The exact timing of when the student completes the required hours BCHM 8999/9999 needed to reach the 72 hour total for the Ph.D. program is flexible.
In addition to the Graduate School requirement for an overall ‘B’ average, the Department of Biochemistry stipulates that students who obtain one ‘F’ or 2 ‘C’s in any courses, which include first year IGP/QCB courses, will not be permitted to continue. Exceptions to this rule will be permitted only by consent of the Biochemistry Graduate Education Advisory Committee. Any such exceptions will include probationary conditions.
Expectations of Graduate Student Full-time Effort
Graduate students in the Biochemistry 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, the 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.
Student and Advisor Expectations and the Laboratory Compact
The primary goal of the laboratory rotation process is to provide a structured opportunity for students and principal investigators to find a mutual match. There is no ‘perfect’ rotation format that will provide a student and advisor a truly comprehensive sense of whether an optimal match was made. Context-specific stressors often arise well after the rotation period – and these unanticipated events can present as a significant challenge to the interpersonal relationship between advisor and trainee. These challenges often derive from or are exacerbated by an insufficient level of communication regarding the expectations of student and advisor with each other. To improve communication and avoid surprises, advisors that train graduate students of the Biochemistry Graduate Program are required to have a Laboratory Compact that they share with students upon their entry into their respective laboratory (or earlier). The intent of the laboratory compact is NOT to strictly standardize the expectations between students and advisors across the entire Biochemistry graduate program. Rather, the laboratory compact is intended to serve as a transparent communication tool that defines the ground rules specific for a given lab and its unique culture. It should outline the responsibilities of both the student and mentor. The laboratory compact is expected to include, but is not limited to, the following topics:
• Work hour and attendance expectations including vacation policy
• Expectations for how to be a good laboratory citizen
• Expectations for record keeping including laboratory notebooks and data archiving
• Expectations for scholarly development and training
• Expectations for participation in seminars, lab meetings, journal clubs, Biochemistry
department activities, and other events.
• Description of the manuscript preparation and publication process.
• Responsibilities of the mentor such as providing resources, advice, evaluation, etc…
The laboratory compact is a tool for both the mentor and student. It is an addendum to and not a substitute for regular communication, completion of IDPs, and other advising activities.