Ph.D. Program

Ph.D. students follow the school closures from the GSBMS General Academic Calendar. Other items to note:

First-year Ph.D. students with advanced standing and first-year M.D./Ph.D. students may also sit for the Qualifying Examination upon the recommendation of their program.
Most students will take the qualifying exam during one of the designated weeks in either July or August. Students who have just completed their required coursework in the Spring term may defer until September, with the approval of the program faculty. Alternative dates may be scheduled with the approval of the Dean.
Students are entitled to two weeks of vacation that may be taken between the end of August and the start of classes in September. The dates of the vacation must be approved by their rotation or dissertation advisor and their program director. Second-year students should NOT make vacation plans that will conflict with scheduled qualifying exams. Students who have passed their qualifying exam may take their allocated vacation time at any time throughout the year, with the approval of their dissertation sponsors and if there is no conflict with courses in which they are enrolled.

June 20 - August 14, 2022	Meeting with first-year Academic Advisor	All new PhD & MD/PhD students
June 20 - August 14, 2022	Registration begins	All students
August 4, 2022	General orientation for new students; sessions will be held throughout the next week	All new PhD & MD/PhD students
August 8 - 12, 2022	Research orientation for new students; overview of research programs within each basic science department	All new PhD & MD/PhD students
August 15, 2022	Classes begin	All students
August 22 - December 16, 2022	Research rotation #1; hours by arrangement with Rotation Advisor	First-year IPP students
August 26, 2022	Research rotation #1; rotation request forms due in GSBMS office	First-year IPP students
September 2, 2022	Form Advisory Committees	Rising second-year IPP PhD, first-year AS PhD & first-year MD/PhD students
October 17, 2022	Last day to defend dissertation	PhD students graduating in December 2022
November 1, 2022	Last day to submit approved thesis	PhD students graduating in December 2022
December 19, 2022	Research rotation #1; deadline to submit rotation report (abstract)	First-year IPP students
December 20	Semester ends	All students
December 21 - December 30, 2022	Holiday break	All PhD students

November 21, 2022 - January 8, 2023	Registration	All students
December 20, 2022 - January 8, 2023	Meeting with first-year Academic Advisor	All first-year PhD & MD/PhD students
January 9, 2023	Classes begin	All students
January 9 - May 5, 2023	Research rotation #2; hours by arrangement with Rotation Advisor	First-year IPP students
January 13, 2023	Research rotation #2; rotation request forms due in GSBMS office	First-year IPP students
March 15, 2023	Last day to defend dissertation	PhD students graduating in May 2023
April 3, 2023	Last day to submit approved thesis	PhD students graduating in May 2023
April 10 - April 14, 2023	Spring break	All students
May 8, 2023	Research rotation #2; deadline to submit rotation report (abstract)	First-year IPP students
May 11, 2023	Semester ends	All students
May 19, 2023	Last day to defend dissertation to walk in May 2023 commencement	PhD students graduating in August 2023

April 24 - May 30, 2023	Registration	All students
May 11 - May 30, 2023	Meeting with first-year Academic Advisor	All first-year PhD & MD/PhD students
May 31, 2023	Classes begin	All students
June 2, 2023	Last day to defend dissertation	PhD students graduating in August 2023
June 5 - July 29, 2023	Research rotation #3; hours by arrangement with Rotation Advisor	First-year IPP students
June 9, 2023	Research rotation #3; rotation request forms due in GSBMS office	First-year IPP students
June 16, 2023	Last day to submit approved thesis	PhD students graduating in August 2023
July 31, 2023	Research rotation #3; deadline to submit rotation report (abstract)	First-year IPP students
August 1, 2023	Semester ends	All students
July/August, 2023 3 days (TBA)	Qualifying exam	Second-year PhD students
August 1, 2023	Declaration of major	First-year IPP students

June 19 - August 20, 2023	Meeting with first-year Academic Advisor	All new PhD & MD/PhD students
June 19 - August 20, 2023	Registration begins	All students
August 14 - 18, 2023	General orientation for new students; sessions will be held throughout the week	All new PhD & MD/PhD students
August 14 - 18, 2023	Research orientation for new students; overview of research programs within each basic science department	All new PhD & MD/PhD students
August 21, 2023	Classes begin	All students
August 28 - December 15, 2023	Research rotation #1; hours by arrangement with Rotation Advisor	First-year IPP students
August 25, 2023	Research rotation #1; rotation request forms due in GSBMS office	First-year IPP students
September 1, 2023	Form Advisory Committees	Rising second-year IPP PhD, first-year AS PhD & first-year MD/PhD students
October 16, 2023	Last day to defend dissertation	PhD students graduating in December 2023
November 1, 2023	Last day to submit approved thesis	PhD students graduating in December 2023
December 18, 2023	Research rotation #1; deadline to submit rotation report (abstract)	First-year IPP students
December 18, 2023	Semester ends	All students
December 21, 2023 - January 1, 2024	Holiday break	All PhD students

November 20, 2023 - January 7, 2024	Registration	All students
December 19, 2023 - January 7, 2024	Meeting with first-year Academic Advisor	All first-year PhD & MD/PhD students
January 8, 2024	Classes begin	All students
January 8 - May 3, 2024	Research rotation #2; hours by arrangement with Rotation Advisor	First-year IPP students
January 12, 2024	Research rotation #2; rotation request forms due in GSBMS office	First-year IPP students
March 15, 2024	Last day to defend dissertation	PhD students graduating in May 2024
April 1, 2024	Last day to submit approved thesis	PhD students graduating in May 2024
April 22 - April 26, 2024	Spring break	All students
May 6, 2024	Research rotation #2; deadline to submit rotation report (abstract)	First-year IPP students
May 9, 2024	Semester ends	All students
May 17, 2024	Last day to defend dissertation to walk in May 2023 commencement	PhD students graduating in August 2024

April 22 - May 27, 2024	Registration	All students
May 13 - May 28, 2024	Meeting with first-year Academic Advisor	All first-year PhD & MD/PhD students
May 28, 2024	Classes begin	All students
June 3 - July 29, 2024	Research rotation #3; hours by arrangement with Rotation Advisor	First-year IPP students
June 7, 2024	Last day to defend dissertation	PhD students graduating in August 2024
June 9, 2024	Research rotation #3; rotation request forms due in GSBMS office	First-year IPP students
June 21, 2024	Last day to submit approved thesis	PhD students graduating in August 2024
July 31, 2024	Research rotation #3; deadline to submit rotation report (abstract)	First-year IPP students
July 31, 2024	Semester ends	All students
July/August, 2024 3 days TBA	Qualifying exam	Second-year PhD students
August 1, 2024	Declaration of major	First-year IPP students

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBMS)