Graduate Program for Veterinary Scientists/Scholars
Program Structure
The Graduate Program for Scientists/Scholars combines independent research with formal instruction and a variety of professional enrichment activities. The enrichment exercises aim to enhance the trainee's research skills and scholarship. Noteworthy features of the program include the delivery of training at a high level; its focus on developing critical thinking and communication skills; and experiences which enable scholars on the translational science track to maintain their professional skills during the research phase of their graduate studies. Trainees progress to independence as they gain knowledge and experience. The following schematic provides a timeline for the program.
Research
Experiential learning through research is the cornerstone of the Graduate Program for Veterinary Scientists/Scholars. Individuals appointed as "Graduate Scholars" are expected to earn the PhD degree. Research opportunities for prospective trainees can be ascertained by clicking on the names of participating faculty.
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Basic research is the centerpiece of the Scientists/Scholars Program. |
Trainees have access to state-of-the-art equipment and superb facilities. |
Core Courses
Contemporary training in biomedical research requires thorough knowledge of biochemistry, cell, and molecular biology. That need is addressed by requiring graduate trainees to complete three courses from the offerings listed below. All were selected for their content, rigor, and relevance to the program's objectives.
Core Courses for Trainees in the Comparative Medicine Program*
| Course No. | Title | Credits | Instructor(s) |
| BIOBM 6330 | Biosynthesis of Macromolecules | 2 | Roberts, Wilson |
| BIOBM 6310 | Protein Structure Dynamics and Function | 3 | Nicholson |
| BIOBM 6360 | Functional Organization of Eukaryotic Cells | 3 | Brown |
| BIOBM 6390 | The Nucleus | 2 | Lis |
| BIOGD 4000 | Genomics | 3 | Schimenti |
| BIOBM 4850 | Bacterial Genetics | 3 | Peters |
| VETMI 7050 | Advanced Immunology | 3 | Leifer |
| VETMI 7070 | Advanced Bacteriology and Virology | 3 | Staff |
| CHEM 6720 | Kinetics and Regulation of Enzyme Systems | 4 | Baird |
*Trainees are obliged to complete three core courses by the second anniversary of their enrollment in the program.
Optional Courses
More than 1,300 graduate level courses are offered at Cornell. Some are field requirements, while others enable scholars to increase their knowledge in areas related to their thesis research, personal interests and career goals. Optional courses are selected by graduate trainees in consultation with their Individual Training Committee; Executive Committee approval is not required. While scholars are encouraged to take courses for a letter grade, they can, with their advisors' approval, request a "pass/fail" assessment. Frequently selected courses are listed in the following table.
Elective Courses Frequently Selected by Trainees in the Comparative Medicine Program
| Course No. | Title | Credits | Instructor(s) |
| BIOGD 4900 | Manipulating the Mouse Genome | 3 | Soloway |
| BIOGD 6080 | Epigenetics | 2 | Soloway |
| BIOGD 6100 | Genomes as Chromosomes | 3 | O'Brien, Cohen |
| BIOGD 6110 | Genome Maintenance Mechanisms | 1 | Weiss |
| BIOGD 6120 | Model Genetic Organisms | 1 | Schimenti |
| BIOGD 6200 | Evolutionary Genomics of Bacteria | 1 | Stanhope |
| BIOGD 6820 | Fertilization and the Early Embryo | 2 | Wolfner |
| BIOGD 6870 | Developmental Genetics | 2 | Kemphues |
| BIOGD 6890 | Cellular Basis of Development | 2 | Liu |
| BIOBM 4370 | Regulation of Cell Proliferation Senescence and Death | 2 | Lee |
| BIOBM 4380 | The RNA World | 3 | Ke |
| BIOBM 4390 | Molecular Basis of Human Disease | 3 | Kraus |
| BIOBM 4400 | Laboratory in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | 4 | Ely, Nivison |
| VETMI 7250 | Mechanisms of Microbial Pathogenesis | 3 | Staff |
| VETMM 7030 | Receptor-Ligand Interactions | 2 | Weiland, Oswald |
| VETMM 7050 | Chemistry and Biology of Cell Signaling | 2 | Cerione |
| VETMM 7060 | Growth Factor-Coupled Signaling | 0.5 | Cerione |
| VTPMD 6660 | Advanced Methods in Epidemiology | 3 | Gröhn |
Biostatistics
Knowledge of statistics and experimental design is required to properly design experiments that yield mathematically significant data and answer important questions in an objective and definitive manner. The value of such skills is recognized in the provision that graduate scholars complete an advanced course in biostatistics and experimental design before the second anniversary of their enrollment. Clinical Biostatistics (VTPMD 7070) was developed expressly for that purpose. It is recommended to scholars who have not already fulfilled the biostatistics requirement. VTPMD 7070 emphasizes design principles, applications of statistical methods, and the use of relevant data sets, personal computers and commercial software. The course also includes instruction in design strategies and analytical techniques used frequently by veterinary scientists. Preference is given to individuals enrolled in the Graduate Program for Veterinary Scientists/Scholars.
