PDF version of this chapterDegrees and Requirements
The Keck School of Medicine and its departments offer types of curricula leading to award of the Doctor of Medicine, joint M.D./Ph.D., joint M.D./M.B.A. and graduate degrees in conjunction with the Graduate School in Applied Biostatistics/Epidemiology, M.S.; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, M.S., Ph.D.; Biometry, M.S., Ph.D.; Biostatistics, M.S., Ph.D.; Cell and Neurobiology, M.S., Ph.D.; Clinical and Biomedical Investigations, M.S.; Epidemiology, Ph.D.; Experimental and Molecular Pathology, M.S.; Genetic, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Ph.D.; Molecular Epidemiology, M.S., Ph.D.; Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, M.S., Ph.D.; Nurse Anesthesia, M.S.; Pathobiology, Ph.D.; Physiology and Biophysics, M.S., Ph.D.; Psychology and Public Health, Ph.D./M.P.H.; Statistical Genetics and Genetic Epidemiology, Ph.D.; Systems Biology and Disease, Ph.D.
The Department of Family Medicine offers the Master of Physician Assistant Practice. The Department of Preventive Medicine offers a B.S., Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Studies/Master of Public Health; Master of Public Health; Pharm.D./Master of Public Health; Ph.D., Physical Therapy/Master of Public Health; Ph.D., Preventive Medicine (Health Behavior Research); Ph.D. Statistical Genetics and Genetic Epidemiology; M.D./Master of Public Health; and minors in Health Communication, Nutrition and Health Promotion, Public Health and Substance Abuse Prevention. In addition, departments of the school have certificate programs in certain medical specialties.
The Educational Policy Committee is responsible for overall planning of the medical school curriculum. Separate curriculum committees plan and supervise the instructional programs for each year of medical school. Each of the committees comprises student representatives and faculty members from the departments involved in each year's teaching program.
The curriculum of medical education at USC continues to emphasize preparation of the student to give optimal patient care. Students are progressively involved in patient care beginning with their first semester. The curriculum is patient-oriented, and students are expected to assume increasing responsibility for patient care as they acquire sufficient knowledge and skills. During the clinical experiences of the Junior/Senior Continuum students eventually attain a level equivalent to that of an intern.
At the same time, the school recognizes that the explosion of knowledge and techniques brought about by the current "biotechnology revolution" is rapidly altering the practice of medicine. During the four years of medical school, students cannot be taught all that will be needed for the practice of medicine -- either now or in the years ahead. To a far greater degree than in the past, the present curriculum encourages students to acquire skills and habits of self-education and self-instruction that will prepare them for lifelong learning.
The faculty of the school recognize that while most students will eventually practice medicine, some will choose an academic research career. The plan of medical education fosters the development of individuals whose careers may be directed along this path. Faculty are available to counsel and encourage research participation by students during their medical school training.
The curricula of the Keck School of Medicine and its departments acknowledge the crucial place of basic medical science in the advance of modern clinical practice. Both basic and clinical science are taught throughout the four years of the undergraduate medical curriculum. Basic science is taught both as pure basic science and in correlation with clinical science. In addition, a number of the school's departments cooperate with the USC Graduate School to offer degree courses leading to the award of the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy. Most of these graduate courses may also be taken as part of the school's joint M.D./Ph.D. program.
Doctor of Medicine
The Keck School of Medicine awards the Doctor of Medicine to enrolled students who have satisfactorily completed the four-year curriculum of the school. This curriculum integrates instruction in all departments of the school: Department of Anesthesiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Cell and Neurobiology, Department of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Emergency Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, Division of Medical Education, Department of Medicine, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Neurological Surgery, Department of Neurology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Ophthalmology, Department of Orthopaedics, Department of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Pathology, Department of Pediatrics, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Department of Preventive Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, Department of Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiology, Department of Surgery and Department of Urology.
The curriculum is designed to enhance the students' understanding of the basic sciences and their relevance to clinical medicine. The methodology used will improve students' problem-solving and independent study skills. Curriculum themes are delivered in a case-centered format with the integration of small-group learning sessions, directed independent study and newer instructional technologies emphasized.
The sections that follow provide a synopsis of the emphases and organization of this four-year curriculum.
Year I-II Continuum (two calendar years -- 76 weeks)
The first year of the Year I-II continuum begins with 19 weeks of Core Principles of Health and Disease followed by 51 weeks of organ system review ending with a seven-week Integrated Case Study section. There is an eight-week summer break between the first and second years. Students also take Introduction to Clinical Medicine and the Patient (described here) and Professionalism and the Practice of Medicine (described here).Each week of the academic year is composed of approximately 20 hours of lecture and small group sessions with an additional 20 hours of independent directed study or Introduction to Clinical Medicine and the Patient. Examinations in all systems throughout the first two years are graded Pass/Fail. Dean's recognition is awarded on the basis of year-end comprehensive examinations and special projects.
Core Principles of Health and Disease
This 19-week introductory system provides the student with the fundamental knowledge necessary for the integrated study of the basic and clinical sciences in the 10 human organ systems. Included in this section are these major themes: cell structure and function; the human organism; disease and the body's responses; prevention and treatment of disease, including evidenced-based medicine; and introduction to clinical medicine and the patient. This section is taught in an integrated fashion and includes the use of clinical case studies.Gross Anatomy
Cadaver dissection remains a unique teaching tool by which the three dimensional organization of the human body is studied. Gross anatomy will begin in the Core Principles of Health and Disease system with the dissection of the body wall and major body cavities followed by head and neck dissection in the Neurosciences system, limbs, dissection during the Musculoskeletal system and pelvic cavity dissection in Reproduction system. Continued study of gross anatomy by use of prosected anatomical specimens as well as computer programs, selected review lectures, and so on, continues throughout the integrated organ systems.Introduction to Clinical Medicine and the Patient (ICM)
ICM expresses the strongly patient-centered orientation of the medical school curriculum. The student is introduced to patients and is involved in patient care activities from day one. Students are introduced to the principles of patient care and management and examine what it means to be a physician and how one becomes a physician.The major content areas of the course include communication in the setting of illness, the unified concept of health and disease (the biopsychosocial model), basic clinical skills and the correlation of basic science with clinical medicine.
ICM emphasizes the systematic acquisition of the clinical skills of interviewing, history taking, physical examination, elementary clinical problem solving, and medical record keeping. Throughout the Year I-II continuum, the ICM clinical skills curriculum is integrated with basic science instruction. Students can therefore learn and apply basic science knowledge in the clinical setting. By encouraging a thorough understanding of the direct applications of basic science research to modern clinical medicine, instructors motivate the student to learn, use and retain more of the content and concepts presented in the basic science portions of the curriculum.
A group of five or six students spends from four to eight hours each week with an instructor from the clinical faculty who remains with the group for one to two years. As the group deals with basic medical themes (death, pain and helplessness) and issues (patient responsibility, learning to live with ambiguity and uncertainty), instructors help students to cope with their own feelings. This format opens the door for student-faculty interaction and improvement of student-faculty communication.
Instructors encourage students to take advantage of the learning experiences provided by their roles as helping and therapeutic persons. Students develop their ability to communicate with patients in the setting of illness and are guided by patient concerns to enhance their own growing knowledge, skills, abilities and responsibilities. Students are expected to acquire skills and habits of self-education and self-instruction that will prepare them for lifelong learning.
The unified concept of health and disease presented in this course enables students to comprehend the human organism in all its complexity. Using their clinical experiences as a teaching model, students are taught to consider the patient as an integrated whole and to view the patient's illness or disease as more than simply a disruption of physiologic processes or a collection of physical findings.
