Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences is committed to educating students who drive cutting-edge translational research forward and preparing them to become the next generation of outstanding biomedical scientists. Educational processes and outcomes are aimed at learning that supports students’ development as innovative scientists.
The information in this website is intended to help prospective students and others evaluate the Program’s educational goals and the student outcomes of the education we provide. We encourage prospective students to use this information to seek the right environment to pursue their educational and scientific goals.
Program Learning Outcomes
Our
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) align with the Graduate Program Mission statement to educate students to become innovative scientists, utilize an entrepreneurial mindset, drive cutting-edge translational research, and embrace the benefits of a highly personalized program.
- Research emphasizing creative and innovative approaches with an entrepreneurial mindset;
- Scientific communications emphasizing strong written and oral presentation skills;
- Strong faculty to student interface emphasizing a highly personalized program;
- Strong foundation in multidisciplinary science represent program learning outcomes that are tied to the mission of our graduate program. The program learning outcomes align.
Graduate Program Mission
The SBMRI Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences was created with a clear mission in mind: educating students to become the innovative biomedical scientists of the future. Our vision: with state-of-the-art technology, an entrepreneurial mindset and a highly personalized program, we are dedicated to educating students to drive cutting-edge translational research forward and preparing them to become the next generation of outstanding biomedical scientists.
Because GSBS has only one program, our
Student Learning Outcomes
(SLOs) overlap substantially with our PLOs. Scientific writing, oral presentation skills and research skills are measured through our rubrics.
- Research Skills: Graduates will demonstrate state-of-the-art scientific knowledge and commensurate technical skills. Beginning with their first laboratory experiments they will have progressed to be an accomplished experimental scientist by graduation.
- Scientific Writing and Oral Presentation Skills: Through innovative teaching methods (tutorials and problem-based learning), graduates will enjoy strengthened scientific writing and oral skills through data presentations, campus seminar and program activities. By graduation they should be able to write and publish a scientific paper, and be able to confidently present their research to an expert audience.
- Creative and Innovative Thinking and Problem Solving: Students learn to become innovative and creative scientists through their problem-based course work in our specialized courses, through responses to tutorials. AS they progress, students apply and hone their creative, innovative skills to solve problems related to their thesis research.
- Demonstrative Understanding of Multidisciplinary Science: Core and elective curriculum classes will allow students to develop strengths in
more than one discipline. Multidisciplinary science is a highlight of the program, and graduates should aim to be experts in the theory and practice of at least two scientific disciplines.
Course Learning Outcomes
Our
Course Learning Outcomes are incorporated into all courses and tutorials. Students are asked to assess their mastery of the course learning outcomes through the course/tutorial evaluation system.
Student Survey Results
We frequently
Survey Students to gain a better understanding of the degree to which specific learning and teaching objectives are being met. The results provide insight into strengths and challenges and allow us to enhance out educational process.
Retention and Graduation rates as of December 2010 are shown below.
We are a young program, and as of March 2011 GSBS has graduated 2 students. Our two recent graduates have obtained positions in academia, one as Attending and Physician Scientist at University Hospital Zurich, and the other as a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Tony Hunter at The Salk Institute. Both institutions are top research facilities in the respective countries.
Alumni Placement
Retention of current students: numbers, backgrounds
| School Year |
Number of Students
Entering Program |
Number Still in
Program |
Number with Masters on
entry |
US Residents |
Foreign Nationals |
Transfer Students |
| 06-07 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
| 07-08 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
| 08-09 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| 09-10 |
10 |
9 |
5 |
4 |
6 |
1 |
| 10-11 |
7 |
7 |
5 |
0 |
6 |
1 |
Student Achievement
In addition to graduation and placement, we measure
Student Achievement by publication statistics.
| |
2006-2010 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
| Students in Program |
26 |
2 |
7 |
10 |
18 |
24 |
| Scientific Publications |
39 |
3 |
6 |
9 |
11 |
10 |