UIC MSTP Handbook2012­2013

Table of Contents1.) Good Academic Standing2.) M1 and M2 Years

Exemptions for MSTP Students USMLE Step 1 Preparing for PhD Years during Medical School Research Awards 3.)Transitition to Graduate School

Selecting a Thesis Advisor4.) Graduate School

DepartmentsClinical Activities During Graduate SchoolAwards & Fellowships

FellowshipsLocal AwardsUIC AwardsTravel Awards & Physician Scientist Career Development MeetingsMisc AwardsGlobal Health/Public Health Fellowships & Opportunities

M3 and M4 Years Clerkship Tracks

Scheduling Away Rotations

Residency Application and the Interview Process USMLE Step 2Forms and Requirements

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TransportationInsurance Campus Care

Graduate Assistant Dental Program Vision

Good Academic StandingExpectations and Responsibilities

To remain in good academic standing (and thereby remain eligible for continued financial support in the forms of astipend and full tuition waiver), MD­PhD students are obligated to participate in all required program activities. Theonly acceptable absences are for illness or academic conflict (a class, exam, clerkship, lab meeting, experiment, etcheld at the same time). Excusal from the MSTP activity based on such an acceptable absence should be obtained bynotifying the office in advance of the event, or (in the case of sudden illness), immediately afterward. The RequiredEvents and Activities are the following:

Every Year:

Fall and Spring: Arrange advisory conference with one of the program directors Update Profile Form upon request of Program office Attendance at all Evening Seminar Series Attendance at all Grand Rounds Seminars Attendance at COM Research Day with Poster Presentation by those who have posters Attendance at MD­PhD Research Symposium Oral Presentations Attendance at Thesis Defenses of fellow MD­PhD students Retreat Attendance Soiree Attendance

M1 Year

1st Rotation in entering summer MD/PhD ECM Discussion Group Lunch Seminar Series Attendance

M2 Year

2nd (or 2nd and 3rd) Rotation in summer before M2 MD/PhD ECM Discussion Group Lunch Seminar Series Each semester: GEMS Lab Methods Course, other Grad Class ( Ethics, Animal Use) or Rotation USMLE Step 1 by deadline set by OSA (summer before G1)

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Grad Years

Departmental Requirements for PhD Research Ethics Course (G1 year, fall semester, required for fulfillment of PhD) Animal Handling (G1year, fall semester, if required by lab and/or PhD department) Clinical Connections (20 hours per semester for 4 semesters during PhD studies; must be documented with a

signature of an attending physician) MD/PhD Grand Rounds 1—the research side of a topic (1, ideally after prelims but way before defense) Poster presentation at annual Research Day for those who have a ready poster and/or Oral presentation at

MD­PhD Research Symposium the night before Can also do other optional M4 electives, such as LPC, etc. Optional 1 wk back to clinic refresher course BLS Re­Certification (during G2 and G4 years)

M3/M4 Years

May start anywhere from June­January (the absolute latest). You MUST attend ECP&P during one week inJune for the M3 class you will be rejoining, even if not till later in the M3 year.

Arrange for 12 weeks of M4 research credit through OSA. Oral Presentation at Research Retreat or dinner seminar – a Synopsis of thesis defense seminar Second MD/PhD Grand Rounds­ the clinical side of a topic (usually during M4 year)

CURRICULUM SUMMARYAUGUST 2005 – Revised 2012

M1 and M2 Years

Curriculum

MD/PhD students complete M1 and M2 years first before beginning their graduate years. There are several reasonsfor this:

1. Many graduate programs allow graduate credit for medical coursework.

2. You will have an adequate basic science background for your research and the additional advantage of clinicalmedical knowledge.

3. You will have enough of a medical knowledge base to continue independent clinical reading and to volunteer in theclinics.

4. You will be exposed to the various departments throughout your two years of medical school classes. You will

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have a better idea of the personalities of potential advisors and the characteristics of each department.

5. After two years of medical education, you may have an idea what area of medicine you will wish to enter, and youcan guide your research toward that area.

M1 and M2 years – The M1 and M2 course curricula and expectations for MD/PhD students are the same as thoseof other medical students, with several unique experiences and exemptions.

1. Complete all tradition M1 and M2 coursework, except as noted below.2. Discussion meetings of the Essentials of Clinical Medicine Working Groups meet separately for MD­PhD

students.3. M2s enroll during each semester in one of the following: the GEMS Laboratory Methods Course, a different

graduate course, or a laboratory rotation.4. Students attend lunch seminar series of faculty research presentations.5. Students attend program­wide activities: evening seminars, MD­PhD Grand Rounds, Thesis Defenses,

Research Day, Retreat, Soiree.6. Students meet with MD­PhD Training Program Directors for advisory conferences in Fall and Spring

semesters.7. Students complete revised Profiles Forms annually upon request.8. Poster presentation at annual Research Day for those who have a ready poster and/or Oral presentation at

MD­PhD Research Symposium the night before.

Exemptions for MSTP Students

M1The only difference for M1s is in Essentials of Clinical Medicine (ECM). You will be assigned to a regular ECMworking group, which meets about 10 times during the year. The majority of M1 ECM meetings are to developclinical skills (both plenaries, working groups and hospital visits), and are required of all M1s, including MSTPstudents. In the spring, there are several discussion­based workshops from which MSTP M1s are excused. Instead,you will be in the combined M1/M2 MSTP ECM group. Dr. Tobacman will contact you to set up these meetings.It's a good idea to introduce yourself to the regular ECM faculty group leader, and inform him or her that you are anMD/PhD student and will be attending only the hospital working groups. Only Dr. T and your MSTP M4 will gradeyou for working group. If you have any questions or difficulties, email Dale Lorens at dlorens@uic.edu. She isextremely helpful to MD/PhD students who are unsure what to do. Pay careful attention to which ECM events arerequired.

M2MSTP M2s have one major differences in their curriculum from regular students which is in Essentials of ClinicalMedicine (ECM). You are not required to attend the weekly ECM seminars or small discussion groups. Instead thetime that is provided should be used for classes or research activities that contribute towards the PhDcourse­requirements or research. The following is a breakdown of the requirements for MD/PhD students:

Fall SemesterRequired: MD/PhD Working Group, Workshops, October Practicum, Any mandatory plenary StronglySuggested: ECM Orientation, Plenaries (in general) Optional: LibraryWorkshop

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Not Required: Regular M2 Working Groups, Group Project Preparation Spring SemesterRequired: MD/PhD Working Group, Workshops & Any mandatory plenary, January & April/May Practicum,Head­to­toe Exam, All written and OSCE final exams Strongly Suggested:Plenaries (in general), Plenary: Final Exam Review & Orientation to April/May Practicum, Plenary: M3 Prep (maycontain material useful for written final exam) Optional: CPR Certification Workshop(certification good for only 2 years), M3 Orientation (late spring)Not Required: Regular M2 Working Groups, Group Project Presentations

USMLE Step 1This is a comprehensive exam covering the material learned over the basic science years of your medical education(M1/M2). There is a theoretical maximum of 300 points (and 99 points on the alternate scale). The average score isusually around 220 with one standard deviation being around 20 points. Generally, the passing score is set near 185or so. Competitive residencies (Ortho, Optho, and Derm) may require that you beat the mean by one or twostandard deviations (>240) Set a realistic target score for yourself depending on your goals, and tailor your studyingtoward achieving this score.

Scheduling your Step 1 USMLE Youmust arrange your own testing date by registering for the exam near the beginning of your M2 year. The Office ofStudent Affairs will help you with this process. The amount of time that you should set aside to study varies for eachindividual. Typically, MD/PhD students set aside between 4­6 weeks to study everyday all day. That is just enoughto get through all the material, but not enough to get bogged down in details. Talk to your classmates and set arealistic schedule for yourself. Give yourself some extra make­up days as you will inevitably fall behind schedule. For a general training schedule, it’s good to begin studying seriously for the test towards the end of March as SpringBreak begins and to take the test towards the end of June. Do as many practice questions as you can in the lastmonth of studying. You should take the exam during the summer after your M2 year. It is generally easier to motivateyourself if your other classmates are studying as well, and the material will be fresh in your mind immediately after M2year. It is also advisable to take a practice test at prometrics to become familiar with the testing environment and testcenter rules. This test is only half the length of the full test, but most students find the experience greatly beneficial.

Study ReferencesThe MD/PhD library has reference and review books that you may use. As the library is currently under the honorcode system, please be considerate of fellow students by not damaging books or loaning them out to friends. If thereare books or CDs that you feel would be beneficial to you and other students don’t hesitate to speak with RobertaBernstein about purchasing them for the library. Many students tend to use First Aid for the USMLE Step1 as astarting point; however, you will need to use other references for long forgotten M1 material and for mock questions.The Board Simulator Series is a five book question series that simulates USMLE content quite well. Manyclassmates liked Kaplan, whether they enrolled in the full course or just access to Q­bank. The free Kaplandiagnostic test in March and/or the official USMLE practice test at Sylvan (you have to pre­register for this; checkthe USMLE website) are highly recommended. They offer opportunities to take simulated tests in similar, if notidentical, conditions as test day, as well as scores with which to gauge your study progress.. The Ridiculously Simple,BRS, Hi­Yield, and the UCV series are generally excellent, but the individual quality of books in the series will differ.

What can I do during M2 year to prepare for my PhD training?

Be familiar with department requirements: Talk to a more senior MSTP student in the department and meetwith the DGS to determine what your course requirements will be. Note that medical courses have considerable

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overlap with the core GEMS curriculum and you should be excused from several courses. There is much lessoverlap with bioengineering and public health, so be prepared to take more courses.

Take PhD Classes: It can be challenging to design experiments around lots of classes, so we recommend gettingas much out of the way as possible. Don’t go overdo it, but here are some safe options on doubling up medical andgraduate courses

Medical Ethics: All graduate students are required to take a pass/fail medical ethics class that is onlyoffered during the fall semester. It is typically a 10 week course offered on Tuesday evenings. All you haveto do is show­up, sign­in, and chime into to the class discussion from time to time. You may only miss oneclass in order to pass.

Animal Ethics: If you will be working with animals you must take this course by the time you graduate. Thiscourse is also a pass/fail course offered in the fall semester. There is a minimal amount of homework(think grade school handouts). You may only miss one class in order to pass.

Research Methods: Most departments require ­that students take 2­3 research methods modules. Eachmodule is devoted to a particular topic (separation techniques, mass spec, immuno, etc) and modules areoffered on a rotating basis. The popular/broadly applicable ones are offered annually others are offered lessfrequently. Each module only last about half a semester. See the course director, Dr. Hendricksonwhend@uic.edu to figure out what modules are going to be offered this year and determine if any areapplicable to your work. In the past Dr. Ho told us to not formally sign up for the course and if wecompleted it we would sign up the next semester and he would record our grade. This was a good fail­safein case you become overwhelmed by medical courses and are to sit for the test. I don’t know if the newdirector will be this accommodating, but it is something to look into. Note that BioE and public health don’ttake these courses. Neuroscience has their own methods course, but still require 1­2 modules of the generalGEMs methods courses.

Graduate School YearsGraduate School years – Students complete the coursework, examinations, and other requirements for receiving aPhD in their chosen field. The degree­granting departments or programs set these requirements, and agree to adjustthem for MD/PhD students to avoid unnecessary duplication of medical school and graduate school content. Inaddition:

1. Students complete the Research Ethics course offered by the College of Medicine, regardless whether this isa Departmental requirement.

2. In conjunction with another student, once during graduate school each student makes an MD­PhD GrandRounds presentation, on the research side of a medical topic, conducted ideally after prelims and well beforethesis defense.

3. To maintain contact with clinical medicine during graduate school, students complete four or more semestersof Clinical Connections (minimum of 20 hours for each of the 4 semesters).

4. Prior to beginning the M3 year, students may complete a 1­week clinical refresher course.5. Students attend program­wide activities: evening seminars, MD­PhD Grand Rounds, Thesis Defenses,

Research Day, Retreat, Soiree.

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6. Students meet with MD­PhD Training Program Directors for advisory conferences in biannually during theFall and Spring semesters.