Additional learning experiences occur through workshops and focus experiences. ICM workshops provide standardized instruction in history taking and physical examination, as well as integrated instruction in areas that cross disciplines. These include physician well being, substance abuse, domestic violence, and ethics. Through focus experiences, students are encouraged to explore a variety of practice environments as well as community-based health and social services. For example, students may visit outpatient clinical settings, a geriatrics long term care facility, a hospice care facility or homeless services organizations.
Professionalism and the Practice of Medicine (PPM)
Professionalism and the Practice of Medicine (PPM) is a course that was established as part of the new curriculum implemented in fall 2001. The PPM course runs throughout the first two years of the medical curriculum, meeting on selected afternoons for two hours per session. The students meet in groups of 24 with two faculty members who serve as their mentors throughout the two years of their pre-clinical education; one mentor is a clinician and one is a basic scientist.The purpose of the PPM course is to create a community and social context to provide, identify and facilitate learning with professional role models for students as well as to help students gain skills and competence in the areas of communication, social and community context of health care, ethical judgment, self-awareness, self-care and personal growth, professionalism and lifelong learning. Students are prepared to work collaboratively and increase their small group skills to improve participation in Introduction to Clinical Medicine (ICM), Gross Anatomy, MDL laboratories and large group sessions.
The PPM course provides students with an opportunity to build professional identity, make specialty choices and encourages them in their learning from study strategies to case problem-solving to independent study. Students are introduced to the nature of professionalism and the ways it is manifested in their own lives. The PPM course encourages self-initiative and leadership in the process of learning and presenting within the cohort group, encourages greater professional maturity as demonstrated through behavior within the mentored cohort course, and increases sensitivity and skills in relation to professional issues in medicine. Finally, students are prepared for a transition into the clinical years of the medical curriculum.
Organ System Review
A sequence of study presenting integrated basic and clinical science instruction involving 10 human organ systems -- Hematology and Clinical Immunology, Neurosciences, Musculoskeletal, Cardiovascular, Renal, Respiratory, Endocrine/Metabolism, Reproduction, Skin, Gastrointestinal/Liver -- follows Core Principles of Health and Disease.Integrated Case Study
This section completes the second year of the Year I-II continuum and will emphasize patient-centered problems that integrate the basic and clinical science presented in the preceding organ systems. Students will explore the multi-organ effects of disease processes and reinforce diagnostic reasoning skills. In addition, concepts of pathophysiology, evaluation and management that can be applied to any organ system will be included. A review during this section of the important basic science and clinical concepts covered during the previous two years will prepare the students to take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 examination. This section will also reinforce the appropriate use of medical information resources, effective self-directed learning skills, and interpersonal and group communication skills.By early spring of the second year of the Year I-II continuum, students are expected to select their academic clinical advisors and to begin arranging the schedule of clerkships to be taken during the junior/senior continuum. By the end of the fall semester, Year II, each student receives information that describes the curriculum requirements of the junior/senior continuum. Students choose the area of medical practice that they are most likely to pursue and an advisor is assigned from that discipline. The advisor counsels the student on clerkships and opportunities in graduate medical education.
Junior/Senior Continuum (two calendar years)
The final two years of medical school are designed as a continuum of two calendar years, beginning in July at the end of Year II. During the spring of their second year, students schedule clerkship rotations to be taken during the two years of the continuum. Each student's program is individually designed with the assistance of faculty advisors and includes 50 weeks of required clerkships, 12 weeks of selective clerkships and 18 weeks of elective clerkships.All degree candidates are required to take Step I of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) prior to entering the junior/senior continuum and pass it before starting their senior year of the continuum. Students must take Step II of the USMLE as a graduation requirement.
During the continuum each student may schedule 16 weeks of vacation for personal convenience, remedial work, funded research work and other non-curricular activities, such as investigating postgraduate training programs. Although every effort is made to provide flexibility in the scheduling of each student's program, some inherent limitations are imposed by the maximum enrollment permitted for each clerkship. Students are a vital part of the university's medical team, which provides health care for patients throughout the year. Vacations are therefore subject to some scheduling adjustments.
Required Clerkships
| Family Medicine | 6 weeks |
| General Surgery/Specialty Surgery | 12 weeks |
| Medicine I | 6 weeks |
| Medicine II | 4 weeks |
| Neurology | 4 weeks |
| Obstetrics and Gynecology | 6 weeks |
| Pediatrics | 6 weeks |
| Psychiatry | 6 weeks |
Selective Clerkships
Students are required to schedule 12 weeks of selective clerkships, chosen from a list of four- or six-week clerkships approved by the Clinical Curriculum Committee. Selective clerkships are carried out at USC-affiliated hospitals and encompass virtually all specialty areas.Elective Clerkship
The elective period consists of 16 weeks, during which electives may be taken on campus, at USC-affiliated hospitals or at more distant medical schools or medical centers. Approved on-campus electives that are offered regularly are listed in the elective catalogue.Proposals for other on-campus and off-campus electives are reviewed individually by a committee composed of faculty members and students. All petitions must be submitted at least six weeks before the beginning of the rotation. Off-campus electives require documentation from the off-campus preceptor, endorsement of the student's medical school advisor, and prior approval and review by the Clinical Curriculum Committee. Credit is not given for electives until an evaluation has been received from the preceptor and a critique of the elective submitted by the student. Students with an academic deficiency may not schedule off-campus electives.
Year I-IV -- Humanities, Economics, Art and the Law (HEAL)
This four-year curriculum begins with collaborative discourse about ethical problems to help students learn to identify, analyze and resolve clinical ethical problems. This exercise is followed by interim skill building/ maintenance and by instructor facilitated discussion of videotaped ethics cases.In Year II, the program focuses on ethical discernment and action in simulated settings and the study of the human dimensions of medicine. In the first exercise, standardized patients interact with students to help teach the telling of bad news. Students also learn from the humanities about patients as persons. The program concludes with a forum theatre in which students must decide what action to take based on their own convictions.
Year III is devoted to ethics education by clinical role models and encompasses instruction in the core clerkship by ethical standard-bearers. Students also participate in home hospice care and pain management cases.
The Year IV program includes a series of retreats that focus on contemporary health care and the physician-in-society. The goal of the retreats is to provide students with the experience of integrating the principles, methods and bedside issues included in Year I-III of the program. Students practice applying the micro-level (individual/clinical) decisions to the ethical dilemmas and policy issues that face physicians at the mezzo-level (health care organizations), and to the macro-level (profession as a whole, state and nation). Topics include issues of professionalism; allocation of resources; the economics, organization and societal oversight of health care; and the care of dying patients.
Fifth Year Research Option
USC offers students the opportunity to take a full year of research experience with either a Keck School of Medicine faculty mentor or an approved faculty mentor at another institution. This program is open to any student in good to excellent academic standing who has completed his or her first year of medical school. Students interested in the option should identify a faculty preceptor and present a description of the proposed research program and funds available in support of the program to the associate dean for curriculum. A stipend, comparable to that received by a graduate student at the postgraduate level, is available. Application for this program is made through the Office for Curriculum (KAM 314) and will be supervised through the Office of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs (KAM 100E).Baccalaureate/M.D. Program
The focus of this program is to assure these students admission to medical school (based upon the maintenance of their GPAs and requisite MCAT scores) and to allow them the opportunity to enrich their studies with a balanced liberal arts education. It is hoped that these students will explore the diverse educational opportunities the University of Southern California has to offer and become members of the medical profession with a balance of medicine, science and the arts. The Baccalaureate/M.D. Program is not designed to advance these potential medical professionals with four years of science and medicine prior to attending medical school, but rather to allow them the necessary time to explore and develop into mature and serious students of medicine.