Methods Minicourse
A Methods Minicourse is an obligatory feature of the program. It is offered in alternative years. The course is limited to program participants and is offered without credit. Its purpose is to acquaint trainees with a wider range of experimental methods than they might otherwise learn. Graduate scholars are required to complete the course before the third anniversary of their enrollment.
Topics discussed in the most recent course are listed below.
Methods Minicourse
| Date | Topic | Instructor(s) |
| July 1 | Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy | Scidmore |
| July 8 | Time Lapse Photography | Baines |
| July 15 | Electron Microscopy | Whittaker |
| July 22 | Insulin Secretion | Sharp |
| July 29 | Phagosome Isolation | Russell |
| August 5 | Membrane Components | Roberson |
| August 12 | Cell Migration/Proliferation | Guan |
| August 19 | Gene Targeting | Kotlikoff |
| August 26 | In Site Hybridization | Gunn |
| September 2 | X-Ray Crystalography | Cerione |
| September 9 | NMR Spectroscopy | Oswald |
Biomedical Ethics
Instruction in the proper conduct of research is a mandated feature of the program. Several ethics courses and seminar series are offered through the Cornell Graduate School. Program participants must complete an ethics course or provide evidence of faithful participation in a relevant seminar series before the end of their second year after enrollment.
Seminars in Comparative Medicine
A seminar series has been developed expressly for the program. It features speakers whose research focuses on models of animal or human diseases. Emphasis is placed on the analysis of disease processes at the cellular or molecular level. Program participants attend these seminars and take part in private meetings with the speakers.
Professional Enrichment 
Group meetings involving trainees and faculty are important features of the program. The meetings are organized at a field, department or laboratory level. They include journal clubs, conferences, seminars and special lectures. All encourage creativity and broaden the trainee knowledge while simultaneously honing the individual's critical capacity and communication skills. Participation is arranged by the scholar in consultation with his or her faculty advisor.
Scholars describe their
research finding in
seminars and meetings
Research Proposals
A research proposal can be an effective training instrument. Its preparation encourages the individual to: 1) organize his or her thinking, to critically evaluate existing knowledge related to one's thesis research, 2) develop hypotheses, and 3) design experiments to test hypotheses in a logical and connected way. The skills needed to prepare a proposal that is strong, well-organized and lucid are best acquired under the guidance of a successful mentor. The process requires time and patience, but the benefits justify the investment. A properly crafted proposal becomes a model for future proposals in which trainees hone their scholarly attributes while assuming greater independence.
Program scholars are obliged to prepare a fellowship application for submission to an external sponsor by the first anniversary of their enrollment. The most frequently chosen instrument is an NIH National Research Service Award (NRSA); however, other fellowships which are awarded through a credible process of peer review are also acceptable. Students on the translational science track are encouraged to compete for more advanced training awards such as a NIH Special Emphasis Research Career Award (SERCA-K01) or a Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award (MCSDA-K08).
Clinical and Service Activities
Scholars on the translational science track who receive a "K" award and have not yet been awarded the PhD degree can maintain their professional skills by devoting up to 10% of their professional effort to service or clinical duties, clinical conferences, or teaching in areas that conform to the individual's specialty interest and career goals. After receiving the PhD degree, clinical and service activities can be increased but must not exceed 25% of the individual's professional effort.
PhD Degree
Graduate students enrolled in the Scientists/Scholars Program are expected to earn the PhD degree. The average period of training is 4.2 years. Scholars typically take the Admission to Candidacy ("A") Examination before the second anniversary of their enrollment. The examination is administered by the student's Individual Training Committee. It includes both written and oral components. Successful completion of the A Exam is required for continued enrollment in the Scientist/Scholars Program. A final ("B") examination is scheduled at the conclusion of the student's period of graduate study. The B Examination takes the form of an open seminar followed by a defense of a written thesis.