7. Students complete revised Profiles Forms annually upon request.8. Poster presentation at annual Research Day for those who have a ready poster and/or Oral presentation at

MD­PhD Research Symposium the night before

Selecting a Thesis Advisor

The selection of your thesis advisor is an important decision that will play a great factor in determining the success your PhD years. MD/PhD students must select a research advisor by the end of their second­year summer. Although it is to your advantage to select an advisor early and to begin your research quickly, this important choice must be an informed and unhurried one since a poor decision may cost you time (and unwanted grief) in the long run. To aid your decision, we have provided a general overview of the departments and faculty available. For details, be sure to talk to other MD/PhD students and graduate students in the department or lab you are considering. Besides obtaining publication records, which are accessible through PubMed, you will find that the best sources regarding each lab are word­of­mouth.

When looking for an advisor, start with fields and topics that interest you. Find an advisor who has adequate funding, a good publication record, a personality or style that complements your own, and, above all, a vested interest in your success. Most students (and Dr. T) will stress that it is more important to have a good mentor than to be working on the exact project you want to chase down for the rest of your life. Consider the lab environment. The experience, willingness, and availability of your PI, post­docs, and senior graduate students to train you are key elements for high quality and expedited training. Hands on training will save you months of trouble shooting. By the same token, don’t join a lab because you like the students and staff. By the time you join, they will probably be nearing the end of their own training. Lastly, follow the money. Check out the PIs NIH funding on Reporter (http://www.report.nih.gov/ Ideally your PI has multiple large grants (R01, DOD, etc) overlapping funding periods (e.g. the grants are staggered by 1­2 years). If things look dismal, ask Dr. T about the PI’s funding situation. There are lots of sizable foundations grants so the lab could still be a secure choice.

Most departments will expect you to begin your research right away while taking your graduate classes. Discuss with your potential advisor and department DGS what classes will be required and what classes you can opt out of due to overlap with the medical curriculum. Each department has its own criteria for what courses it will accept. Take every opportunity to advance your research project, since that will be the main determinant of the success of your graduate student years. To secure a rotation you should call, email, or approach a professor on your own. The weekly MD/PhD lunch seminars are designed to exposed M1 and M2 students to the research areas of approved MD/PhD advisors. You can also obtain a list of research mentors and their departments from the College of Medicine Office of Student Affairs (OSA), and be sure to check with the MD/PhD office that the mentor you approach from this list is on the MD/PhD program’s list of approved advisors. You can also read about various advisors and departments in the monthly UIC Medicine magazine that provides detailed articles regarding current events regarding faculty UIH and UIC­COM. This magazine, which is mailed to faculty members, can be picked­up by students from OSA or at UIH. It is also available in the MD/PhD Program office.

Lab rotations provide opportunities to get to know several scientists and their research up close and personal.Selecting an advisor involves a good amount of footwork on your own. Take incentive to learn about research beingdone at UIC, then arrange to meet with potential advisors in person. MD/PhD students are almost always receivedwith great enthusiasm, and you can learn a lot about a faculty member and their lab just by speaking with them for a

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few minutes. The lab rotation system is the main method of selecting an advisor. Doing one month rotations will giveyou an excellent idea of whether the advisor and the lab environment are right for you. While you are interviewingwith potential rotation labs, you can also immediately rule­out many labs without completing full rotations in thoselabs. You are in no way obligated to do a rotation with someone just because you’ve met with him/her – the moreyou meet the better! Reserve lab rotations for those who make it to the top of your list. The ultimate goal of the labrotations is to find the best fit between a student and advisor. If you find yourself rotating in a poor environment andknow that it is not going to work, rather than stick it out talk to the MSTP administration and quickly find a newrotation.

The best times to do your rotations are during the summer before and after your M1 year, and after M2 year if youfeel you need additional time to find an advisor. It is typical to do one or two rotations per summer, depending onhow much time you spend with each lab. We would not recommend detracting from your medical studies to dorotations DURING your M1 or M2 year. It would detract from your M1 and M2 studies, and would not allow youto give the rotation the full­time commitment it deserves.

Remember that while you are evaluating labs during your rotation, the primary investigator (PI) is also informallyevaluating you during this time period. First impressions often last, so it is to your advantage to work hard and do agood job during your rotation, if you are seriously considering the lab. Choosing an advisor is an important decision.A good advisor can lead you gently down a path of achievement and open new paths for you during your graduateyears. A poor advisor will use your work as cheap labor and will cause you to languish for years. It is a good idea totalk with your adviser about expected graduation times. Having that conversation ahead of time ensures both of youare on the same page, and lets your adviser know that you are "watching the clock." He/she should realize thatMD/PhD students have graduation time constraints that are different from PhD students.

If you are considering working for a relatively new professor, first be sure that the MD/PhD program approveshim/her. Some students in the past have been stuck with advisors who were not committed to their students either interms of funding or a project. Also be cautious when joining clinical departments that may not take on many graduatestudents. There are always exceptions, but a collaborative mentoring approach may protect you from some of thesehazards. Dr. Tobacman is aware of these potential problems and can advise you properly about the lab you wish tojoin.

Factors to Consider in Selecting an Advisor:Research InterestsCompatibilityMentor’s Scientific ReputationStyle of the LabFundingFate (quality of life and later career success) of Past StudentsLength of Time to the Degree

Other AdvisorsAdvising at UIC occurs on formal and informal levels. Formally, you will have 3 advisors: Thesis, MD/PhD ( Dr. Tor Dr. Freitag), and an OSA advisor.

In 2008, the MSTP launched a new comprehensive advising­counseling system to better address the educationalneeds of MD/PhD students and the psychological­emotional problems that can results from particular stresses thatoccur at various stages of MD/PhD studies. The directors of the UIC MSTP counsel students to prevent problemsoccurring in difficult situations of each educational stage and to remediate such problems as quickly as possible if they

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do occur. This new multi­faceted approach relies on two permanent anchors of support for all students at all times:(1) The mutual experiences within cohorts bolstered by the strong feelings of camaraderie that are the special featureof our program community. (2) The use of the program directors, Dr. Larry Tobacman (Director), Dr. Nancy Freitag(Associate Director), and Roberta Bernstein (Assistant Director) who know the students best and are fully aware oftheir needs, as counselors­advisors. Each semester, each student has a scheduled meeting with one, two or all ofthem (as desired) to discuss progress and any concerns on the student’s mind. In addition, any student may requestadditional meetings with any or all of the directors at any time to discuss anything from urgent problems to generalconcerns or curiosity about subject or career matters.

Informally, more advanced students are among the best advisors. Among MD­PhD students, cohesion is facilitatedby various MD­PhD events, including an annual retreat.

Graduate School Stages

Courses, Journal Clubs, Lab Meetings, and Seminars Eliminate as many graduate courses as possible. Your graduate class grades are relatively unimportant (in sharpcontrast to the importance of medical school grades), and the classes are not as difficult as medical school classes.With a few exceptions of educational classes important to your field of study, graduate classes generally takevaluable time from your research. Note that each department differs in the number of required graduate classesbeyond the M1/M2 classes, and this number can be further negotiated with your department chairman or advisor. Journal Clubs are a way to help keep up with the scientific literature and to teach students how to read critically.Judging a paper critically may take much knowledge and experience, so new students should not feel insecure aboutinitially being unable to make astute comments. They should first learn by listening to others praise the good andcriticize the bad. This can be an enlightening experience, as students may realize that even poor research can bepublished in prestigious journals.

Lab meetings and department seminars are held regularly by individual labs and departments to discuss the progressof individual research projects and general laboratory issues. These are designed to analyze and criticize inherentproblems with research plans before they are carried out and to help troubleshoot for those who are stuck on aproblem. Presenters can use various media to help present data, and they should be well­prepared despite the oftencasual environment of these meetings. Seminars are usually lectures or research presentations, and at a gooduniversity, there will always be an interesting seminar given somewhere each week. The speaker may be local or avisiting academic professor from another institution. Students may occasionally be asked to give seminars, which maybe frightening at first but is an integral part of research training.

Scientific Integrity and Responsible Research (GC401)This class is REQUIRED for all MD/PhD Students! The course is designed to meet NIH requirements for formaltraining in the responsible conduct of research. It addresses ethical and legal issues in the conduct of research, andUniversity of Illinois at Chicago research standards, regulations, and procedures. It is only offered in the fall semester,so plan accordingly.

Specific topics covered are good laboratory practices; academic integrity issues including plagiarism, copyright,authorship, ownership of data and ideas; sexual harassment; scientific integrity & conflict of interest; human subjectsand survey research; and ethical issues in the use of animals in research. This is a 10­week course that meets onehour each week in the Autumn semester. Attendance is mandatory. If a student misses two classes, (s)he is required

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to provide written reports on the topics missed. This entails an analysis of any publication in the scientific or generalpress on the topic. If a student misses more than two classes, (s)he must retake the course. Each class consists ofboth didactic lecture by a faculty member and small group discussions. There are required reading assignmentsconsisting of case studies and selections from required texts (1.Robert Peters (1997). Getting What You Came For:The Smart Student’s Guide to Earning an M.A. or a Ph.D. Farrar, Straus & Giroux, New York. 2.Timothy Murphy(2004). Case Studies in Biomedical Research Ethics. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA. pp 368.)

Essentials for Animal Research (GC470)This class is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for all MD/PhD Students! (and required for all PhD students who workwith animals.) This course is designed to acquaint students with the regulations, sources of information, and humaneprinciples and ethical considerations involving the appropriate use of animals for research and teaching purposes.Completion of this course is a requirement for all graduate students at UIC using vertebrate animals for thesisresearch. This is a 15 week course that meets 1.5 hours a week. Additionally, all investigators and researchpersonnel including pre­doctoral trainees performing animal research on approved IACUC protocols must completethe on­line training course Animals and Research at UIC ­ What Investigators Need to Know and Why? Again, thisclass is only offered in the fall, so plan accordingly.

Getting Preliminary DataThis is the first task for the student in constructing a storyline for the beginnings of a dissertation project. Although thebasic ideas of a research proposal and hypothesis should be in mind as the student is collecting his/her preliminarydata, a formal proposal is not required until the Preliminary Exam. A student may use his/her own research ideas orderive a research idea from the advisor. Either way, the idea should be approved by the advisor because he/she willhave a better inkling of which ideas have a good chance of success than the student might. You may also try two orthree ideas simultaneously and go with whichever ends up working. This may be a tenuous and frustrating time periodas many of your experiments may not work until you finally catch scent of a working path.

Keep in mind that the point of the PhD is not to become famous but to establish a groundwork of skills that will makeyou a competent scientist. Therefore, a project with a high chance of success and publishing your work should be atop priority. Try to get your work published in the best journal in your field that will accept it. Standards of eachjournal vary, and a publication in a more prestigious journal will carry more weight. Experiments that yield onlynegative data are very difficult to publish.

Ideally, graduate education was modeled after the apprenticeship program. However, the system does not work thisway in reality. Much of a professor’s time and energy is devoted to writing proposals and securing funding. Inaddition, they must also help prepare journal and book articles, have teaching responsibilities, meetings,administrative duties, lab management issues, grant review study­sections, out­of­town lecturing, and think up newresearch ideas for lab members. As the professor may often be away, far removed from actual bench research, somemay have little idea how to use the latest protocol or equipment in their labs. It is the graduate students, postdocs,and junior faculty who are learning the latest techniques, working out the kinks, gathering the data late into the night,making the latest discoveries, and writing the papers to maintain the professor’s standing in the scientific community.During this time you may have to ask others in your lab for technical help with starting your project. It is most oftenthese people who will be your greatest resource in conducting your research.

Qualifying and/or Preliminary ExamsThe specific requirements of these exams differ from department to department. Some departments require acomprehensive written exam on the required coursework in addition to an oral presentation of the student’s research.Other departments may require only an oral research presentation. You should find out the exact requirements foryour department’s Preliminary exam (Prelims) and what the passing rate is. Some departments will have Prelims that

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are easy to pass, whereas others will have very difficult exams. If your department has a difficult exam, obtain copiesof old comprehensive exams or ask advanced students about past questions. The research areas of faculty memberson the committee are often topics on the exam since professors rarely ask questions outside their own expertise. Toapply to take the Preliminary exam (Prelims), a student must generally write a formal dissertation proposal forsubmission to his/her PhD Advisory Committee. In the proposal, the student will need to address the following:

1) Background of the proposed research in the form of a literature review

2) Significance of the research and how it will add to the field

3) Design of the experiments and the methods to be used

Details of exact timelines and committees will vary between individuals and departments, but the following will giveyou a general idea. The faculty committee evaluating your Prelims typically consists of five members that may, or maynot include your advisor, with one of the members being a faculty member outside of your department. Thiscommittee might also be your PhD advisory committee, which evaluates your Thesis Defense. You and your advisorwill select the members of the committee(s), and your Prelims are generally taken after one or two years of graduateresearch when graduate classes are complete. The purpose of the Prelims is to have your thesis topic approved andto advance to the next stage of the process as a PhD candidate, after which you will only be a dissertation away fromthe PhD. Students who do not pass their Prelims are usually given a second chance to pass another version at a laterdate; nearly all pass the second time.

A copy of the proposal is given to each member of the committee, and each member will drill the students withquestions intended to test the student’s knowledge of the work and the soundness of the planned experiments. Thecommittee should also give the student advice about modifications to the original research plan based on theirexpertise.

PublicationsYour goal as a student is to construct and complete coherent research projects which result in some relatedpublications combinable into a PhD thesis. When you finish your classes and pass the prelims, there will be a periodof time when you will be doing little but pure dissertation research. The committee should occasionally meet with youto evaluate your progress, make suggestions, and help solve problems. During this time, you should make significantfindings, which should result in a number of publications. While 1 is the minimum, usually 2­3 first author publicationsare enough to comprise a PhD dissertation project.

When you are ready to submit a paper to a journal for publication, you will need to decide which journal you willwant to submit to. The rough prestige of journals can be gauged by the Citation Index, which is a publicly availablerating of how many times journals and articles are cited. Supposedly, the greater number of citations correlates withgreater prestige. You will also learn from reading the literature the amount of work per article and type of work thatis generally published by each journal. This will aid you in selecting a journal for submission of you own work,although your advisor will also play a great role in deciding the journal. Usually you will aim for the most prestigiousjournal that is realistically possible and then submit to less prestigious journals if your article is rejected.

When you submit an article for publication, you will need to format the article strictly according to instructions thatcan be found on the journal’s website. Your article will be accompanied by a cover letter to the Editor­In­Chief witha list of suggested reviewers in your field of research. Your advisor will help you construct this cover letter and tochoose the suggested reviewers. Your submitted article will usually be reviewed by two independent reviewers.

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There are three possible outcomes of a submission:

1) Your article can be immediately submitted and published upon making some minor changes that may or may notneed to be approved by the reviewers.

2) Your article can be held without decision until the revisions suggested by the reviewers are addressed.

3) Your article can be immediately rejected.

Any of these possibilities is likely, but the second possibility is the most common. When you receive your article backfrom the reviewers, which happens in a specified amount of time, you will likely need to make revisions and perhapsdo a few extra experiments to improve your paper. You will then send back the revised paper and a new cover letteraddressing each of the reviewers’ comments. The comments must be carefully and tactfully addressed to facilitate theacceptance of your paper.

Awards & FellowshipsAwards: Funding your Research and Presentations

While your PI and the College of Medicine are obligated to fund you throughout your training, it is to your advantageto secure your own funding. Here is a short list of potential funding sources.

NIH Grants :

F30­ supports you during PhD and M3/M4 for $21,000 tuition, $22,500 of stipend, and $4200 formaterials annually. You may request up to five years of funding and potentially extend for a sixth. Not allinstitutes offer F30s, so look at the program annoucement for that application cycle to see if your researchfalls within a sponsoring institute. Applications are accepted three times a year (April, August, andDecember). The process will take at about 6 months from the time of submission to funding decision. Youmay resubmit a low scoring application one additional time or apply as many times as you’d like with a newapplication.

F­31 supports you during PhD years only with up to $21,000 tuition, $22,500 of stipend, and $4200 formaterials annually. Traditionally the F31 is for under represented minorities, but a few institutes like NINDSuse this for all MD/PhD students.

The Department of defense (DOD) offers something similar to an F­30. http://ndseg.asee.org/

American Heart Association also offers something similar to an F30.http://my.americanheart.org/professional/Councils/AwardsandLectures/Undergraduate­and­Graduate­Student­Research­Funding­Opportunities_UCM_322758_Article.jsp

Phrma Foundation: $18, 000­ 21,000 over a 6­18 month period for tuition and/or stipend.http://www.phrmafoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=93&Itemid=2

Great pre­doctoral funding search tool: https://researchfunding.duke.edu/

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AMA Seed Grant: $2,500 materaial grant, membership no required.http://www.ama­assn.org/ama/pub/about­ama/ama­foundation/our­programs/medical­education/seed­grant­research.page Supports (1) Cardiovascular/Pulmonary Diseases, (2) HIV/AIDS and (3) Pancreatic Cancer. Applications aredue in Decemeber and recipients will be announced in March. The grant period and project duration is up to one yearfrom the date of the grant check. Restrictions Seed grant funds cannot be used for salary/stipend,indirect/administrative costs, to hire a consultant, contractor, technician, assistant, or statistical analysis/support, andsolely for travel expenses. Seed grants will not be awarded to any applicant who has previously received an AMAFoundation seed grant in the research category in which they are applying. Lastly, this program is open to both AMAand non­AMA members; membership with the AMA does not factor into the grant selection process at all.

UIC Awards

Also take advantage of awards at UIC. They range from a few thousand dollars to approaching the level of F­30support.

Provost & Deiss Awards : Several thousand dollars for materials http://grad.uic.edu/cms/?pid=1000085

Pects: Similar to an F­30, for two years of support. http://www.uic.edu/depts/mcam/CCTS/REACH/pects.shtml

Deans: Similar to an F­30, with one year of support. http://grad.uic.edu/cms/?pid=1000091Supplemental Award:designed to pay the stipend difference between an F­30 ( or another grant) and the college of medicine stipend level.Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. http://www.uic.edu/depts/mcam/CCTS/REACH/pects.shtml (scroll tobottom of the page)

Misc UIC Materials, Travel, and Scholarships. http://grad.uic.edu/cms/?pid=1000541

Local Awards

Signal Transduction: I believe it provides one year of stipend support (NIH level). The application is sent asan email announcement to PIs in the know and is typically due in June, contact Steven J. Ackerman, Ph.D(sackerma@uic.edu). if you think your research may be eligible. http://www.uic.edu/com/bcmg/support.htm

Chicago Biomedical Consortium Scholar. Each CBC Scholar receives a grant of $5,000 per year for up totwo years to be used for academically related purposes such as travel to conferences.http://www.chicagobiomedicalconsortium.org/education/scholars.php

Travel Awards

Conference or society of interest

Women in Science: http://www.awis.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=511

UIC MSTP Travel AwardThe program will subsidize up to $300 per year (for everyone!) if you are accepted to present at a scientificconference. Once you are accepted to the conference, notify Roberta. After the conference keep yourreceipts and submit them to Roberta for reimbursement.

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HPSC: https://sites.google.com/site/uichpsc/grants­funding

Graduate student council: http://www2.uic.edu/htbin/codewrap/bin/stud_orgs/gsc/cgi­bin/travel­award.phpAwards are granted first-come, first-served by completed emailed application.

In general, as an MD/PhD student you can apply for either the HPSC or the GSC travel award ­ notboth! The UIC Graduate Student Council (GSC) Travel Award is available to students activelyparticipating in academic or professional meetings. To eligible applicants, the GSC gives awards of up to$300 (amount subject to change), which may be used for reimbursement of transportation, lodging,registration, and meal costs.

UIC Graduate School Student Presenter Award: http://grad.uic.edu/cms/?pid=1000086

Applications must be submitted before the closest deadline following your trip. Applications submitted prior to theproposed trip will be reviewed during the subsequent round of Awards. When a deadline date falls during a weekend,the deadline will be the following Monday.

September 30 (June, July, August, September)

January 31 (October, November, December, January)

May 31 (February, March, April, May

Physican Scientist Career Development Meetings are sponsered by the NIH for specific clinical orresearch areas

Neurology, Neurosurgery, Neuroopthamology: How to Combine Research and Clinical Careers inNeuroscience" symposium sponsored by the NINDS, AUPN, ANA and CNS. (2012 link)http://www.cvent.com/events/ninds­aupn­ana­combining­research­and­clinical­careers­in­neuroscience/agenda­1bf63b1805fa4b96bac91484a7615810.aspx

Infectious Disease: NIAID/IDSA Infectious Diseases Research Careers Meeting

http://www.cvent.com/events/application­for­participation­at­the­niaid­idsa­infectious­diseases­research­careers­meeting­2012/archived­6613baeea4b44c5ea1c1bdcd4a2ce652.aspx

Gastroenterology: AGA Attracting MD­PhD Students to Gastro

http://www.gastro.org/education­meetings/live­meetings/attracting­md­phd­students­into­gastroenterology­workshop

Global Health/Public Health/Study Abroad Fellowships & Opportunities

The Health Professions Student Council Project Grants. http://www2.uic.edu/stud_orgs/prof/hpsc/htdocs/funding.htmlMonetary grants which provide financial assistance to health professions student organizations or individual studentswho seek to complete a service project. In order to receive any funding, the student or group must be currently enrolledand seeking a degree in a health professions college at the University of Illinois. The Health Professions StudentCouncil attempts to support as many qualified applicants as possible. However, grants are contingent upon theavailability of funds.

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UIC Center for Global Health http://cores33webs.mede.uic.edu/globalhealth/cfgh3/cfgh.html List ofInternational Opportunities for Studentshttp://www.medicine.uic.edu/cms/one.aspx?portalId=443021&pageId=13862705

The Chicago Schweitzer Fellows Program is a one­year interdisciplinary, mentored fellowship programfocused on health­related community service and leadership development.http://www.schweitzerfellowship.org/features/us/chi/chi_app.aspx

IFSMA Medical/Research Exchange http://www.ifmsa.org/Activities/Overview andhttp://www.amsa.org/AMSA/Homepage/EducationCareerDevelopment/InternationalExchanges.aspx

CDC­Hubert Global Health Fellowship http://www.cdc.gov/hubertfellowship/More.html Goal is toprovide medical and veterinary students with a population health experience in an international setting for 6­12weeks. Fellows receive a $4,000 stipend to help pay for travel and living expenses while on the fieldassignment. Fellows are responsible for any additional costs. Must be A medical or veterinary student in your2nd or 3rd year when you apply. Applications for 2013­2014 will be accepted in January.

The CDC Experience Applied Epidemiology Fellowship http://www.cdc.gov/CDCExperienceFellowship/The CDC Experience Applied Epidemiology Fellowship is for medical students who have completed theirsecond or third year of medical school. This 10 to 12 month fellowship provides training through hands­onexperiences in applied epidemiology and public health. The fellowship is held at CDC headquarters in Atlanta,Georgia and begins in August. Fellows receive a stipend for living expenses.

CDC Epidemiology Elective Program http://www.cdc.gov/epielective/The Epidemiology Elective Program (Epi Elective) is a 6 to 8 week rotation for senior medical and veterinarystudents sponsored by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Participants have an opportunity to learn while working with CDC epidemiologists to solve real­world publichealth problems.

NIH Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars and Fellows Program (FICRS­F)http://www.fic.nih.gov/Programs/Pages/scholars­fellows.aspx The Fogarty International Clinical ResearchScholars and Fellows (FICRS­F) Program offered one­year mentored clinical research training experiencefor doctoral students and post­doctoral candidates in health­related professions from the U.S. and low­ andmiddle­income countries (LMICs), as defined by the World Bank. (See The World Bank Country andLending Groups to identify countries with low­ or middle­income economies.) All research training sites wereestablished NIH­funded research sites in LMICs, especially in Africa, Asia and South America

Fulbright­Fogarty Fellows and Scholars in Public Healthhttp://www.fic.nih.gov/Programs/Pages/fulbright­fellowships.aspx Fogarty has partnered with the FulbrightProgram, the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government, to

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promote the expansion of research in public health and clinical research in resource­limited settings for bothmedical or graduate student fellows and postdoctoral scholars.

