Ph.D. Programs

Fast Track Review

Although a formal application [PDF] to the VCU Graduate School must be completed before admission to a Ph.D. program, applicants are encouraged to provide information directly to individual Departments or Programs. Applicants may e-mail the Program Director (listed below) and report their GPA and GRE, include a personal statement and list the names and e-mail addresses of three referees. The Fast Track Review Self-Reporting Form, submitted in parallel with a formal application, allows rapid feedback to the applicant.

Ph.D. training in the School of Medicine is based in both interdisciplinary structures and those based in academic departments.

Interdisciplinary BioMedical Sciences (IBMS)

Students may apply for Ph.D. training without committing to a particular department in the first year. In the IBMS, students spend their first year rotating in laboratories from any department, supplemented with cross-departmental course work. At the end of the first year, students select a Ph.D. Advisor and Advisory Committee who helps them shape an individualized curriculum that matches their independent research project, at the core of the IBMS.

IBMS: Contact
Louis J. De Felice, Ph.D.
804-628-4853
E-mail: ljdefelice@vcu.edu

---

Academic Departments and programs

Students may also apply for Ph.D. training through a particular department or program:

• Anatomy and Neurobiology
• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Biostatistics
• Epidemiology
• Human and Molecular Genetics
• Microbiology and Immunology
• Molecular Biology and Genetics
• Neuroscience
• Pathology
• Pharmacology and Toxicology
• Physiology and Biophysics
• Social and Behavioral Health

The diverse research programs housed in the faculty laboratories of the School of Medicine are supported by over $100 million of extramural research support, primarily in the form of investigator-initiated grants from the National Institutes of Health. School of Medicine faculty populate numerous organizations devoted to research and research training at VCU including the Massey Cancer Center, an NCI-designated entity, the Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies, the Institute for Structural Biology and Drug Design, the Molecular Imaging Center and the Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics among many others on both campuses of the University.

Curriculum	Department/Contact	Semester Of Entry	Deadline
Anatomy	Anatomy and Neurobiology Dr. William Guido 804-828-9623 E-mail: wguido@vcu.edu	Fall preferred	Dec 17 - Application received before given priority consideration
Biochemistry	Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Dr. Tomek Kordula 804-828-0771 E-mail: biochemgrad@mail1.vcu.edu	Fall preferred	Dec 17- Application received before given priority consideration
Biostatistics	Biostatistics Mr. Russ Boyle 804-828-9824 E-mail: boyle@vcu.edu	Fall preferred	Priority given to applications received by Jan 15
Epidemiology	Epidemiology and Community Health Dr. Kate L. Lapane 804-628-2506 E-mail: kllapane@vcu.edu	Fall	Dec 15- Application received before given priority consideration
Human Genetics	Human and Molecular Genetics Dr. Rita Shiang 804-828-9632 ext 124 E-mail: rshiang@vcu.edu	Fall	Dec 17- Application received before given priority consideration
M.D./Ph.D.	M.D./Ph.D. Ms. Sandra Sorrell 804-828-9711 E-mail: ssorrell@hsc.vcu.edu
Microbiology and Immunology	Microbiology and Immunology Dr. Guy Cabral 804-828-9728 E-mail: gacabral@vcu.edu	Fall preferred	Dec 17- Application received before given priority consideration
Molecular Biology and Genetics*	MBG Dr. Gail Christie 804-828-9093 E-mail: christie@hsc.vcu.edu	Fall preferred	Dec 17- Application received before given priority consideration
Neuroscience*	Neuroscience Dr. John Bigbee 804-828-0948 E-mail: jbigbee@vcu.edu	Fall preferred	Dec 17- Application received before given priority consideration
Pathology	Pathology Dr. Shawn Holt 804-828-4802 E-mail: seholt@hsc.vcu.edu	Fall preferred	Dec 17- Application received before given priority consideration
Pharmacology and Toxicology	Pharmacology and Toxicology Dr. Steve Sawyer 804-828-8400 E-mail: stsawyer@vcu.edu	Fall preferred	Dec 17- Application received before given priority consideration
Physiology and Physical Therapy	Physical Therapy Dr. Sheryl Finucane 804-828-0234 E-mail: sfinucan@vcu.edu	Fall	Dec 17- Application received before given priority consideration
Physiology and Biophysics	Physiology and Biophysics Dr. Louis De Felice 804-628-4853 E-mail: ljdefelice@vcu.edu	Fall preferred	Dec 17- Application received before given priority consideration
Social and Behavioral Health	Social and Behavioral Health Dr. May Kennedy 804-828-4548 E-mail: mgkennedy@vcu.edu	Fall preferred	Dec 17- Application received before given priority consideration

Back to top

---

For the Fall of 2006, 463 students were enrolled in advanced degree programs in the School of Medicine, including 235 individuals enrolled in Ph.D. programs, 136 in Master’s level training and 92 in the Certificate program. Enrollment in overall advanced degree programs has steadily grown concurrent with the continuing advancement of our educational and research missions as is indicated in the figure shown below.

(View graph in new window)

A refreshed emphasis on research and research training is currently underway as a key component of the strategic plan for the School of Medicine adopted concurrent with the recent recruitment of the Dean of the School, Dr. Jerry Strauss. This is reflected in the ongoing growth of Ph.D. training which is projected to continue in the immediate future as is shown in the following figure where the anticipated Ph.D. enrollment is shown in blue.

(View graph in new window)

Enrollment in graduate programs in the School of Medicine is predominantly full-time and represents a rich diversity of individuals. The School of Medicine is one of only fifteen universities hosting a Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program (a Fulbright exchange activity) providing training in Drug Abuse Education for selected individuals from across the world. Complementing this program is the creation, in partnership with King’s College (London) and the University of Adelaide, of an on-line program in Addiction Studies to serve as a training mechanism for individuals in the developing world.

Back to top