Graduate students will encounter many challenges and stresses as they pursue their dissertation research. The progress made from ‘successful’ experiments can feel inadequate compared to the number of ‘failed’ experiments one has to endure. In addition, unanticipated life or external events can be further cause for disruption – and such patterns can put significant strains on the mental health and wellness of a student. It is important to recognize that successful management of, and increased resiliency to, stress is a combination of a student’s awareness of their state, the support and resources provided by their advisor and laboratory, and the support and resources of the Biochemistry Graduate Program and the greater Vanderbilt institutional resources available.
Students should be aware of the following resources:
One point of contact for a student is their primary mentor. Other contacts within the department are the Biochemistry Program Manager, DGS, and Department Chair. They are available to help advise and direct students to additional resources.
The BRET office maintains a Graduate Student Resource web page (https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/bret/graduate-resources/) that provides up-to- date links to school- or university-wide resources for students seeking more information about wellness, counseling, and urgent concern services and contacts. The Biochemistry website, under Information for Current Students, contains additional information on the services of the University Counseling Center, the Center for Student Wellbeing, and the Project Safe-Center for Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response.
The Office of Student Care Coordination, part of the Student Care Network at Vanderbilt, is a point of contact for students who may have an academic, personal, emotional, medical, and/or other concern. Student Care Coordinators individually assess each student’s needs and explore resources within Vanderbilt’s Student Care Network and/or the Nashville community to facilitate connections to the most appropriate supports.
The University Counseling Center maintains counseling services that can be accessed through the Office of Student Care Coordination.
Finally, the BSA has a Wellness committee whose mission is to organize events throughout the academic calendar that focus on community, boosting morale, and empowering Biochemistry graduate students to develop self-awareness, stress management, and mental resiliency skills. Moreover, the Wellness committee is a peer-level support group that can help inform students of the wellness and counseling resources that are available.
