective mentoring as a key part of Graduate Education. Each potential mentor

must first request permission to accept MPI graduate students into their laboratory. These requests are

reviewed by the DGS and Molecular Pathogenesis Division Chief. Past mentoring history is taken into

consideration before granting the request. All mentors approved to take graduate students have

completed mentor training through the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research

(CIMER) training modules.

When accepting a new student, advisors and their student are sent a copy of the “AAMC Compact

Between Biomedical Graduate Students and Their Research Advisors” and are expected to review this

document. The faculty member is also provided a copy of the “MPI Faculty Mentoring Document” which

lays out the mentoring expectations of the program. The student and mentor must discuss and sign both

the “PMI Student Placement and Responsibility Agreement” and the “Compact Between MPI Graduate

Students and Their Research Advisors” forms. The BRET office requires the completion of an annual

individual development plan (IDP) which reviews research progress and sets future goals and

opportunities for the exploration of career development options. Guidance regarding the continuing role

of both student and advisor at the various stages of the student’s training is addressed throughout this

“MPI Student Handbook.”

VII. PROGRESS TOWARDS DEGREE

The faculty in the MPI program are committed to ensuring that students graduate with their Ph.D. degree

in a timely fashion. The DGS monitors student progress and helps alleviate obstacles to timely progress.

Each student meets with their Thesis Advisory Committee at least once every six months. Part of the

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• Page 21 •

committee’s charge is making sure the student is making sufficient progress and has clear goals for

completion of their training. The Graduate School requires completion of Ph.D. work within four years

after passing the qualifying exam. In cases where the complexity of the research project or unforeseen

circumstances delay finishing within this period despite satisfactory effort by the student, the DGS can

request an extension of this deadline from the Graduate School. If a student and their committee feel

they will not be able to complete the Ph.D. requirements within four years, they should set up a meeting

to discuss the reasons for delay and help the DGS craft the request for extension.

VIII. FORMS LIST

All pertinent forms (as listed below) can be accessed via the Graduate School Website:

https://gradschool.vanderbilt.edu/academics/forms_timeline.php

Registration Related Forms:

•

Request for Graduate Credit Form

•

Request for Independent Study Form

• Transfer credit worksheet

• Permission to audit form

Intent to Graduate Forms:

•

Intent to Graduate Form, December

•

Intent to Graduate Form, May

•

Intent to Graduate Form, August

Ph.D. Committee, Qualifying Exam, and Dissertation Defense forms:

•

Dissertation Defense Results Form

•

Dissertation Enhancement Grant Application

•

Qualifying Exam Results Form

•

Request to Appoint Ph.D. Committee Form

•

Request to Change Ph.D. Committee Form

•

Request to Schedule Dissertation Defense Form — Must be submitted to the Graduate School at

least two weeks before date of defense.

•

Request to Schedule Qualifying Exam Form — Must be submitted to the Graduate School at

least two weeks before date of exam.

Forms for Faculty:

•

Petition for Change of Grade Form

•

Request for Change in Graduate School Curriculum Form

•

Submission of Final Grade for Temporary or Missing Grade Form

Pathology Graduate Handbook

• Page 22 •

Travel and Exchange Programs:

•

Free University of Berlin Exchange Application

•

Graduate Student Travel Grant Application

IX. Graduate School Policy on Parental Leave (October 2009)

Eligibility:

All students enrolled full-time in the Graduate School and supported by funding from either internal

or external sources are covered by this policy. This includes students with funding through stipends,

such as training grants or service-free fellowships, and students compensated for services, such as

teaching assistants or research assistants. Students supported by external funding sources may be

subject to additional rules of the granting agency regarding parental leave. Students are not employees

and thus are not subject to the provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Parental Leave Guidelines can be found at:

https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/bret/parental-leave-policy/

X. Graduate School Policy on Outside Employment

Graduate students in the Molecular Pathology and Immunology graduate program receiving

Vanderbilt University financial support or services must devote full-time effort to graduate study. Students

cannot accept jobs for pay within or outside the University unless prior approval is given by their advisor,

their Director of Graduate Studies, and the Dean for the Office of Biomedical Research Education and

Training. Exceptions to this rule include part-time internships and activities that contribute to career

development and that do not exceed the time commitment outlined by the National Institutes of Health,

service as course associates at Vanderbilt, and occasional and temporary part-time pursuits (e.g. house

sitting). Engagement in outside employment without obtaining approval may result in loss of financial aid,

including stipend.