Recordings
Click here to view the recording of our webinar on October 3, 2022.
Click here to access the recording of our Virtual Information Session on October 4, 2021.
Q&A
Here are the Questions and Answers from the 2021 webinar that were not answered live:
Are summer rotations possible? Yes! through the ADVANCE Summer Institute.
Do we state who we want to work with on the application? There is a place to list faculty that you are interested in. The program will do their best to match stated faculty members of interest with interviewees during recruitment week.
Is it possible to join a faculty member’s lab who is not part of the training faculty listed on the website? / I want to apply to Neuroscience PhD but the PI of interest is associated with Bioinformatics and Biophysics. Can he still take me as a graduate student in his lab? Yes! People admitted to any Biosciences Home Program can work with any Bioscinces faculty. Consider which Home Program might make the most sense for you. For more information, see: https://biosciences.stanford.edu/prospective-students/program-overview/
How do you tell if you're ready for a PhD program rather than a postbac or Master's program? If you have some experience and are pretty certain that you want to get a PhD in Neuroscience, you don't have much to lose by applying. If you don't have enough experience to know whether you want to be a neuroscientist or do a PhD, it can be really useful to do a postbac.
How did you know that a PhD was the best step for you? I knew I wanted to be a faculty member, and a PhD is not only required for that but also provides some training that is useful. For you, I would think about how a PhD would help you get where you want to go in your career.
How helpful is it to live near campus in terms of student relationships, research, and access to faculty? During your first year, living near campus is definitely advantageous because you will be attending classes on campus, be rotating in labs, and there will be a ton of social events going on. However, as your class requirements diminish and if you are doing more computational research, it’s easier to live further away from campus. But it’s definitely what you make of it and what you want your Stanford experience to be like.
How many students do you normally take that are coming from industry/extensive work experience? Students in this program come from many backgrounds. One of the most common pathways is working as a post-bacc or lab tech for 2-3 years after gradaution, but there are certainly people who come directly from undergrad, as well as people who have worked in industry for several (5+) years. No single pathway is “correct”!
According to the graduate housing website, single graduate housing is available to those who are 25 years of age or older. Does this mean that students under the age of 25 would not qualify for any on campus housing? The age limit is only for undergraduates who wish to live in grad housing. ALL grad students, regardless of age, are eligible for on campus grad housing. As a first-year grad student student, you have top priority and will have a guaranteed spot for on campus housing if you fill out the housing application by the deadline (usually May).
Is there a clinical component to this program? No. If you are interested in clinical work, consider an MD or joint MD-PhD program.
What is the structure of the prelim exam? For the students: did you feel well prepared for them? The qualifying exam consists of a written proposal (in the style of an NRSA), and an oral presentation in front of a qualifying exam committee of your choice. More senior students in the program hold a “How to Qualify Panel,” to help answer questions, and generally students give practice talks to their peers / labs / etc. to help them prepare. Generally, I would say that students feel that the preparation process really helped them think through their project / develop it further!
Will the COVID impacts the funding for the number of PhD students? No, the funding model has not changed due to any COVID impacts.
What is some funding options and resources for DACA (undocumented) students? We definitely would like to support you! You can email the Office of Graduate Education and Undocumented at Stanford for more information.
Does the Stanford Neuroscience Program have any kind of community outreach program? Specifically, I'm wondering if there is any effort to engage with local middle/high school students and assist them with preparation for college and demystifying research and a career in academia. Yes, there are several opportunities (not limited to the Neurosciences program, but within the wider Stanford Biosciences community). One that is very neuroscience-specific is Brain Day for local middle-school students, and other programs to share their science/research with local seniors.
How often do labs have students from multiple bioscience disciplines? Is there collaboration across the disciplines aside from classes you can take? I would say it’s very common! Personally, my lab has graduate students from Neuroscience, Stem Cell, Genetics, and Chemistry programs.
Is finding funding for a 5th year of research difficult or does the program help with writing for grants or other ways of helping to secure funding? There are several offices, groups, and courses available to help students write grants (e.g., Grant Writing Academy, SBSA peer mentorship for NSF, NIH NRSA writing course, peer-led workshops), and our students are successful at being funded. PIs are responsible for funding their students in their 5th+ year if the student does not have an individual fellowship.