Other Awards and Honor Societies

Be certain to seek out opportunities to distinguish yourself such as in the Alpha Omega Alpha Honors MedicalSociety, Sigma Xi Honors Research Society, and graduating with Honors to aid with your future career. Some otherawards you can pursue are located on the MD/PhD website at (http://www.uic.edu/com/mdphd). Again, theseawards and honors reflect well upon you and upon the MD/PhD program. You will also be exposed to plenty ofopportunities to win research awards and honors during the course of your graduate studies.

Writing the PhD DissertationEach department will have its own required format. Dissertations usually follow very strict formats and areprofessionally printed upon completion to be kept in the department’s archives. The dissertation will be over ahundred pages in length, containing an introduction consisting of an extensive literature review and an ending chapterof general discussion or conclusions. As for the substantiality of your project, your research advisor and your PhDAdvisory Committee will be the ultimate determinants of this. But as a general guideline, having 2­3 publicationsensures that each paper can form a chapter of your thesis and that your thesis will be substantial enough to warrantthe granting of a PhD degree. For details about the nitty­gritty details and regulations you must follow to completeyour PhD thesis, consult your department administrators, who should be able to provide you a set of strict writtenguidelines you must follow.

PhD Thesis DefenseAbout two weeks after the dissertation has been distributed and reviewed by the committee, the student will beinvited to publicly defend his/her thesis in a presentation which is usually about an hour in length. The committee willextensively question the student regarding his/her dissertation in a more private discussion following the presentationand will decide if the student will be granted the PhD. The committee may insist that some minor changes be made inthe dissertation which can be done before handing the final version to the university and officially finishing the PhDportion of the program. The student is unofficially considered a PhD after successfully defending his/her thesis.However, both the MD and PhD degrees will be conferred together upon completion of the requirements for bothdegrees Generally, the Prelims have to be taken at least a year before the defense of your thesis, and the thesisdefense must be held before you can return to medical school to complete your remaining years of medical training.This is a recent regulation that will be strictly enforced.

Departments

Available Departments SF: obviously the contact people need to change. Ask a G2 to be the contactperson and review with DGS

1) Anatomy & Cell Biology

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2) Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics

3) Bioengineering

6) Microbiology & Immunology

7) Pharmacology

8) Physiology & Biophysics

9) Neuroscience

10) Public Health

1. Anatomy & Cell Biology (Contact Juliana Choi: jchoi14@uic.edu)http://www.uic.edu/depts/mcan/

This department largely focuses on the neurosciences. Neurodegenerative diseases, acousticovestibular anatomy,and cellular biology are the predominant areas. Students can also work with a number of adjunct faculty with mainappointments in clinical science departments. MD/PhD students are required to complete 6 hours of 500­levelcourses. However, methods courses and basic GEMS courses may not be taken to fulfill this 6 hour requirement. Weekly seminars and journal club are required throughout the duration of the PhD. Also, all students must TA thelab component once for Neuroanatomy (full course), Anatomy (one section), or Histology for medical students. Inaddition, all students are also required to present their research at the Annual Graduate Student Symposium (everyJune), and have the option of presenting at the Annual Retreat. The Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. ConwellAnderson (conwell@uic.edu), is a fantastic resource and can help you with any questions, and the Department Head,Dr. Scott Brady, is excellent. The department in general is very supportive of MD/PhD students.

Preliminary Exam: Theprelim exam consists of both a written and oral component and is taken at the end of the first year. Students preparethree topics unrelated to their dissertation research. The examining committee, composed of 5 members, selects oneof the three topics and the student then prepares a 10­page, NIH­style grant proposal on the selected topic. Youradvisor cannot sit on your prelim committee. This proposal is handed in about two weeks before the oral defense. The exam will begin with a presentation of the proposals; however, the committee may interrupt at any time and askquestions. The questions may be directly related to your proposal or the questions asked may expand the discussionwell beyond the limits of the proposal. On average the exam lasts about 2­3 hours.

Doctoral Dissertation Defense:A pre­thesis is usually scheduled within one year of passing the prelim exam. For the pre­thesis meeting a 10­page,NIH­style grant proposal on your thesis topic is prepared and submitted about two weeks before the meeting. Thethesis topic is orally presented to your thesis committee. This is not an exam so you cannot fail. You must completeyour defense prior to returning to M3 year. Please visit the following website for guidelines regarding the preparationof your thesis. http://www.uic.edu/depts/grad/gcforms/thesism.pdf

2. Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics (contact: Evan Osmundson; eosmun1@uic.edu)

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http://www.uic.edu/com/bcmg/gradprogram.html

Recently the two separate departments of Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry merged to become the Departmentof Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics. This is a large department with diverse faculty research interests which canbe divided into 5 main focus groups: Protein & Nucleic Acid Structure and Function, Membrane Biology, SignalTransduction and Cell­Cycle Regulation, Regulation of Gene Function and Development, and Cancer Biology. Thediversity of faculty interests within this department is a valuable asset to students, particularly if their thesis work leadsthem into areas beyond the expertise of their thesis advisor.

Coursework: All PhD students are required to enroll in courses in the GEMS curriculum during graduate year 1.However, MD/PhD students entering this department may be exempt from certain coursework deemed redundantwith the medical school curriculum. Students should consult with their thesis advisor and the director(s) of graduatestudies to individualize a course curriculum. During graduate year 2 and beyond, students can choose from variousadvanced courses that specifically address their personal interests and research goals. These advanced courses are,in general, more oriented toward analysis of the primary literature within a specific area.

Preliminary Exam: Students are required to pass a preliminary exam at the end of their second year of graduatestudies. Currently this consists of composing a 10­page research proposal that can be based on a student’sprospective thesis topic. Students will defend their research proposal in an oral presentation given to his or herprelim committee. The prelim committee must be comprised of at least 4 faculty members within the department ofBiochemistry and Molecular Genetics and one non­departmental faculty member. The non­departmental facultymember will be replaced with a student’s thesis advisor to comprise the thesis committee. Choose a prelim/thesiscommittee wisely. Students should schedule a yearly thesis committee meeting to ensure adequate progress towardgraduation.

Doctoral Dissertation Defense: Requirements for graduation from the department of Biochemistry and MolecularGenetics can be obtained from the director(s) of graduate studies. It is now a university policy that MD/PhD studentsmust schedule and defend their thesis prior to their return to M3 year. A student’s thesis committee is usually thesame as his or her prelim committee, though changes can be made with the approval of a student’s thesis advisor.Once a student and his or her advisor believe that graduation requirements have been fulfilled satisfactorily, then apre­thesis hearing is scheduled, usually within 1 to 2 months of a student’s anticipated thesis defense date.

Please consult the director(s) of graduate studies in the department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics and theGraduate College for more specific information regarding thesis requirements. Directors of Graduate Studies: Dr.Lester Lau (lflau@uic.edu; 312­996­6978) and Dr. Alisa Katzen (katzen@uic.edu; 312­413­9215)

3. Bioengineering (Contact Arpita Kadakia: arpita@uic.edu)This department has six areas of concentration: Bioinformatics, Imaging, Biomechanics, Neural Engineering,Biomolecular Engineering, and Cell and Tissue Engineering. The exact courses required are outlined in theBioengineering Graduate Student Handbook. As an MD/PhD student you do not worry about Group I courses.These are basic science courses that you have already taken in medical school. Although you will not receive creditfor these courses, you are not required to retake them. In general, you have to complete 48 hours of coursework. Atleast 24 hours must be bioengineering courses. At least 20 hours must be 500 level courses excluding 595, 596, 599.

Unlike other graduate departments, this department will not grant credit for medical school classes towards graduateschool requirements. Therefore, to complete the required 48 hours, it is highly recommended to start taking a fewclasses during M1 and M2 years. While this situation is not ideal, and it takes away from the time you are able todevote to each class, it has been done. I would recommend taking one class during the summers before and after M1

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year, and then one class during M2 year. M1 year is typically very difficult and I would not recommend throwing inadditional graduate work. If possible, try to take courses that will not appear on the qualifying exam. I’ve found thatit is easier to complete the required courses for the qualifying exam during the first year, so that the material is fresh inyour mind. Dr. Richard Magin is very helpful in this matter, and it is advisable to speak to him regarding yourindividual needs.

Qualifying Exam: Studentsare required to take a written exam at the end of their first year in graduate school. It is scheduled for the firstMonday in June each year. The exam covers: Bioinstrumentation I & II, Biomaterials, Biostatistics, and requiredcourses in your concentration. Typically students set aside time away from the lab to study for this exam. You mustsign up for the exam through the BioE office and your advisor must submit a letter of intent for you.

A committee will review your exam and determine whether you have passed, passed conditionally, or failed. If youfail this exam you have to wait another year to retake it. A conditional pass means that you may have to retake oneor more courses. It is my belief that if you study in the same manner as you did for Step 1, you should have notrouble passing.

Preliminary Exam: Onceyou have passed the qualifier you have one year to pass the oral exam (aka prelims). The exam format closelyfollows the NIH grant application. The document is limited to 10 pages and should be submitted to the committeeone week before the oral exam. You will need to choose five faculty members to serve on your committee. Refer tothe graduate handbook for specific requirements.

Doctoral Dissertation Defense:You must schedule your defense prior to returning to M3 year. Ideally the dissertation committee should be the sameas your prelim committee, but it doesn't have to be. Please visit the following website for guidelines regarding thepreparation of your thesis. http://www.uic.edu/depts/grad/gcforms/thesism.pdf

Lastly, the bioengineering graduate student handbook has an excellent FAQ section at the end.

4. Microbiology & Immunology (Ryan Carr, rcarr3@gmail.com)

This department has three main areas of concentration: Microbiology (essentially Bacteriology), Virology, andImmunology. In terms of coursework, you should definitely take some Methods modules during your M2 year. Forgraduate school courses, you should discuss with your advisor what courses would be relevant to your project andcareer, and then meet with the DGS, Alan McLachlan, to formulate a plan. This can be done after you finish Step 1during your post­M2 summer. Most medical school courses will count towards the first year GEMS courses.Second year department courses offered are Virology & Grant­writing in fall, and Immunology & BacterialPathogenesis in spring. Depending on your needs, it should be possible to have only one year of coursework withsome first­year GEMS courses and second­year department courses. You should not need to take all availablecourses. Alan McLachlan is the DGS: mclach@uic.edu. Alissa Tira is the student coordinator: ajtira@uic.edu. Youwill probably need to email Alissa before registering every semester to have your hold removed. You should also betaking MIM 599 research credit every semester. The department also requires you to register for weekly Mondayseminars. Other optional events (check with your advisor) include weekly Tuesday journal clubs, and biweeklygraduate student Wednesday talks.

Preliminary Exam: Currently(June 2007) the prelim exam is a 10­page NIH­style grant proposal on your own research. The fall grant­writing

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course is on another topic. Dr. McLachlan will email you in spring semester to set up your prelim committee,composed of 3 core members, another faculty member in the department, and an external examiner. Your advisordoes not sit on your prelim committee. Ideally, you will submit your proposal some time in July, and present &defend it about 2 weeks later. There is no qualifying exam.

Doctoral Dissertation Defense:You must schedule your defense prior to returning to M3 year, although presumably exceptions have been made.Ideally the dissertation committee should be the same as your prelim committee, but it doesn't have to be. Youradvisor will join your committee and replace one of the other members. Please visit the following website forguidelines regarding the preparation of your thesis. http://www.uic.edu/depts/grad/gcforms/thesism.pdf

Lastly, you should attend the Orientation for new Department and GEMS students sometime in August to getupdated information on courses, seminars, requirements, etc.

5. Pharmacology (Contact Jessica Wilson, jwilson004@gmail.com)The department has several focus areas including Platelet Biology, Lung and Vascular Biology, and G­proteinsignaling. The graduate courses required by MD/PhD students include the following: four Research Methodsmodules, Receptor Pharmacology and Cell Signaling, and one elective course from the department. In addition, allstudents take a Research Seminar while they are in the program. This "class" consists of attending Wednesday andFriday seminars throughout the school year. Students in the second year and beyond are also required to presenttheir research at the annual departmental retreat (every September) and to the department in the Friday ResearchForum series.

Preliminary ExamThe exam in the Pharmacology department consists of a written component and an oral defense. The writtencomponent is a 10 page NIH­style grant that can be, but does not have to be, related to your Thesis Research. Thewritten component is turned in at least two weeks before the oral defense. The oral defense consists of a 15 minutepresentation of your research proposal followed by questions from your committee about your grant. The exam lastsanywhere between 1­3 hours. It is required that students take their preliminary examination before the fall of theirthird year.

6. Physiology & Biophysics (Contact Tammy Tamayo, tamtamayo@gmail.com)http://www.uic.edu/depts/mcpb/index2.html

The Physiology and Biophysics department is a fairly broad and extensive department encompassing: cardiovascularphysiology and metabolism (the largest area of research), cytoskeleton and vascular biology, gastrointestinal andepithelial biology, reproductive and endocrine studies, neurosciences, smooth and skeletal muscle physiology, andfinally, signal transduction and gene regulation. More so, in addition to the faculty of the department, Physiology andBiophysics has a great number of affiliate faculty, whose main appointment is in a Clinical Science department. Agreat aspect to the graduate life in this department is that the Director of Graduate Studies, Jesus Garcia, is aMD/PhD himself and realizes our special schedule, needs and our interest to get a committee set up early on.

Class work includes: 3 research method modules, a 3­unit integrative biology (development, cancer, immunology)course, a 3­unit cell physiology course, 5­units of elective coursework, continuous registration in a physiologyseminar for the remainder of your time in the department, and if your research necessitates, the animal­handlingcourse. Other than coursework, students are required to give a pre­thesis presentation to their committee very earlyon in their program and an oral preliminary exam that accompanies their written proposal (your prelim committee is

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not your thesis committee) before they are considered PhD candidates in the department.

7. Graduate Program in Neuroscience (Andy Czysz, ahczysz@gmail.com) http://www.uic.edu/depts/neurosci/program.htm

The Graduate Program in Neuroscience is now an official, degree­granting program. However, it is not its owndepartment. It is offered through the departments of Physiology, Biology and Anatomy/Cell Biology. Contact MarkRasenick (director) (raz@uic.edu), Arin Bass (coordinator) (bassami@uic.edu), or James Unnerstall (director ofgraduate studies) (sta1@uic.edu) for more information. The website is a very comprehensive resource for allinformation on the program.

10. Graduate Program in Public Health (Marisa Young, myoungest@gmail.com )http://www.uic.edu/sph/shandbook.htm

The Graduate Program in Public Health has been in place for a while, but until recently the MD/PhD program did nothave an established relationship with this program. The School of Public Health acts as the Department of PublicHealth Sciences (DPHS) of the Graduate College. Programs of study leading to a PhD (in Public Health Sciences)may be taken in one or more of the Divisions of the School of Public Health: Community Health Sciences,Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, and Health Policy andAdministration. Interdisciplinary studies that combine two or more of these areas are also available. A list of facultyand their research are on the School of Public Health’s faculty page:http://apr.sph.uic.edu/sphpub/faculty_profile/UIC_SPH_Faculty.asp

Also contact Ronald Hershow (rchersho@uic.edu) for more information.

Clinical Activities During Graduate School

Returning to the clinical years of medical school can be a jolting transition if you have not been maintaining yourclinical knowledge and skills during your graduate years. Monthly or weekly clinical activities during your graduateyears can help ease this transition, and you can also receive some elective credit for these activities. You will find thatyou will forget details that you have learned, especially regarding material you learned more than a year ago. Notethat on the wards, the other M3s will have just completed studying for their USMLE Step 1 and the material will bevery fresh in their minds. Make sure to review at least the basics of internal medicine or pathology along with thephysical exam before you begin your M3 year.

Clinical Connections TheMD/PhD program requires 5 visits per semester shadowing a physician. You may choose your own or ask forrecommendations from the program. The most difficult thing is to meet physician and build the connections that arenecessary to participate in these types of activities. Use any current contacts to build from and begin yournetworking early in your medical years. More advanced MD/PhD students can help new students by introducingyou and putting in a good word to relevant and receptive physicians for any clinical activity you may wish to pursue.Let attendings and residents know that you are an MD/PhD student and that you are doing this on your own time tolearn, then do a good job in the clinics by showing interest and knowledge. Being on time for activities and beingdiligent reflect well upon you and on the UIC MD/PhD program.

Free Clinics Studentscan also meet and impress potential preceptors by volunteering at various free clinics. The Student­Run Free Clinic,the Port Ministries Clinic, The Joshua Clinic, and the NLVS Clinic are the major ones at which our students

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volunteer. This opportunity can also be used by MD/PhD students to maintain their H&P taking, SOAP note writing,prescription writing, blood draws, and other basic skills.

M3 and M4 Years (Scott Feldman, sfeldman@gmail.com Revised 05/12)

Highlights:­To get your 12 weeks of research credit, turn in your form to OSA before returning to M3 year (probably easy todo when submitting track preferences)

­Regardless of your actual start time during M3 year, everyone must attend M3 orientation (March ish), one week ofECP&P in June, and the very useful Back­to­M3 course a week prior to ECP&P.

­Think about your residency application from the time you start: What field are you choosing? Who will write you aletter of recommendation? What will your personal statement be about? How will you do well on shelf exams?Remembering interesting patients/cases can help build a personal statement, connect with an attending for a goodletter, or have a good story to tell during interviews. Keep a googledoc or something of these.

­Start budgeting because you have to pay for Step2 CK and CS ($1300), plus travel expenses for residencyinterviews.

Transition from Graduate School back to Medical SchoolWith the transition back to medical school as an M3, gone are the days of leisurely strolling in at the hour of yourchoice. For the night owls among us, this is particularly shocking. But, this transition marks something that seemed soominous throughout training: a graduation date! As an M3/M4, one can look forward to completing the followingclerkships: Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Surgery, SpecialtyCourses, Internal Medicine or Pediatrics Sub­Internship. Additionally, MD/PhD students are allowed to usecompleted PhD research as credit for 12 weeks of elective time (must be applied for in advance). The differencesbetween regular College of Medicine requirements and MD/PhD requirements are outlined in the following table.

M3 & M4 Year

M3­M4 years – The clerkship requirements for MD/PhD students include extra flexibility for several reasons, butespecially because students enter the M3 year with a variable number of months available for clinical rotations priorto graduation. Prior to returning to M3 year each MSTP student should individually meet with Jean Lantz todetermine track and site preferences. These requirements, and other expectations for the M3 and M4 years ofMD­PhD students, are as follows:

1. Although students are technically able to return to medical school late into Fall semester, OSA and otherstudents typically recommend not delaying the first rotation beyond September. Even those students returninglater in the academic year, are required to take ECPP with the other M3s and have the option to attend theMSTP Clinical refresher course the week before.

2. Students complete all M3 core rotations (Psychiatry, Obstetrics­Gynecology, Pediatrics, Surgery, Medicine,and Family Medicine). Each course must include a graded clinical experience and a passing score on therelevant SHELF exam. If approved by an individual student’s program advisor and by the program director,a maximum of two of these courses may be arranged in a non­traditional format (e.g., at a non­traditionalsite, or of a non­traditional length). MSTP students have the options to shave up to two weeks off of two

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core rotations, such that the total duration of the six core rotations may be reduced to 40 weeks (opposedto the normal 44). Note that MSTP may not shorten their Medicine or Surgery rotation. Lastly, if a rotationis shortened you must still sit for the shelf exam the same day as other students in your track. If there is aconflict you must wait to take the shelf until the exam is offered again. It is critical to note that you are unableto sit for one shelf exam while you are participating in another rotation. Thus scheduling can become an issueand this should be discussed individually with an MSTP Director for approval and Jean Lantz.

3. Students complete a 4­week M4 sub­internship.4. MD/PhD students will receive 12 weeks of M4 elective credit for time spent pursuing PhD research.

Documentation for this should be submitted to OSA during M3 or M4 year.5. Students attend program­wide activities: evening seminars, MD­PhD Grand Rounds, Thesis Defenses,

Research Day, Retreat, Soiree.6. Students meet with MD­PhD Training Program Directors for advisory conferences in Fall and Spring

semesters.7. Students complete revised Profiles Forms annually upon request.8. Poster presentation at annual Research Day for those who have a ready poster and/or Oral presentation at

MD­PhD Research Symposium the night before

M3­M4 Clerkship Requirements for MD­PhD students, in comparison to MD­only studentsMD Students MD­PhD Students

M3 year 44 weeks Core Clerkships 40­44 weeks Core Clerkships2 weeks ECPP 2 weeks ECPP

Subtotal 46 weeks 42 – 46 weeks

M4 year 17 weeks Specialties and 13­17 weeks Specialties ­can opt not to take up totwo of the required 8 2­week rotations

­ 20 weeks Electives, including up to 8weeks research

20 weeks Electives, including up to 12 weeksresearch

4 weeks Sub­internship 4 weeks Sub­internshipSubtotal 43 weeks 37­43 weeksTotal 87 weeks 77­87 weeks

Starting back in the clinics can be a very daunting experience, and certainly does take some getting used to.Compared to the M2’s fresh out of the board exam, most of your basic science knowledge is long lost. Whereas itmay be prudent to review basic sciences material before starting back, it is not absolutely necessary. Eventually, youdo catch on even if you took a mental vacation before returning to medical school.

Factors to consider choosing a clerkship track. There are some advantages of starting back on differentrotations, depending on your likely specialty choice. Typically you will want a Letter of Rec from clinicians you workwith, so you probably want to save a rotation you plan to do well in until later in the year. Some general points toconsider when deciding your first rotation:

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­Family medicine has lighter hours, but the shelf exam can be challenging.

­Psychiatry has the most limited subset of medical knowledge to review. Typically the on­call time is not horrible.However, you won't feel much more prepared for other clerkships after psych.

­Surgery and ob/gyn have the greatest workload. Starting on these can be a challenge, but if you are less interested inthem, it can be good to get them out of the way.

Medicine is the longest clerkship, giving you lots of time to study for the shelf.

Some additional tips for clinical rotations include the following:

­Always be on time. Whereas timeliness may not be noticed, tardiness is.

­Ask questions. Asking questions makes you appear interested, and attendings really like this. However, don't beobnoxious about it ­ learn to read the social cues of busy interns and don't bug them if it's a very busy day.

­Know your patients, and know them well. Take the time to get to know your patients­­it could make a difference intheir management.

­Speak up. Volunteer answers when you are pimped, even if they may be wrong. Sometimes a good effort countsmore than the right answer.

­Since you have spent countless hours looking up journal articles as a grad student, you should already be an expertat finding almost anything. Share pertinent articles related to your patient with the team. Cite references when askedto do a "quick 5 minute presentation" and stick to whatever time limit you are given.

­Help out and be a team player.

­Work hard, be diligent, and write good patient notes. It will pay off.

­Don’t take things personally. Chances are you will be yelled at (particularly in OB/Gyn), sometimes through no faultof your own. Just put it aside and move on; there is no point in fighting over a moot point. Nothing makes a clinicalexperience worse than a fighting team.

­Have fun! While this is easier said than done in the beginning, if you remember to enjoy the experience, everythingelse will fall in place.

SchedulingWhen planning to return to the M3 year, you have the option of either rejoining the current M2 class and starting oncycle in late June, or starting when the M3 year is already in progress. In either event, as soon as the end of yourPhD is in sight, it is important to plan for the return to clinics. Six months before returning to medical school, oneshould inform both the MD/PhD office, and OSA. LeAmye used to handle M3 scheduling but she retired in March2012. There are requirements to enter the M3 year, including Cerner training (the UIH computer system), respiratorfitting, CPR/BLS class, and vaccination and health record completion, so be sure to pick up the required forms andget these things done on time. Certain health requirements may have expired so plan on repeating them. Toparticipate in clinical activities during your graduate years, you should have already completed these requirementsduring the end of your M2 year; you will need to independently renew your CPR certification every two years and

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update your PPD each year.

For those rejoining the M2 class and starting M3 on time, it is important to attend the M3 orientation usually inMarch. At the orientation, the M3 year will be discussed, and deadlines outlined for special consideration petitions.M3 rotation order and sites are distributed by a lottery system. You will still complete the online scheduling track/sitepreference forms through Corey/OSA, but submit a Dr. T approved letter requesting your choices to DeanKashima/Dean Lantz/OSA. Additionally, special consideration may be granted to those finishing up research,particularly in regard to site scheduling close to campus. Special consideration petitions are approved on an individualbasis, and as long as one is reasonable and logical in consideration requests, these are usually granted. However,there are some requirements of M3 clerkships that must be completed prior to scheduling M4 electives, so somelimitations on your possible m3­m4 schedule do exist. You should have an advising meeting to discuss your options.

Away RotationsYou will likely encounter many different opinions as to the value of doing an away rotation. These opinions vary from“absolutely required” to “a nice vacation”. The general consensus seems to agree that doing an away rotation will atleast get you an interview at that institution regardless of what's on your application. As an MD/PhD, and therefore amore competitive candidate, doing an away rotation can be a very beneficial experience. It will afford you theopportunity to directly observe and participate alongside the house staff and attendings with whom you might beworking in the near future. You will have longer than the 2­3 hours on an interview day to talk casually with variousresidents and ask them their opinions of the program, the faculty, and the surrounding area. This will really allow youto gauge the program and determine if it is an environment in which you can thrive. More importantly, you shouldtake the opportunity to let your attending(s), the residency director, and, perhaps, the chairman of the program knowhow much you want to be a part of the team. Finally, ask an attending for a letter of recommendation (it probablywon't help you at any other institution) and/or any other faculty to write their positive comments regarding yourperformance that can go into your file at that institution. In general, an away rotation is a very positive experience – itshows you are serous about a given program and also gives you a nice break from UIC!

M4 Elective CreditIn addition to the 12 weeks of M4 credit that you can receive for your PhD thesis research, there are a number ofopportunities for MD/PhD Students to receive M4 elective credit. You should get the permission of your graduateadvisor prior to initiating any new program of study. In general it is not challenging for MSTP students to completethese 20 weeks.

­Away rotations

­Specialty Clerkships that do not have M3 prerequisites (e.g. Urology, ENT, etc).

­Courses listed in the Clinical Experiences catalog that do not have M3 prerequisites.

­M4 Independent Study Experiences.

­Teaching or leading ECM discussion groups.

For an M4 Independent Study experience, you will need to "write up" the experience. Fill out an M4 scheduling formas above, but check the independent study box. You need to have not only the course director sign the M4scheduling form, but also the clerkship coordinator. Be sure to get the name, email, and phone number of thedepartmental administrative assistant, because you will need to follow up in order to retrieve the signed M4scheduling form. In nearly all cases it is up to the student to deliver it to OSA. (Make photo copies of all paper work

25

prior to turning forms in to OSA.)

Residency Application and the Interview Process (Needs to be updated for 2012)Information regarding the residency application and matching process is provided through OSA. There will be an M4planning meeting in ~March of the M3 year and various residency workshops. Of course, the “process” of choosinga residency begins well before the applications are due. Now the actual paperwork involved in the residencyselection process consists of three main parts: the application, the interviews, and the match. Some pertinent aspectsof each are outlined below:

I. THE APPLICATION: What type of application you fill out depends upon the specialty that you have chosen.For the few of you who have chosen a field that participates in the Early Match (e.g., ophthalmology, urology,otolaryngology, neurosurgery), you will fill out individual applications based upon the program(s) to which you areapplying. Contact the individual residency programs to find out exactly what they require. For the rest of you, theapplication process is now centralized into the Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS) and found online atmyeras.com. Your application will consist of several parts and is a joint effort by yourself and the OSA. You will fillout your ERAS profile starting July 1 and designate which programs you wish to receive your application. You canstart working your personal statement earlier. The application will have you listing and describing every activityyou've done. Most letter writers will want your CV and personal statement before writing. You can "certify" yourapplication starting Sept 1, but your letters can come in even a month after that without much problem. OSA isresponsible for uploading your Letters of Recommendation, Dean’s Letter, and formal transcripts. You can go onlineas often as you wish to determine if all of your information has been uploaded and/or to see what documents theindividual programs you've selected have downloaded (this is called Applicant Document Tracking System orADTS). Keep in mind that even if you are applying to an early match program, you may be required to do atransitional year in which case you would also have to apply through ERAS.

A. Choosing a Residency Program—There are several philosophies on how to do this, and it is ALWAYS agood idea to meet with your clinical and/or graduate advisor to discuss this important and personal decision. Thereare also many ways to find out more information about residency programs before applying. First, nearly everyresidency program has a website that outlines the strengths and expectations of the program and also providescontacts in case you have specific questions. Don't be afraid to call and ask – it shows initiative – and most programsencourage site visits before or after your formal interview. Second, a website called FRIEDA gives a short overviewof each residency program, but be aware that FRIEDA contains a lot of misinformation. Its most reliable feature isaddresses and contact numbers of people with the correct information. Third, if you're really bored, the OSA has ahuge green book put out by the AMA listing every residency program in the country. This book is put out annuallyand is accurate. Below are some criteria to consider when choosing residency programs.

1) Location – does it matter to you? If it does, then start here. Pick an area of the country that interests you andstart researching the programs in that area. Most people who go on to fellowships and/or faculty positions stay at theinstitution where they trained, so you may be at this place long after residency.

2) Quality – don't be afraid to apply to top­notch programs. It costs you nothing extra to apply and see if you get aninterview. As an MD/PhD applicant, you are instantly and deservedly competitive and will be surprised to see whatdoors may open for you. Our graduates have done quite well, and there is no indication of that trend diminishing.

3) Research/Fellowships – As mentioned above, most people doing fellowships also do their residency at the sameinstitution. Therefore, it pays to investigate the faculty, the type of work, and the facilities available.

4) Number – This is highly dependent upon what field you are planning to enter. As an MD/PhD graduate, if you are

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applying to a less competitive specialty, ten is probably more than enough applications. People seeking morecompetitive specialties may benefit from a few more applications. However, there is very rarely a need for more thantwenty applications. Remember that you are responsible for travel and sometimes lodging expenses at your actualinterviews. Also remember that if you are applying to a program that you really don't want to join, you are probablytaking an interview from someone who does want to be there.

B. Common Application Form (CAF)—Essentially, this is your curriculum vitae that gets downloaded by yourselected residency programs. Publications and extracurricular activities are important here. Again, make a draft copyand have it reviewed by your advisor because ERAS only allows you to have one opportunity to submit this form.You can enter information in pieces and edit what you've entered without submitting, but one it is submitted("certified"), that's it.

C. Dean's Letter—This letter is completed and uploaded onto ERAS by the OSA. You will be given an outline inmid­summer and asked to write the majority of the letter yourself. Don't be shy; make yourself sound like a star. Itsounds crazy and is difficult to write, but the OSA will “smooth” it out and add in grades and some other commentsby the final draft. You will be required to review the final draft and verify its accuracy before the letter can beuploaded onto ERAS on November 1st. Some programs won't offer interviews until receiving these letters, and otherprograms don't put much emphasis on them.

D. Letters of Recommendation (LOR)—Along with whatever grade you earned in your specialty of choice, theseletters are probably next in overall importance. So select your letter­writers carefully. If you're unsure, don't be afraidto directly ask a potential writer if he/she will write a flattering letter. There is a standard form for LOR's in the OSA.On this form, you'll have the option of whether or not you have waived your right to see the letter. If you do notwaive this right, your letters will have absolutely no credibility. ERAS allows you to enter several letters andpick­and­choose which ones you want sent to which programs [without revealing the content to you]. Mostprograms require three LOR's but will not accept more than four or five letters. Most departments of your chosenspecialty include a letter from the departmental chairman. You should also obtain a letter from your clinical advisor,your graduate advisor, and another attending with whom you've had extensive contact. Therefore, most M4's plancareer­oriented rotations during the summer months so that they can obtain a strong LOR from an attending beforeapplications get submitted. Your letter­writers will return their letter to the OSA who will then upload the letter ontoERAS.

II. INTERVIEWS: Interviews begin in mid­November and continue through January. As mentioned above, you areresponsible for nearly all costs associated with interviewing. Financial Affairs can provide some assistance. As costsmount, as weather turns bitter, and as you get tired of interviewing, you will most likely not go to all of yourinterviews. Everyone is concerned with when to interview – early or late. Most interviewers claim that it just doesn'tmatter. Most places rank the applicants each day, meaning that someone who interviewed best on December 1st isjust as well off as someone who interviewed best on January 31st, although other interviewers claim that after a fewweeks, everyone starts to blur together. Schedule your interviews according to what is convenient for you.Obviously, if you are traveling, plan all of your interviews in a given geographic area at the same time. Programs willunderstand if you need to do this and will, generally, do their best to accommodate your itinerary.

Etiquette is essential! If you cannot make an interview – CALL! Simply not showing up is unprofessional andunacceptable. If reflects poorly on you, on the MD/PhD program, and on UIC. The benefit of sending thank­youletters is unclear. It's probably not going to help you, but it certainly can't hurt. If it's somewhere you want to go for asecond visit, it can help you connect and set that up.

During the interview you will meet with faculty and residents. You should have some questions for each group.

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Nothing is more uncomfortable than staring at a stranger for 20 minutes, and it will appear as if you don't care. Usecommon sense! Don't ask faculty about the call­rooms because they don't know. All programs pay within the samerange, so avoid questions about money, vacation days, sick days, or other financial matters unless you have a specificscenario that you need clarified. Be prepared to talk about your thesis project to other researchers and be preparedto ask them about their fields of interest. Another topic that seems to be of great interest to residency programs isyour support system. Do you have a significant other, friends in the region, family nearby? Due to the intensity ofinternship, being totally alone in an unfamiliar area may cause residency programs to hesitate in accepting you. Takenotes on what you see and hear because interview days will begin to blur together, and it will be hard in February toremember the pros and cons of the programs you've seen.

III. THE MATCH: The main match is held in late March each year and is overseen by the National ResidencyMatching Program (NRMP). You must apply separately for the match on the NRMP website (www.nrmp.org).This should be done at the same time that you apply to ERAS because after applying for the match, youwill be assigned an AAMC number. This AAMC number is required on your CAF on ERAS – got it?

After completing your interviews, you will be required to submit a rank order list in February prior to the match. TheNRMP website has some interesting statistics regarding the number of programs listed by an applicant and thenumber of applicants that go unmatched. Of course, it would be highly unusual for an MD/PhD student not to beaccepted by one of their top three choices (and in general approximately 90% of UIC students match to one of theirtop three choices). However, the NRMP has found that applicants that rank at least six programs have asignificantly lesser rate of remaining unmatched [i.e., a higher rate of being matched]. Your match list is private andno individual or program outside of NRMP will know what programs you've ranked. You have nothing to lose byranking the strongest programs at the top of your list – as long as they are programs you would want to join.

Do yourself a favor and rank your programs in the order that you are genuinely interested in matching, and do NOTlist a program to which you do not want to match! Every year, a student lists a program as a “back­up” with theassumption that they will never match at that place and, of course, that is where they end up. By going through thematch, it is a contractual agreement that you will indeed matriculate at whatever institution to which you match. So donot risk matching at a program in which you are really not interested.

Be careful in ranking a program highly because someone at the interview just happened to let it slip that “you'll beranked very highly”. This happens all the time. Applicants then go ahead and only list one or two programs andend­up not matching at either. There are no guarantees and such comments are actually a violation of match rules. Ifyou want to double­check such comments, speak with your advisor or someone at UIC who might know the historyof the program or some administrator at that program. A lot of phone calls get placed between faculty behind thescenes during the match process. Play it smart. If you are dead­set on a particular program, see if you can findsomeone who will call them on your behalf, but beware of easy promises.

That is a breakdown of the application and matching process. Remember to relax, and don't go through it alone –ask questions of your classmates, residents, faculty, advisors, and program directors. By getting a broad range ofopinions, staying relaxed, and showing a little savvy, you will be able to navigate your way through this stressful butexciting time.

USMLE Step 2You will also need to take the USMLE Step 2 exam before you graduate. This test concentrates more on the clinicaldiagnosis and management of patients than on the basic science material of Step 1. There is a clinical skills portionand a clinical knowledge portion. Some residency programs will require that you take the Step 2 before you apply,while other merely require the exam before graduation. Be sure to fulfill all of the application requirements before the

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due date of your application materials in the fall of your M4 year. Talk to your OSA advisor and your clinical advisorabout the best time to take Step2 CK. This depends on your Step1 score, what specialty you are applying to, whenyou can schedule time to study for it, etc.

Forms and Requirements

Student IDIn order to get a Student I­Card when you start your summer rotations, you need to register for the fall M1 semesterthrough the Enterprise System, print out the schedule, and bring it to the ID office along with Roberta's letter.

The Enterprise website is https://apps.uillinois.edu/selfservice/

The registration call numbers are found here: http://www.uic.edu/depts/mcam/chicago/reg/

Transportationhttp://www.uic.edu/depts/ppad/fmhome/transservice.htm

U­Pass http://www.vcsa.uic.edu/MainSite/departments/Upass/home/The UIC CTA U­PASS is available to full­time undergraduate students, and full­time graduate students from theGraduate College, College of Dentistry, College of Pharmacy, School of Public Health, Doctorate of PhysicalTherapy Program, and all students in the College of Medicine. All students (undergraduate and graduate alike) mustbe registered for at least 12 credit hours to be considered full­time for the fall and spring semesters, and 6 credithours to be considered full time for summer semesters. These students will be assessed about a $100 fee (less forsummer) nonrefundable CTA transportation fee per semester for this benefit. This fee entitles all eligible students to anontransferable UIC CTA U­PASS valid for that semester.The U­PASS will be valid for CTA travel during the semester, as well as the five days before classes begin and thefive days after finals end (note: this unfortunately refers to the undergraduate and graduate semester, notCollege of Medicine, nor individual laboratories). This includes CTA buses and trains (PACE buses are alsoincluded). The UIC CTA U­PASS is nontransferable and carries the student's photo and last seven digits of theirUIN (the blue numbers on their i­card). Students with documented disabilities that impact on their ability to use CTAservice (including the CTA Paratransit special services) should contact the Office of Disability Services, 1190 SSB,to petition for a fee waiver. These waiver requests will be reviewed, case­by­case, by the Office of DisabilityServices.

Intercampus Shuttle http://www.uic.edu/depts/ppad/fmhome/transservice.htm#intercampusThe UIC intercampus shuttle is most commonly used to travel back and forth from various locations on East Campusand West Campus. An I­Card (your school ID) are required but verification of this is up to the driver. A route andschedule are both posted on the above website. Routes are subject to slight changes due to time of day, schedulesare really not useful (nor are the clocks at each stop that announce how many minutes have passed since the lastshuttle). Fortunately, UIC intercampus shuttle stops are often very close to, if not the same as, CTA bus stops, soyou can take whichever you prefer. Its schedule, like the U­Pass, follows the Undergraduate and Graduate semester,and not the College of Medicine Semester.

RedCarhttp://www.uic.edu/depts/ppad/fmhome/transservice.htm#redcarThe Red Car/Off­Hour Paratransit Service is an escort service that provides transportation to university employees,

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students, visitors, and other authorized individuals between university facilities and from university facilities to pointsof public transportation, or to private residences within the general boundaries: Halsted Street on the east,Eisenhower Expressway on the north, Western Avenue on the west, Roosevelt Road on the south.

Hours of operation ­ 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., 7 days per week, including holidays.

In order to provide prompt and efficient service a one­hour lead­time is requested (but not mandatory) for customersrequiring Paratransit Service.

Proof of residency may be requested when providing service to private residence.UIC identification (i­card) must be presented to driver when boarding.

(note: the Red Car can take a long time to pick you up, often in excess of 30 minutes, therefore it is advisableto take public transportation using the U­Pass as an alternative. The Red Car is really for “safe”on­campus/inter­campus traveling at night when the shuttle is not running.)

Parking at UIC http://www.uic.edu/depts/avcad/parking/As a first year medical student, chances are that you will only be able to obtain parking in the W2 lot at theintersection of Damen and Ogden. This is an outdoor gravel lot that is within walking distance of the MedicalCampus and the Single Student Residence. The Wood Parking Complex at Taylor and Wood is a multi­level,covered lot shared by students, hospital staff, faculty, and patients. The best bet for a student to obtain a permit forthis location is to put your name down on the waiting list ASAP.

Insurance

(SF: Seriously, this stuff is helpful. But, a current link to the campus care website is probably sufficient.Our students barely read this guide now, no reason for us to write this section. Maybe a paragraph or twosummary and the rest just a link to read about. Arpita really wanted this here, but it’s a waste oftime/paper, IMO).

UIC provides health care services to students two main ways:1. Student Health Services (covered by your student health fee)

a. Students may not “opt out” of the Health Service Fee.2. CampusCare (covered by your student health insurance fee)

a. Students who show proof of comparable health insurance coverage may “opt out” of theCampusCare program by completing a Waiver Form:http://www.uic.edu/hsc/campuscare/chicago/forms.htm.

1. Student Health Services (http://www.uic.edu/hsc/campuscare/chicago/) Allenrolled students have access to a variety of preventive health care services, prevention education, health promotionand outreach services at the Family Medicine Center located in the Outpatient Care Center at the University ofIllinois Medical Center at Chicago. There is no co­payment or charge for covered services when obtained at theFamily Medicine Center.

Students can call the Family Medicine Center (312) 996­2901 to schedule an appointment. Please visithttp://www.uic.edu/depts/mcfp/Student_Health.htm for services available to enrolled students.

All students are assessed a Health Service Fee on their tuition statement to cover services provided under the

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Student Health Programs, which also includes health and wellness services available through the:1. Counseling Center:http://www.vcsa.uic.edu/MainSite/departments/counseling_center/home/2. Wellness Center:http://www.vcsa.uic.edu/MainSite/departments/student_development_services/sub_wellness_center/home/The Family Medicine Center recommends you check with your health insurance carrier (Campus Care or equivalentalternative) prior to having any care provided that is not covered by Student Health Services.

2. CampusCarehttp://www.uic.edu/hsc/campuscare/chicago/policy.htmAll eligible students are automatically enrolled in CampusCare – a comprehensive package of supplemental healthbenefits designed to provide protection against unexpected accidents and illnesses. CampusCare covers healthservices not provided under the Health Service Fee including inpatient and outpatient hospitalization, prescriptiondrugs, chronic illness care, physical therapy, home health care, mental health/substance abuse services, andemergency services. All students are assessed the Student Health Insurance Fee on their tuition statement to coverthe cost of this supplemental coverage. Vision and Dental benefits are covered under this plan.

CampusCare program details:All registered full­time students are automatically enrolled in CampusCare. There is no enrollment form to complete.Students with equivalent health insurance coverage can opt out of the program by submitting the online Waiver Formbefore the published deadline. Please note these important features of the CampusCare program:

∙ All covered services must be provided or authorized by a CampusCare Health Center Physician and providedat the University of Illinois Medical Center and Clinics or a contracted CampusCare Network Provider, unless theymeet the Emergency Care guidelines or as preauthorized by the CampusCare Medical Director or designee.

∙ All services provided outside a designated CampusCare Health Center require authorization prior to receivingservices.

∙ Unauthorized services provided elsewhere, or by a non­CampusCare provider, are outside of CampusCare’sfinancial responsibility and will be the enrolled member’s full financial responsibility.

A list of CampusCare Health Center Physicians/Health Centers and contracted CampusCare Network Providers isavailable.

Dependent CoverageThe CampusCare program is available to qualified family members such as spouses and unmarried children. Studentsenrolled in CampusCare may enroll eligible dependents by completing the online Dependent Enrollment Form priorto the published deadline. Eligible dependents are defined as:

1. Spouse (marriage license must be provided), or

2. Dependent

a. Unmarried child under the age of nineteen (19), including a natural or legally adopted child as well as a child forwhom the Member or his/her spouse is the legal guardian (birth certificate, adoption or legal guardianship papersmust be provided)

b. Unmarried child under the age of twenty­three (23) if a full time dependent student at an accredited institution of

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higher learning, who is not self­supporting (proof of current full time registration must be provided for each Term ofenrollment)

1. Waiving CoverageStudents who have equivalent health insurance coverage may opt out of the CampusCare program by submitting theonline Waiver Form (http://www.uic.edu/hsc/campuscare/chicago/forms.htm) by the designated deadline. Onceapproved, a waiver remains in effect unless and until a Reinstatement Application Form is submitted. Students withapproved waivers DO NOT need to submit a waiver each term. Continuing students who "waived" benefits underMega Life or CampusCare will be excluded from participation in the CampusCare program unless a ReinstatementApplication Form is submitted.

Please note the following:

∙ Waiver Forms must be submitted online by the published deadline.

∙ Information about the equivalent/comparable coverage will be required:

. Name of the insurance company

. Member ID number

. Group Number

. Insurance company Customer Service Phone Number

∙ CampusCare will verify that the coverage is equivalent.

∙ CampusCare will provide e­mail notification of acceptance or denial of waiver request.

∙ Waivers submitted after the deadline will be denied.

∙ Waivers denied due to inadequate coverage and those submitted after the published deadline will be final.

Summer CoverageStudents enrolled in CampusCare for the spring term who register for the following summer term will be automaticallyenrolled in CampusCare (including enrolled dependents) and assessed the Student Health Insurance Fee forcontinuing coverage through the first day of the next fall term. Students also have an opportunity to waive out of theprogram, reinstate benefits, enroll or dis­enroll dependents by submitting the appropriate form by the publisheddeadline.

Students enrolled in CampusCare for the Fall term but who take a "leave" from school for the following Spring term(did not enroll in class and paid no tuition or fees) are not eligible for summer coverage unless they register for theSummer term and pay the Student Health Insurance Fee.

Students in Study Abroad ProgramsStudents studying abroad are required to purchase international health insurance coverage specifically designed tocover services provided outside the United States.

Questions regarding international health insurance coverage may be directed to the UIC Study Abroad Office at

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312­413­7662.

Students Who Are Employees of the UniversityA person’s academic status with the University, not their employment status, determines what tuition and fees areassessed when they enroll in a class at the University. It doesn’t matter if the student works, does not work, works atanother company, or works for the University – all newly enrolled students at UIC who are assessed the StudentHealth Insurance Fee along with their tuition are automatically enrolled in CampusCare.

The University will automatically waive the tuition and certain fees for eligible students who work at UIC but thiswaiver does NOT include the Student Health Insurance Fee for CampusCare. Not all individuals employed by theUniversity are eligible for health coverage under the University’s Employee Benefit Program and may want coverageunder CampusCare.

Students who have health insurance coverage through their employment status with the University can waiveCampusCare coverage by submitting the Waiver Form before the enrollment options deadline at the beginning of theterm for which they are enrolled.

A student with health insurance coverage under the Employee Benefit Program who does not waive CampusCarecoverage during the enrollment period at the beginning of the term in which they are enrolled will NOT receive arefund for the Student Health Insurance Fee premium. In this situation the student may access some benefits underCampusCare. They can access the reduced fee­for­service dental, vision, and hearing benefits available toCampusCare members as well as the life and accidental death and dismemberment benefit.

Coverage Dates and Action Deadlines

Coverage under CampusCare begins and ends on the following dates for the Academic Year 2005­2006. Studentswho wish to opt out, enroll eligible dependents, or apply for reinstatement of benefits must complete and submit theappropriate form(s) by the published deadlines below:

Coverage Dates, Waiver and Reinstatement Deadlines

Semester Coverage Starts Coverage Ends Deadlines

Fall 2006 8/28/06 1/15/07 9/24/06

Spring 2007 1/16/07 5/28/07 2/12/07

Summer 2007 5/29/07 8/26/07 6/13/07

Please note that students enrolled in academic programs that begin earlier than the dates identified above will beassessed an additional fee to cover the extended benefit coverage period.

Student Health Insurance Fee ­ Rates

The following rates apply to students and dependents enrolled in CampusCare through the Summer 2006 term. Thefollowing Student Health Insurance Fee premium for coverage under CampusCare is automatically billed with tuition

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and payable in full unless a waiver is approved.

Enrolled Member Fall 06 Spring 07 Summer 07

Student $378.00 $378.00 $249.00

Spouse* $1,008.00 $1,008.00 $670.00

All Children* $508.00 $508.00 $335.00

*Student must also be insured

Key Features

The CampusCare program includes the following important features:

∙ All registered students are automatically enrolled in CampusCare; there are no enrollment forms to complete.

∙ Students covered under CampusCare may enroll eligible dependents.

∙ There are no claim forms to complete.

∙ Students with equivalent health insurance coverage may opt out of CampusCare.

∙ Covered services must be provided or authorized by a CampusCare Health Center Physician unless they meetthe Emergency Care guidelines or as preauthorized by the CampusCare Medical Director or designee.

∙ Services provided that are not authorized will be denied payment and will be the enrolled member’s fullfinancial responsibility.

∙ All services provided outside a CampusCare Health Center require a referral prior to receiving services.

∙ The University of Illinois Medical Center Pharmacy is the preferred CampusCare pharmacy for enrolledmembers and requires only a co­payment for formulary prescriptions.

∙ The pharmacy is located at:

∙ Eye & Ear Infirmary

∙ 1855 W. Taylor St.

∙ Chicago, Illinois 60612

∙ P: 312­996­6540

∙ University Village Pharmacy

∙ 722 W. Maxwell St.

∙ Chicago, Illinois 60607

∙ P: 312­355­2345

A complete description of the CampusCare program, including covered benefits, limitations, and exclusions, isavailable at: http://www.uic.edu/hsc/campuscare/chicago/resources.htm

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2. Emergency Guidelines

When faced with a perceived medical emergency, it is important to seek out medical attention in a timely fashion.Accessing emergency medical care should be done in the following manner:

Enrolled members who have a Severe or Life Threatening medical emergency should go to the nearest emergencyroom for treatment. The member must contact their CampusCare Health Center Physician at the number listed ontheir Member Identification Card and/or CampusCare at 312­996­4915 as soon as possible within 48 hours toinform a representative of the medical situation and the care they have sought.

∙ Enrolled members who have an Urgent or Non­Life Threatening emergency should call their CampusCareHealth Center Physician at the number listed on their Member Identification Card and ask to speak with a nurse orother health care provider (physician or nurse practitioner). These trained medical personnel will offer clear, conciseadvice regarding their urgent medical needs and direct them, as needed, to the appropriate medical facility.

ALL EMERGENCY Services will be reviewed for medical necessity by the CampusCare Medical Director.Possible reasons for denial of coverage for these visits may include: a) lack of referral/authorization, b) not anapproved emergent/urgent medical condition, and c) services not medical necessary.

After the emergency, all follow­up care must be provided or preauthorized by a CampusCare Health CenterPhysician.

Schedule of Co­Payments

The following schedule of co­payments represents the amount an enrolled member must pay a provider in order toreceive authorized services under the CampusCare program:

Schedule of Co­Payments

Office Visits $10 per office visit

Pharmacy (formulary prescriptions) $10 Generic $20 Brand

Mental Health Care ­ Office Visit $20 per visit

Mental Health Care – Inpatient $100 per day

Substance Abuse Care ­ Office Visit $20 per visit

Substance Abuse Care – Inpatient $100 per day

Additional Benefits for Enrolled Members in CampusCare

Students and dependents enrolled in CampusCare have access to additional benefits offered through United HealthPrograms (UHP) and Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company at no additional premium cost. Information isavailable about Dental, Vision, Hearing, Prescription Drug Discounts, Life Insurance, and Accidental Death and

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Dismemberment benefits.

Dental Benefits. Dental benefits offered through UHP provide comprehensive reduced fee­for­service dental care atover 11,000 participating dentists nationwide. This dental program offers:

No charge annual exam and x­rays at select network providers

∙ No claim forms to complete

∙ No deductibles

∙ No limits on dental services

∙ No age or pre­existing condition restrictions

Instructions on how to access this benefit and additional information about the Dental benefit are available, as well asa list of participating dentists.

Vision Benefits. Vision benefits offered through UHP provide a reduced fee­for­service vision plan at nearly 13,000independent and retail optical locations. The vision program offers:

∙ No charge annual eye exam at select network providers

∙ Savings up to 60% on eyeglasses, nonprescription sunglasses and contact lenses (except disposable)

∙ Savings from 20% to 60% on most major brands of soft lenses including disposables, torics, and bifocals; gaspermeable materials are also available

Instructions on how to access this benefit and additional information about the Vision benefit are available, as well asa list of participating eye care providers.

Prescription Drug Discounts. When it is difficult to access prescription benefits at the University of Illinois MedicalCenter Pharmacy, students and dependents enrolled in CampusCare have access to discounts on prescription drugsthrough the UHP Prescription Drug Discount program administered by Medco Health Pharmacy Service. Thediscount prescription drug program offers:

∙ Saving up to 30% are participating pharmacies

∙ Savings up to 40% on mail order prescriptions such as medications for chronic conditions like high bloodpressure, diabetes, or asthma

∙ Students pay for medication and submit a claim

Instructions on how to access this benefit and additional information about the Discount Prescription Drug benefit areavailable, as well as a list of participating retail pharmacies.

Hearing Care/Instruments. The following benefits provided through UHP are available to students and dependentsenrolled in CampusCare:

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∙ No charge hearing screening at selected network providers

∙ Discount on hearing aides at over 1,200 Beltone locations

∙ Savings up to 60% off retail prices on more than 80 models of major brand hearing instruments

Instructions on how to access this benefit and additional information about the Hearing benefit are available, as wellas a list of participating hearing providers.

Life Insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment. Students and dependents enrolled in CampusCare alsoreceive the following benefits at no additional premium cost:

∙ Life Insurance benefit ­ $2500

∙ Accidental Death and Dismemberment benefit ­ $2500

These benefits are offered by Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company. Additional information about the Life andAccidental Death benefits is available.

3. Additional Benefits.

The following benefits are available to all students in our program except those on Training Grants.

Graduate Assistant Dental Program The Graduate Assistant Dental Program (GADP) is a dental benefit plan that provides coverage for preventative careand treatment for eligible participants. This program will offer the eligible participant expanded covered services overprevious plan provisions. It will also offer two care provider choices that will allow the participant to save substantialcare dollars.

Eligibility for Participation in GADP The Graduate Assistant Dental Program is provided by the University for Graduate Assistants with an appointment of25­67% time as a research, teaching or graduate assistant or an appointment to a Graduate College Fellowship thatincludes a tuition and service fee waiver (e.g., University, Dean's Scholar, Diversifying Faculty in Illinois).

Students who meet the eligibility criteria for the dental program will be automatically enrolled.

Students who receive an assistantship/fellowship beginning in the fall semester are eligible for benefits from October 1through September 30. Students who have an assistantship/fellowship starting the spring semester are eligible forbenefits beginning February 1 through September 30.

GADP Coverage The GADP provides coverage up to $750 per year paid by the University. At this time this includes two freecleanings a year. For most other services, there is a co­payment payable by the participant at the time of care. Thefee charged and co­payment is dependent on the care provider selected. Only faculty members or fourth year dentalstudents can be selected as care providers. If a participant chooses to be seen by a faculty member of the College ofDentistry the fee schedule will be assessed at the then prevailing fee associated with the College's residents (about2/3 to 3/4 usual and customary fee charged in the Chicago area). If care is rendered by a fourth year dental studentthe fee schedule used will be the then prevailing undergraduate fee (about 1/2 the usual and customary fee charged in

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the Chicago area). Co­payments for faculty provided care range from 30%­50% depending on the nature of theprocedure performed. The co­payments for dental student provided care range from 10%­30%. Some procedures(mostly diagnostic and preventive in nature) are covered at 100% regardless of provider. Please see chart forspecific fee schedules and co­payment requirements.

Once a provider type has been selected the participant must stay with the provider type for the rest of the benefityear.

Spousal/domestic partner and/or dependent coverage is available for a fee of $159 per annum. Coverage remainseffective while the assistant/fellow is covered. The fee is due at the time of enrollment.

If a graduate assistant already has other insurance in addition to the GADP, the College of Dentistry will provide theplan participant with the necessary documentation for submission to the insurance company.

How to use GADP Benefits Appointmentscan be scheduled by calling the Faculty Dental Practice at (312) 355­1401. First time patients must register on theday of their appointment at Central Registration and identify themselves as having GADP coverage. Faculty DentalPractice staff will provide instructions regarding Central Registration when the first appointment is scheduled. All planparticipants must present valid picture identification at the time of service.

Faculty Dental Practice Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 am to 4:30 pm (subject to the establishedholiday schedule of the University of Illinois at Chicago).

Emergency care is available by appointment. If you experience a dental emergency, call the Faculty Dental PracticeOffice at (312) 355­1401 to schedule an emergency visit. Treatment or palliative care is covered according to thebenefit plan.

UIC Graduate Assistant Vision Care Benefit The University of Illinois is pleased to offer a vision care program for all graduate assistants andGraduate College fellows who meet the following terms of eligibility:

an appointment of 25 ­ 67% time as a research assistant, graduate assistant or teaching assistant.­ OR ­

an appointment to a Graduate College fellowship that includes a tuition and service fee waiver from theGraduate College.

All eligible assistants and fellows must also

be enrolled in a degree program. fulfill Graduate College registration requirements

Students meeting the eligibility criteria are automatically enrolled in the vision care benefit program.

Benefits: Examination once every 12 months by a VSP doctorCo­payment: $0.00

The primary purpose of this VSP vision care plan is to provide professional eye exams and material discounts to help

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pay the cost of materials. When obtaining services from a VSP doctor, the exam is covered in full, less anyapplicable co­payment. Members receive a 20 percent discount off the VSP doctor's usual and customary fees forcomplete pairs of prescription glasses. The discount includes lenses and lens characteristics chosen for cosmeticreasons. A 15 percent discount applies to the doctor's professional services for all types of prescription contactlenses. This discount applies to professional services only, materials are provided at usual and customary fees.

Obtaining services from a VSP doctor: When you want to obtain vision care services, call a VSP doctor to make anappointment. For details on how you locate a VSP doctor, contact VSP at 800­877­7195 to request a VSP doctorlisting. Make sure you identify yourself as a VSP member, and be prepared to provide the covered member'suniversity identification number (UIN). The VSP doctor will contact VSP to verify your eligibility and plan coverage,and will also obtain authorization for services and materials. If you are not currently eligible for services, the VSPdoctor is responsible for communicating this to you. VSP will pay the doctor directly for covered services andmaterials.

Obtaining services from an out­of network provider: Services obtained from an out­of network provider will bereimbursed up to $25.00 less any co­payment. Discounts on prescription glasses and contact lens evaluation andfitting are not available for out­of­network providers. For out­of­network reimbursement, pay the entire bill whenyou receive services, then send your itemized receipts and full patient and member information to VSP. Claims mustbe submitted to VSP within six months from your date of service. Please keep a copy of the information for yourrecords and send the originals to the following address: Vision Service Plan, Out­of­Network Provider Claims, P.O.Box 997105, Sacramento, CA 95899­7105.

Laser Vision Correction: VSP's Laser VisionCare program is also available to those covered under this VSP WellVision Plan. It is designed to provide members with a discount off laser surgery when obtained through VSPcontracted doctors, surgeons and laser centers. This program includes the two most common laser vision correctionprocedures, laser­assisted in­situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Call your VSPdoctor to check if he or she is participating in the program. Doctors can also be located on VSP's Web site atwww.vsp.com or by calling 888­354­4434.

Vision Service Plan Member Services Support: 800­877­7195Web Site: http://www.vsp.com

UIC Children’s Center (West) 312­413­5330, 1919 W. Taylor St.UIC Children's Center is located in two on­campus sites. The Children's Center provides full day early childhoodeducation services to 90­96 preschool children of UIC students, faculty and staff. The children range in age from twoyears nine months to six years. All children must be toilet trained. As well as providing quality,developmentallyappropriate full­day preschool services, the Children's Center serves as a demonstration site for the constructivistearly childhood curriculum developed by former UIC professors Constance Kamii and Rheta DeVries and basedupon the theory of Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget. Both Children's Center sites are accredited by the NationalAssociation for the Education of Young Children and Licensed by the Illinois Department of Children and familyservices.

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