Information and applications are available from the College Admissions Office, College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0152; (213) 740-5930, FAX: (213) 740-1338.
M.D./Ph.D. Program
Departments of the Keck School of Medicine participate in the joint M.D./Ph.D. degree program administrated by the Graduate School and the Keck School of Medicine. This program integrates the medical school curriculum with graduate curricula in the basic sciences, to provide a unified course of study leading to both the M.D. and Ph.D. degrees.
This program is especially designed to prepare highly qualified students for careers in academic medicine and medical research. Formal course work and dissertation research provide the student with in-depth scientific preparation and research experience which enhances the application of basic science information to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease. Conversely, the Ph.D. education becomes more meaningful because of its disease-oriented emphasis.
The curriculum for M.D./Ph.D. students differs from that of Ph.D. graduate students in the basic sciences in that the former take medical school courses as well as selected graduate level basic science courses. The integrated training of the M.D./Ph.D. program enables students to compress their total academic effort by applying some course work toward the requirements of both degrees. On average, completion of the combined program requires a total of eight years.
The following graduate programs at the Keck School of Medicine participate in the M.D./Ph.D. program:
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Cell and Neurobiology
Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
Pathology
Physiology and Biophysics
Preventive Medicine
Time limits for qualifying examinations and other procedures are determined by considering M.D./Ph.D. students as medical students for the periods when they are following the medical curriculum and as full-time graduate students during their years of graduate research prior to advancement to the Junior/Senior Continuum.
During the first two years of their program, M.D./Ph.D. students follow the medical school curriculum and gain added exposure to the basic science departments through a special survey course. Students are guided by the M.D./Ph.D. executive committee, which outlines the integration of their graduate program with the medical school curriculum and serves as the students' liaison until they have selected a department and graduate research advisor. The graduate programs vary widely in the extent to which they allow credit toward the Ph.D. for courses taken during the first two years of medical school. M.D./Ph.D. students are encouraged to select a graduate department by January of the second year of medical school. Students will be required to apply for admission to the Ph.D. program by the deadline on the graduate application.
Beginning with the third year of the M.D./Ph.D. program, students enter their selected department as full-time graduate students. Although the content of graduate courses required of M.D./Ph.D. students is generally identical to that required of Ph.D. students in the same graduate program, M.D./Ph.D. students are permitted greater latitude in the scheduling of their graduate courses. Four years are commonly necessary to fulfill departmental requirements for the Ph.D., including course work, qualifying examinations, independent dissertation research, and writing of the dissertation.
After completion of the graduate program, the student is advanced to the Junior/Senior Continuum and completes the final two years of clinical training required by the medical school curriculum. No portion of clinical training is deleted from the joint program.
Keck School of Medicine-Caltech M.D./Ph.D. Program
A joint program between the Keck School of Medicine and the California Institute of Technology was established for the granting of the M.D./Ph.D. degree. Students do their preclinical and clinical work at the Keck School of Medicine and their Ph.D. work with any member of the Caltech faculty, including the biology, chemistry, engineering and applied sciences divisions.Admission to this joint program is made through the usual Keck M.D./Ph.D. process. Following the interview at USC, a subset of applicants will be invited to interview at Caltech. An average of two students per year will be accepted into the joint program. Ph.D. studies may be carried out at Caltech or through collaboration between laboratories at both institutions. The M.D. degree will be awarded from the Keck School of Medicine and the Ph.D. from Caltech.
Further information about the M.D./Ph.D. programs at the Keck School of Medicine may be obtained by contacting: M.D./Ph.D. Program, Keck School of Medicine, 1975 Zonal Avenue (KAM 314), Los Angeles, CA 90033; (323) 442-2965, FAX: (323) 442-2318.
M.D./M.B.A. Dual Degree Program
In response to the ongoing reorganization of health care delivery systems, and the growing awareness of the impact of business decisions on health care, the Keck School of Medicine and the Marshall School of Business jointly offer an innovative program for individuals seeking knowledge in both medicine and business administration. The program is designed to prepare its graduates to assume leadership in the design and management of health care systems.
The M.D./M.B.A. program spans five-and-one-half years. Interested students apply during their second year of medical school, and begin core M.B.A. courses following successful completion of the first two years of medical school. The last two-and-one-half years are devoted to the clinical clerkships of the Keck School of Medicine and nine units of elective courses in the Marshall School. At the conclusion of the program, students will have completed 48 units in the Marshall School of Business and four years of courses in the Keck School of Medicine. Dual degree students may not count courses taken outside the Marshall School of Business toward the 48 units.
First and Second Years: Required medicine courses.
Third Year: Required M.B.A. core courses.
Remaining Two and One-Half Years: Keck School of Medicine core, selective, and elective clerkships and nine units of GSBA elective courses.
Admission Requirements
Students who have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and have successfully completed two years in the Keck School of Medicine will be considered for admission to the Marshall School of Business (see page 141). All requirements for admission to the regular M.B.A. Program (GPA, GMAT score, etc.) must be fulfilled by the medical student for admission to the Marshall School.The M.D. and the M.B.A. degrees are awarded simultaneously upon completion of their requirements by the Keck School of Medicine and the Marshall School of Business.
M.D./Master of Public Health
The joint M.D./M.P.H. program at the Keck School of Medicine is designed for individuals who envision a medical career that combines public health and medical disciplines. Many individuals entering careers as medical doctors or public health practitioners wish to acquire not only medical practice competencies, but also an understanding of the history, organization, goals and philosophy of public health. The joint M.D./M.P.H. program offers a broad-based orientation to public health while the student completes medical school requirements. The Master of Public Health degree provides increased knowledge of and sensitivity to the political, historical, economic and social environments of health promotion and health services delivery.
The M.D./M.P.H. program spans five years (four years of medical school and one year of public health courses). Students begin the core M.P.H. courses following the successful completion of the first two years of medical school. The last two years of the program are devoted to clinical clerkships of the School of Medicine and to the completion of the elective courses and practicum (field experience) of the M.P.H. program. At the conclusion of the joint degree program, students will have completed 42-46 units in the Master of Public Health program and four years of courses in the Keck School of Medicine.
Students who are enrolled in the Keck School of Medicine must apply to the Master of Public Health program no later than January of their second year. All requirements for admission to the regular M.P.H. program must also be fulfilled by dual degree applicants.
All students in the M.D./M.P.H. program must meet course requirements, grade point average requirements and program proficiency requirements of both programs. Students must have a grade point average of 3.0 in the M.P.H. curriculum to meet graduation requirements.
The M.D. and the M.P.H. degrees are awarded simultaneously upon completion of the Keck School of Medicine and the Master of Public Health program requirements. For more information, contact the M.P.H. Program Office at (626) 457-6677.
Ph.D. Programs in Biomedical and Biological Sciences (PIBBS)
Keith Administration Building 110
1975 Zonal Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90089-9023
(323) 442-1609
FAX: (323) 442-1610
Email: pibbs@usc.edu
www.usc.edu/pibbs
Program Director: Debbie Johnson
The USC Ph.D. Programs in Biomedical and Biological Sciences (PIBBS) offer opportunities for graduate studies and research leading to the Ph.D. degree in a broad range of biological and biomedical disciplines. Interdisciplinary studies that span multiple fields have sparked a startling surge in new discoveries that excite intellectually and also promise great benefits to society. The results will be a better understanding of our bodies and our environment.
Students admitted to the PIBBS programs spend two semesters taking courses in disciplines such as biochemistry, cell biology, molecular genetics and physiology; in addition, PIBBS students complete three or more research rotations in any of over 100 different research laboratories. Near the end of the second semester each student chooses a faculty member to serve as a thesis research advisor and chooses a specific Ph.D. program from among the participating programs listed. Subsequently, each student will focus on the completion of course requirements and qualifying examinations for the chosen Ph.D. program and will develop and complete an original research project that will serve as the basis for a doctoral dissertation.
For information on application materials and descriptions of the research interests of participating faculty, see the PIBBS site on USCweb.
Participating Schools and Graduate Programs
College of Letters, Arts and SciencesKeck School of Medicine
A detailed description of each of the Ph.D. programs listed here can be found by consulting the catalogue index.
Admission
Applicants to PIBBS must have a bachelor's or master's degree with a major emphasis in the natural sciences. Applicants must have a strong record of academic achievement, satisfactory performance on the general and advanced portions of the GREs and three letters of recommendation. Previous research experience in a related field is expected but not required. Students are admitted for the academic year beginning in the fall. Although there is no formal application deadline, complete applications received before December 15 will have a better chance of acceptance.Applications and supporting materials should be sent to: PIBBS, University of Southern California, Office of Scientific Affairs, 1975 Zonal Avenue, KAM 110, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9023. Internet applications can also be submitted from the Web site.
Financial Support
Admitted students are supported by research assistantships or fellowships during their two semesters in the PIBBS program. Tuition, health insurance and standard fees are also covered. After the student completes the PIBBS program and enters a specific Ph.D. program, similar support mechanisms are generally provided by the Ph.D. granting program.Curriculum
Most students will take the following courses during a two-semester period:| Requirements | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| BIOC 790 | Research (taken in conjunction with the rotation plan described below) | 1-12 |
| INTD 504 | Molecular Biology of Cancer, or | |
| INTD 555 | Biochemical and Molecular Bases of Disease, or | |
| PHBI 562 | Systems and Integrative Physiology | 4 |
| INTD 531 | Cell Biology | 4 |
| INTD 561 | Molecular Genetics | 4 |
| INTD 571 | Biochemistry | 4 |
However, the list of courses for individual students may vary from this plan with permission of the program director. As part of the BIOC 790 course, each student will complete research rotations with three or more faculty members in participating Ph.D. programs. Near the end of the second semester, each student will choose a faculty member to serve as dissertation advisor and will choose a specific Ph.D. program from the list of participating programs.
Graduate Degree Programs
In conjunction with the Graduate School, the Keck School of Medicine offers graduate curricula on the Health Sciences campus leading to the Doctor of Philosophy in two interdisciplinary programs: Genetic, Cellular and Molecular Biology (GCMB) and Systems Biology and Disease (SBD) with participating faculty from biochemistry and molecular biology, cell and neurobiology, molecular microbiology and immunology, pathobiology, physiology and biophysics and preventive medicine. In addition, individual departments offer degrees in biochemistry and molecular biology, cell and neurobiology, molecular microbiology and immunology, pathobiology, physiology and biophysics.
The Departments of Preventive Medicine and Cell and Neurobiology along with the School of Policy, Planning, and Development offer the Master in Public Health with concentrated study in one of four tracks: health promotion and disease prevention, biostatistics/epidemiology, nutrition, and health communication.
The Department of Preventive Medicine also offers graduate curricula leading to Ph.D. degrees in biostatistics, epidemiology, or health behavior research.
Graduate credit is provided for some courses included in the Years I and II curriculum of the medical school.
The following sections provide an overview of the departmental graduate studies programs. The requirements listed are those of the individual departments and must be taken in conjunction with the general requirements of the Graduate School. For further information regarding graduate studies in the medical sciences, consult the specific departments or contact: Office of the Associate Dean for Scientific Affairs, Keck School of Medicine, 1975 Zonal Avenue (KAM 110), Los Angeles, CA 90089-9023; (323) 442-1607, FAX: (323) 442-1610.
Doctor of Philosophy in Genetic, Molecular, and Cellular Biology
Genetic, Molecular, and Cellular BiologyCSC 240, MC 9075
(323) 442-2563
FAX: (323) 442-2764
Email: sucov@usc.edu
Director: Henry Sucov
Participating faculty: School of Medicine faculty from both basic and clinical departments perform research. Interested faculty from other schools including Pharmacy, Dentistry, Engineering and USC College are encouraged to petition to join participating faculty.
The goal of the Ph.D. program in Genetic, Molecular and Cellular Biology (GMCB) is to train investigators to develop multidisciplinary strategies to elucidate the basic molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for the ability of cells and organisms to reproduce, differentiate, communicate with each other, and respond to internal and external stimuli. Such studies will also logically facilitate our understanding of disease processes and the ability of organisms to defend themselves against disease.
Major advances in biological and biomedical sciences frequently involve the bridging of ideas and technology from diverse disciplines. The Ph.D. program in Genetic, Molecular and Cellular Biology will emphasize breadth of research training fostered by the broad range of research interests and technological emphasis among participating faculty members from a variety of academic departments and disciplines. Close interactions among faculty and students provide an ideal environment for learning not only the skills required to conduct experiments but also the skills required to form new liaisons and collaborations with other scientists in diverse fields.
Admission Requirements
A baccalaureate degree in life sciences or sufficient courses in mathematics and the life sciences is required to provide a strong background for studies in biomedical research. Appropriate undergraduate degrees would be biology, physiology, engineering, chemistry or computer science. Successful applicants must have satisfactory performance on the general and advanced portions of the GREs and three letters of recommendation. Previous research experience in a related field is expected but not required. Applicants who are accepted with minor deficiencies are expected to correct these during the first year.Pre-applications forms can be obtained from the PIBBS program, Office of the Associate Dean for Research, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, KAM 110, 1975 Zonal Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90089-9023; email pibbs@usc.edu.
Degree Requirements
These degrees are awarded under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Refer to the Requirements for Graduation section and the USC Graduate School section of this catalogue for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degrees must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.Advisory Committee
The student will be advised during the first year by the genetic, molecular and cellular biology executive committee. The purpose of the executive committee is to help the student in the selection of courses, selection of research rotations and, ultimately, a mentor and laboratory, to monitor the student's progress, and to ensure preparation for the screening procedure at the end of the first year.Course Requirements
A minimum of 60 units is required, consisting of formal courses, seminars and research credits. At least 24 of the 60 units are to be formal graduate course work (lecture or seminar courses). Students must complete 16 units of course work before they are considered for the screening procedure. Additional course work relevant to the research interests of the student may be required by the student's guidance committee or by the student's academic advisor in addition to the required 24 units.Lab Rotations
During the first year, students sign up for BIOC 790 Research (4 units each semester) and rotate through the labs of three mentor members of the program (potential research advisors). By the first summer of graduate study, but no later than after 18 months in the program, each student is expected to have selected a research advisor.In the first year students are also required to take two, 4-unit graduate-level courses each semester including one in each of the following areas (suggested courses provided in the list below): biochemistry, cell biology, and molecular genetics. An ethics class is taken in the summer term. For these required courses, opting out, delaying or substituting a class requires the approval of the Advisory Committee of the program.
| SUGGESTED COURSES | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
Biochemistry | ||
| BISC 502a | Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry | 4 |
| INTD 571 | Biochemistry | 4 |
Cell Biology | ||
| INTD 531 | Cell Biology | 4 |
Molecular Genetics | ||
| BISC 502b | Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry | 4 |
| INTD 561 | Eukaryotic Molecular Genetics | 4 |
Ethics | ||
| INTD 500 | Ethics and Accountability in Biomedical Research | 4 |
In the second year, courses are selected with the approval of the student's guidance committee with reference to the research area in which the student is working. In the second and subsequent years, students are required to take BIOC 573 Optimal Research Presentations by Ph.D. students. Participation in an organized journal club or working group recognized by the executive committee is required each year. Within the first two years, each student must take a statistics course (PM 510L Principles of Biostatistics (4) or equivalent).
Screening Procedures
At the end of the first year, each student is required to pass a screening procedure based on the first year's required courses submitted by reports from the Genetic, Molecular, and Cellular Biology faculty to the executive committee, which is intended to expose any weaknesses in the student's abilities. Progress must be judged satisfactory in two areas: maintenance of satisfactory performance in course work and satisfactory completion of all research rotations.Qualifying Examination
The qualifying examination, administered by the guidance committee, should demonstrate a conceptual grasp of the major area of interest chosen and an understanding of the general framework and approaches of hypothesis-driven research.Annual Research Appraisal
After advancing to candidacy, progress on dissertation research by each student is evaluated annually with an Annual Research Appraisal (ARA).Dissertation
At the last ARA before the defense of the dissertation, the student submits an outline draft to the dissertation committee.Defense
An acceptable dissertation based upon completion of an original investigation is required. The candidate must defend an approved draft of the dissertation in a public oral defense. The dissertation committee will then meet with the student in a closed session and complete the oral examination.Doctor of Philosophy in Systems Biology and Disease
Physiology and BiophysicsMMR 501, MC 9142
(323) 442-1238
FAX: (323) 442-2283
Email: mcdonoug@usc.edu
Director: Alicia A. McDonough
Participating Faculty: School of Medicine faculty from both basic and clinical departments perform research. Interested faculty from other schools including Pharmacy, Dentistry, Engineering and USC College are encouraged to petition to join participating faculty.
The goal of the Ph.D. program in Systems Biology and Disease is to train investigators to develop strategies to implement and integrate the detailed information gained from cellular, molecular and genetic advances into studies of normal system function as well as studies of how and why systems are disrupted in disease.
The program applies a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the human organism as a whole. Breadth of interests and training are major features of this track and wide and varied skills in many research areas characterize the faculty. To facilitate application of multidisciplinary approaches, close and regular contact between participating faculty and students is a major theme of the Ph.D. track.
Admission Requirements
A baccalaureate degree in life sciences or sufficient courses in mathematics and the life sciences is required to provide a strong background for studies in biomedical research. Appropriate undergraduate degrees would be biology, physiology, engineering, chemistry or computer science. Successful applicants must have satisfactory performance on the general and advanced portions of the GREs and three letters of recommendation. Previous research experience in a related field is expected but not required. Applicants who are accepted with minor deficiencies are expected to correct these during the first year.Pre-applications forms can be obtained from the PIBBS program, Office of the Associate Dean for Research, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, KAM 110, 1975 Zonal Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90089-9023; email pibbs@usc.edu.
Degree Requirements
These degrees are awarded under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Refer to the Requirements for Graduation section and the USC Graduate School section of this catalogue for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degrees must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.Advisory Committee
The student will be advised during the first year by the systems biology and disease executive committee. The purpose of the executive committee is to help the student in the selection of courses, selection of research rotations and, ultimately, a mentor and laboratory, to monitor the student's progress, and to ensure preparation for theCourse Requirements
A minimum of 60 units is required, consisting of formal courses, seminars and research credits. At least 24 of the 60 units are to be formal graduate course work (lecture or seminar courses). Students must complete 16 units of course work before they are considered for the screening procedure. Additional course work relevant to the research interests of the student may be required by the student's guidance committee or by the student's academic advisor in addition to the required 24 units.Lab Rotations
During the first year, students sign up for BIOC 790 Research (4 units each semester), and rotate through the labs of three mentor members of the program (potential research advisors). By the first summer of graduate study, but no later than after 18 months in the program, each student is expected to have selected a research advisor.In the first year students are also required to take two four-unit graduate level courses each semester including one in each of the following areas: Biochemistry: either INTD 571 Biochemistry (4) or BISC 502a Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry (4); Cell Biology: INTD 531 Cell Biology (4) or BISC 411 Cell Physiology (4); Molecular Genetics: INTD 561 Eukaryotic Molecular Genetics (4) or BISC 502b Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry (4); and Physiology/Pathology: PHBI 562 Systems and Integrative Physiology (4) or BISC 510a Integrative and Evolutionary Biology (4). During summer term all students take an ethics class: INTD 500 Ethics of Scientific Research (4). For these required courses, opting out, delaying or substituting a class requires the approval of the Advisory Committee of the program.
In the second year, courses are selected with the approval of the student's guidance committee with reference to the research area in which the student is working. In the second and subsequent years, students are required to take PHBI 550 Seminar in Systems Biology and Disease (4). Participation in an organized journal club or working group recognized by the executive committee is required each year. Within the first two years, each student must take a statistics course, PM 510L Principles of Biostatistics (4) or the equivalent.
Screening Procedures
At the end of the first year, each student is required to pass a screening procedure based on the first year's required courses submitted by reports from the Systems Biology and Disease faculty to the executive committee. This is intended to expose any weaknesses in the student's abilities. Progress must be judged satisfactory in two areas: maintain satisfactory performance in course work, and satisfactory completion of all research rotations.Qualifying Examination
The qualifying examination, administered by the guidance committee, should demonstrate a conceptual grasp of the major area of interest chosen and an understanding of the general framework and approaches of hypothesis-driven research.Annual Research Appraisal
After advancing to candidacy, progress on dissertation research by each student is evaluated annually with an Annual Research Appraisal (ARA).Dissertation
At the last ARA before the defense of the dissertation, the student submits an outline draft to the dissertation committee.Defense
An acceptable dissertation based upon completion of an original investigation is required. The candidate must defend an approved draft of the dissertation in a public oral defense. The dissertation committee will then meet with the student in a closed session and complete the oral examination.Courses of Instruction
Interdepartmental (INTD)
The terms indicated are expected but are not guaranteed . For the courses offered during any given term, consult the Schedule of Classes.
462 Physiology for the Health Professions (4, Sp) (Enroll in PHBI 462)
500 Ethics and Accountability in Biomedical Research (1, Sm) The purpose of this course is to engage current (and potential) research trainees in discussions about the responsible conduct of science. The course is designed as an option for meeting current federal regulations which require that all predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows paid from federal contracts and grants have a component of ethical training.
501 Recent Advances in Vision Science (1, max 4, FaSp) Recent advances in the understanding of
504 Molecular Biology of Cancer (4, 2 years, Sp) Epidemiology, pathobiology, carcinogenesis, tumor biology and heterogeneity; retroviruses, oncogenes, cell cycle control, genetics of cancer, tumor immunology; treatment strategies. Prerequisite: MICB 501.
522 Infection and Host Responses (4, Sp) Overview of microbes, their life cycles and the host response they elicit, evade or exploit, including the manipulation and the malfunction of the immune system.
531 Cell Biology (4, Fa) Current perspectives on major research areas in cell biology. Emphasis will be on in-depth examination of cellular structures, regulatory processes, intra-cellular routing and targeting, and cell/environmental interactions.
535 Continuing Introduction to Clinical Medicine for M.D./Ph.D. Students (1, FaSp) Course for M.D./Ph.D. students in Ph.D. years designed to allow maintenance and improvement of clinical skills prior to re-entry in clinical rotations in the Year III medical curriculum. Open only to medical students who have completed Years I and II. Graded CR/NC.
549 Protein Chemistry -- Structure and Function (4, Sp) Chemistry of peptides and proteins; protein structure and folding; molecular basis of protein action. (Duplicates credit in former BIOC 549.) Prerequisite: general biochemistry.
550 Introduction to Pathology (6, Fa) Three separate series of lectures: one on normal histology, one on basic principles of microbiology, and the other on basic principles of immunology. Emphasis on normal aspects of biological processes important in disease pathogenesis. (Duplicates credit in former PATH 550aL.)
551 Advanced Pathology (6, Sp) Mechanisms of disease processes including inflammation, tissue injury and cell death, atherosclerosis, infectious diseases, diseases of the immune system, cancer, diseases of aging, and pollution. (Duplicates credit in former PATH 550bL .) Prerequisite: INTD 550.
555 Biochemical and Molecular Bases of Disease (4) Biochemical and molecular abnormalities in disease states. Prerequisite: general biochemistry.
561 Molecular Genetics (4, Sp) Prokaryotic and eukaryotic molecular genetics: DNA and RNA structure and function; biochemistry and molecular biology of replication, transcription, RNA processing, translation, and regulation of gene expression. (Duplicates credit in former BIOC 561.) Prerequisite: INTD 571.
562 Systems and Integrative Physiology (4) (Enroll in PHBI 562)
571 Biochemistry (4, Sp) Physical-chemical basis of life processes: protein structure and enzyme function; synthesis and metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, and nucleotides. (Duplicates credit in former BIOC 441.) Prerequisite: open to qualified students.
620 Medical Students Elective Program (0) Opportunities for medical students as preceptors in research laboratories or in field medical service under guidance of sponsors approved by faculty committees. Graded CR/NC.
M.D./Ph.D. Program
Departments of the Keck School of Medicine participate in the joint M.D./Ph.D. degree program administrated by the Graduate School and the Keck School of Medicine. This program integrates the medical school curriculum with graduate curricula in the basic sciences, to provide a unified course of study leading to both the M.D. and Ph.D. degrees.
This program is especially designed to prepare highly qualified students for careers in academic medicine and medical research. Formal course work and dissertation research provide the student with in-depth scientific preparation and research experience which enhances the application of basic science information to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease. Conversely, the Ph.D. education becomes more meaningful because of its disease-oriented emphasis.
The curriculum for M.D./Ph.D. students differs from that of Ph.D. graduate students in the basic sciences in that the former take medical school courses as well as selected graduate level basic science courses. The integrated training of the M.D./Ph.D. program enables students to compress their total academic effort by applying some course work toward the requirements of both degrees. On average, completion of the combined program requires a total of eight years.
The following graduate programs at the Keck School of Medicine participate in the M.D./Ph.D. program:
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Cell and Neurobiology
- Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
- Pathology
- Physiology and Biophysics
- Preventive Medicine
Time limits for qualifying examinations and other procedures are determined by considering M.D./Ph.D. students as medical students for the periods when they are following the medical curriculum and as full-time graduate students during their years of graduate research prior to advancement to the Junior/Senior Continuum.
During the first two years of their program, M.D./Ph.D. students follow the medical school curriculum and gain added exposure to the basic science departments through a special survey course. Students are guided by the M.D./Ph.D. Committee, which outlines the integration of their graduate program with the medical school curriculum and serves as the students' liaison until they have selected a department and graduate research advisor. The graduate programs vary widely in the extent to which they allow credit toward the Ph.D. for courses taken during the first two years of medical school. M.D./Ph.D. students are encouraged to select a graduate department by January of the second year of medical school. Students will be required to apply for admission to the Ph.D. program by the deadline on the graduate application.
Beginning with the third year of the M.D./Ph.D. program, students enter their selected department as full-time graduate students. Although the content of graduate courses required of M.D./Ph.D. students is generally identical to that required of Ph.D. students in the same graduate program, M.D./Ph.D. students are permitted greater latitude in the scheduling of their graduate courses. Three years are commonly necessary to fulfill departmental requirements for the Ph.D., including course work, qualifying examinations, independent dissertation research, and writing of the dissertation.
After completion of the graduate program, the student is advanced to the Junior/Senior Continuum and completes the final two years of clinical training required by the medical school curriculum. No portion of clinical training is deleted from the joint program.
Keck School of Medicine-Caltech M.D./Ph.D. Program
A joint program between the Keck School of Medicine and the California Institute of Technology was established for the granting of the M.D./Ph.D. degree. Students do their preclinical and clinical work at the Keck School of Medicine and their Ph.D. work with any member of the Caltech faculty, including the biology, chemistry, engineering and applied sciences divisions.Admission to this joint program is made through the usual Keck M.D./Ph.D. process. Following the interview at USC, a subset of applicants will be invited to interview at Caltech. An average of two students per year will be accepted into the joint program. Ph.D. studies may be carried out at Caltech or through collaboration between laboratories at both institutions. The M.D. degree will be awarded from the Keck School of Medicine and the Ph.D. from Caltech.
Further information about the M.D./Ph.D. programs at the Keck School of Medicine may be obtained by contacting: M.D./Ph.D. Program, Keck School of Medicine, 1975 Zonal Avenue (KAM 314), Los Angeles, CA 90033; (323) 442-2965, FAX: (323) 442-2318.
M.D./M.B.A. Dual Degree Program
In response to the ongoing reorganization of health care delivery systems, and the growing awareness of the impact of business decisions on health care, the Keck School of Medicine and the Marshall School of Business jointly offer an innovative program for individuals seeking knowledge in both medicine and business administration. The program is designed to prepare its graduates to assume leadership in the design and management of health care systems.
The M.D./M.B.A. program spans five-and-one-half years. Interested students apply during their second year of medical school, and begin core M.B.A. courses following successful completion of the first two years of medical school. The last two-and-one-half years are devoted to the clinical clerkships of the Keck School of Medicine and nine units of elective courses in the Marshall School. At the conclusion of the program, students will have completed 48 units in the Marshall School of Business and four years of courses in the Keck School of Medicine. Dual degree students may not count courses taken outside the Marshall School of Business toward the 48 units.
First and Second Years: Required medicine courses.
Third Year: Required M.B.A. core courses.
Remaining Two and One-Half Years: Keck School of Medicine core, selective, and elective clerkships and nine units of GSBA elective courses.
Admission Requirements
Students who have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and have successfully completed two years in the Keck School of Medicine will be considered for admission to the Marshall School of Business (see the Marshall M.B.A. Program section). All requirements for admission to the regular M.B.A. Program (GPA, GMAT score, etc.) must be fulfilled by the medical student for admission to the Marshall School.The M.D. and the M.B.A. degrees are awarded simultaneously upon completion of their requirements by the Keck School of Medicine and the Marshall School of Business.
M.D./Master of Public Health
The joint M.D./M.P.H. program at the Keck School of Medicine is designed for individuals who envision a medical career that combines public health and medical disciplines. Many individuals entering careers as medical doctors or public health practitioners wish to acquire not only medical practice competencies, but also an understanding of the history, organization, goals and philosophy of public health. The joint M.D./M.P.H. program offers a broad-based orientation to public health while the student completes medical school requirements. The Master of Public Health degree provides increased knowledge of and sensitivity to the political, historical, economic and social environments of health promotion and health services delivery.
The M.D./M.P.H. program spans five years (four years of medical school and one year of public health courses). Students begin the core M.P.H. courses following the successful completion of the first two years of medical school. The last two years of the program are devoted to clinical clerkships of the School of Medicine and to the completion of the elective courses and practicum (field experience) of the M.P.H. program. At the conclusion of the joint degree program, students will have completed 42-46 units in the Master of Public Health program and four years of courses in the Keck School of Medicine.
Students who are enrolled in the Keck School of Medicine must apply to the Master of Public Health program no later than January of their second year. All requirements for admission to the regular M.P.H. program must also be fulfilled by dual degree applicants.
All students in the M.D./M.P.H. program must meet course requirements, grade point average requirements and program proficiency requirements of both programs. Students must have a grade point average of 3.0 in the M.P.H. curriculum to meet graduation requirements.
The M.D. and the M.P.H. degrees are awarded simultaneously upon completion of the Keck School of Medicine and the Master of Public Health program requirements. For more information, contact the M.P.H. Program Office at (626) 457-6677.
Ph.D. Programs in Biomedical and Biological Sciences (PIBBS)
Keith Administration Building 110
1975 Zonal Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90089-9023
(323) 442-1609
FAX: (323) 442-1610
pibbs@usc.edu
www.usc.edu/pibbs
Program Director: Debbie Johnson
The USC Ph.D. Programs in Biomedical and Biological Sciences (PIBBS) offer opportunities for graduate studies and research leading to the Ph.D. degree in a broad range of biological and biomedical disciplines. Interdisciplinary studies that span multiple fields have sparked a startling surge in new discoveries that excite intellectually and also promise great benefits to society. The results will be a better understanding of our bodies and our environment.
Students admitted to the PIBBS programs spend two semesters taking courses in disciplines such as biochemistry, cell biology, molecular genetics and physiology; in addition, PIBBS students complete three or more research rotations in any of over 100 different research laboratories. Near the end of the second semester each student chooses a faculty member to serve as a thesis research advisor and chooses a specific Ph.D. program from among the participating programs listed. Subsequently, each student will focus on the completion of course requirements and qualifying examinations for the chosen Ph.D. program and will develop and complete an original research project that will serve as the basis for a doctoral dissertation.
For information on application materials and descriptions of the research interests of participating faculty, see the PIBBS site on USCweb.
Participating Schools and Graduate Programs
- College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
- Department of Biological Sciences
- Marine and Environmental Biology
- Molecular and Computational Biology
- Neuroscience
- Department of Biological Sciences
- School of Dentistry
- Craniofacial Molecular Biology
- School of Engineering Biomedical Engineering
- Keck School of Medicine
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Cell and Neurobiology
- Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
- Pathobiology
- Physiology and Biophysics
- Preventive Medicine
- Biostatistics, Epidemiology
- School of Pharmacy
- Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
A detailed description of each of the Ph.D. programs listed here can be found by consulting the catalogue index.
Admission
Applicants to PIBBS must have a bachelor's or master's degree with a major emphasis in the natural sciences. Applicants must have a strong record of academic achievement, satisfactory performance on the general and advanced portions of the GREs and three letters of recommendation. Previous research experience in a related field is expected but not required. Students are admitted for the academic year beginning in the fall. Although there is no formal application deadline, complete applications received before January 15 will have a better chance of acceptance.Applications and supporting materials should be sent to: PIBBS, University of Southern California, Office of Scientific Affairs, 1975 Zonal Avenue, KAM 110, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9023. Internet applications can also be submitted from the Web site.
Financial Support
Admitted students are supported by research assistantships or fellowships during their two semesters in the PIBBS program. Tuition, health insurance and standard fees are also covered. After the student completes the PIBBS program and enters a specific Ph.D. program, similar support mechanisms are generally provided by the Ph.D. granting program.Curriculum
Most students will take the following courses during a two-semester period:| Requirements | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| BIOC 790 | Research (taken in conjunction with the rotation plan described below) | 1-12 |
| INTD 504 | Molecular Biology of Cancer, or | |
| INTD 555 | Biochemical and Molecular Bases of Disease, or | |
| PHBI 562 | Systems and Integrative Physiology | 4 |
| INTD 531 | Cell Biology | 4 |
| INTD 561 | Molecular Genetics | 4 |
| INTD 571 | Biochemistry | 4 |
However, the list of courses for individual students may vary from this plan with permission of the program director. As part of the BIOC 790 course, each student will complete research rotations with three or more faculty members in participating Ph.D. programs. Near the end of the second semester, each student will choose a faculty member to serve as dissertation advisor and will choose a specific Ph.D. program from the list of participating programs.
Graduate Degree Programs
In conjunction with the Graduate School, the Keck School of Medicine offers graduate curricula on the Health Sciences campus leading to the Doctor of Philosophy with majors in biochemistry and molecular biology, cell and neurobiology, molecular microbiology and immunology, pathobiology, physiology and biophysics.
The Departments of Preventive Medicine and Cell and Neurobiology along with the School of Policy, Planning, and Development offer the Master in Public Health with concentrated study in one of four tracks: health promotion and disease prevention, biostatistics/epidemiology, nutrition, and health communication.
The Department of Preventive Medicine also offers graduate curricula leading to Ph.D. degrees in biostatistics, epidemiology, or health behavior research.
Graduate credit is provided for some courses included in the Years I and II curriculum of the medical school.
The following sections provide an overview of the departmental graduate studies programs. The requirements listed are those of the individual departments and must be taken in conjunction with the general requirements of the Graduate School. For further information regarding graduate studies in the medical sciences, consult the specific departments or contact: Office of the Associate Dean for Scientific Affairs, Keck School of Medicine, 1975 Zonal Avenue (KAM 110), Los Angeles, CA 90089-9023; (323) 442-1607, FAX: (323) 442-1610.
Doctor of Philosophy in Genetic, Molecular, and Cellular Biology
Genetic, Molecular, and Cellular BiologyCSC 240, MC 9075
(323) 442-2563
FAX: (323) 442-2764
Email: sucov@usc.edu
Director: Henry Sucov
Participating faculty: School of Medicine faculty from both basic and clinical departments perform research. Interested faculty from other schools including Pharmacy, Dentistry, Engineering and USC College are encouraged to petition to join participating faculty.
The goal of the Ph.D. program in Genetic, Molecular and Cellular Biology (GMCB) is to train investigators to develop multidisciplinary strategies to elucidate the basic molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for the ability of cells and organisms to reproduce, differentiate, communicate with each other, and respond to internal and external stimuli. Such studies will also logically facilitate our understanding of disease processes and the ability of organisms to defend themselves against disease.
Major advances in biological and biomedical sciences frequently involve the bridging of ideas and technology from diverse disciplines. The Ph.D. program in Genetic, Molecular and Cellular Biology will emphasize breadth of research training fostered by the broad range of research interests and technological emphasis among participating faculty members from a variety of academic departments and disciplines. Close interactions among faculty and students provide an ideal environment for learning not only the skills required to conduct experiments but also the skills required to form new liaisons and collaborations with other scientists in diverse fields.
Admission Requirements
A baccalaureate degree in life sciences or sufficient courses in mathematics and the life sciences is required to provide a strong background for studies in biomedical research. Appropriate undergraduate degrees would be biology, physiology, engineering, chemistry or computer science. Successful applicants must have satisfactory performance on the general and advanced portions of the GREs and three letters of recommendation. Previous research experience in a related field is expected but not required. Applicants who are accepted with minor deficiencies are expected to correct these during the first year.Pre-applications forms can be obtained from the PIBBS program, Office of the Associate Dean for Research, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, KAM 110, 1975 Zonal Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90089-9023; email pibbs@usc.edu.
Degree Requirements
These degrees are awarded under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Refer to the Requirements for Graduation section and the USC Graduate School section of this catalogue for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degrees must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.Advisory Committee
The student will be advised during the first year by the genetic, molecular and cellular biology executive committee. The purpose of the executive committee is to help the student in the selection of courses, selection of research rotations and, ultimately, a mentor and laboratory, to monitor the student's progress, and to ensure preparation for the screening procedure at the end of the first year.Course Requirements
A minimum of 60 units is required, consisting of formal courses, seminars and research credits. At least 24 of the 60 units are to be formal graduate course work (lecture or seminar courses). Students must complete 16 units of course work before they are considered for the screening procedure. Additional course work relevant to the research interests of the student may be required by the student's guidance committee or by the student's academic advisor in addition to the required 24 units.Lab Rotations
During the first year, students sign up for BIOC 790 Research (4 units each semester) and rotate through the labs of three mentor members of the program (potential research advisors). By the first summer of graduate study, but no later than after 18 months in the program, each student is expected to have selected a research advisor.In the first year students are also required to take two, 4-unit graduate-level courses each semester including one in each of the following areas (suggested courses provided in the list below): biochemistry, cell biology, and molecular genetics. An ethics class is taken in the summer term. For these required courses, opting out, delaying or substituting a class requires the approval of the Advisory Committee of the program.
| SUGGESTED COURSES | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
Biochemistry | ||
| BISC 502a | Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry | 4 |
| INTD 571 | Biochemistry | 4 |
Cell Biology | ||
| INTD 531 | Cell Biology | 4 |
Molecular Genetics | ||
| BISC 502b | Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry | 4 |
| INTD 561 | Eukaryotic Molecular Genetics | 4 |
Ethics | ||
| INTD 500 | Ethics and Accountability in Biomedical Research | 4 |
In the second year, courses are selected with the approval of the student's guidance committee with reference to the research area in which the student is working. In the second and subsequent years, students are required to take BIOC 573 Optimal Research Presentations by Ph.D. students. Participation in an organized journal club or working group recognized by the executive committee is required each year. Within the first two years, each student must take a statistics course (PM 510L Principles of Biostatistics (4) or equivalent).
Screening Procedures
At the end of the first year, each student is required to pass a screening procedure based on the first year's required courses submitted by reports from the Genetic, Molecular, and Cellular Biology faculty to the executive committee, which is intended to expose any weaknesses in the student's abilities. Progress must be judged satisfactory in two areas: maintenance of satisfactory performance in course work and satisfactory completion of all research rotations.Qualifying Examination
The qualifying examination, administered by the guidance committee, should demonstrate a conceptual grasp of the major area of interest chosen and an understanding of the general framework and approaches of hypothesis-driven research.Annual Research Appraisal
After advancing to candidacy, progress on dissertation research by each student is evaluated annually with an Annual Research Appraisal (ARA).Dissertation
At the last ARA before the defense of the dissertation, the student submits an outline draft to the dissertation committee.Defense
An acceptable dissertation based upon completion of an original investigation is required. The candidate must defend an approved draft of the dissertation in a public oral defense. The dissertation committee will then meet with the student in a closed session and complete the oral examination.Doctor of Philosophy in Systems Biology and Disease
Physiology and BiophysicsMMR 501, MC 9142
(323) 442-1238
FAX: (323) 442-2283
Email: mcdonoug@usc.edu
Director: Alicia A. McDonough
Participating Faculty: School of Medicine faculty from both basic and clinical departments perform research. Interested faculty from other schools including Pharmacy, Dentistry, Engineering and USC College are encouraged to petition to join participating faculty.
The goal of the Ph.D. program in Systems Biology and Disease is to train investigators to develop strategies to implement and integrate the detailed information gained from cellular, molecular and genetic advances into studies of normal system function as well as studies of how and why systems are disrupted in disease.
The program applies a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the human organism as a whole. Breadth of interests and training are major features of this track and wide and varied skills in many research areas characterize the faculty. To facilitate application of multidisciplinary approaches, close and regular contact between participating faculty and students is a major theme of the Ph.D. track.
Admission Requirements
A baccalaureate degree in life sciences or sufficient courses in mathematics and the life sciences is required to provide a strong background for studies in biomedical research. Appropriate undergraduate degrees would be biology, physiology, engineering, chemistry or computer science. Successful applicants must have satisfactory performance on the general and advanced portions of the GREs and three letters of recommendation. Previous research experience in a related field is expected but not required. Applicants who are accepted with minor deficiencies are expected to correct these during the first year.Pre-applications forms can be obtained from the PIBBS program, Office of the Associate Dean for Research, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, KAM 110, 1975 Zonal Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90089-9023; email pibbs@usc.edu.
Degree Requirements
These degrees are awarded under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Refer to the Requirements for Graduation section and the USC Graduate School section of this catalogue for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degrees must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.Advisory Committee
The student will be advised during the first year by the systems biology and disease executive committee. The purpose of the executive committee is to help the student in the selection of courses, selection of research rotations and, ultimately, a mentor and laboratory, to monitor the student's progress, and to ensure preparation for theCourse Requirements
A minimum of 60 units is required, consisting of formal courses, seminars and research credits. At least 24 of the 60 units are to be formal graduate course work (lecture or seminar courses). Students must complete 16 units of course work before they are considered for the screening procedure. Additional course work relevant to the research interests of the student may be required by the student's guidance committee or by the student's academic advisor in addition to the required 24 units.Lab Rotations
During the first year, students sign up for BIOC 790 Research (4 units each semester), and rotate through the labs of three mentor members of the program (potential research advisors). By the first summer of graduate study, but no later than after 18 months in the program, each student is expected to have selected a research advisor.In the first year students are also required to take two four-unit graduate level courses each semester including one in each of the following areas: Biochemistry: either INTD 571 Biochemistry (4) or BISC 502a Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry (4); Cell Biology: INTD 531 Cell Biology (4) or BISC 411 Cell Physiology (4); Molecular Genetics: INTD 561 Eukaryotic Molecular Genetics (4) or BISC 502b Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry (4); and Physiology/Pathology: PHBI 562 Systems and Integrative Physiology (4) or BISC 510a Integrative and Evolutionary Biology (4). During summer term all students take an ethics class: INTD 500 Ethics of Scientific Research (4). For these required courses, opting out, delaying or substituting a class requires the approval of the Advisory Committee of the program.
In the second year, courses are selected with the approval of the student's guidance committee with reference to the research area in which the student is working. In the second and subsequent years, students are required to take PHBI 550 Seminar in Systems Biology and Disease (4). Participation in an organized journal club or working group recognized by the executive committee is required each year. Within the first two years, each student must take a statistics course, PM 510L Principles of Biostatistics (4) or the equivalent.
Screening Procedures
At the end of the first year, each student is required to pass a screening procedure based on the first year's required courses submitted by reports from the Systems Biology and Disease faculty to the executive committee. This is intended to expose any weaknesses in the student's abilities. Progress must be judged satisfactory in two areas: maintain satisfactory performance in course work, and satisfactory completion of all research rotations.Qualifying Examination
The qualifying examination, administered by the guidance committee, should demonstrate a conceptual grasp of the major area of interest chosen and an understanding of the general framework and approaches of hypothesis-driven research.Annual Research Appraisal
After advancing to candidacy, progress on dissertation research by each student is evaluated annually with an Annual Research Appraisal (ARA).Dissertation
At the last ARA before the defense of the dissertation, the student submits an outline draft to the dissertation committee.Defense
An acceptable dissertation based upon completion of an original investigation is required. The candidate must defend an approved draft of the dissertation in a public oral defense. The dissertation committee will then meet with the student in a closed session and complete the oral examination.Courses of Instruction
Interdepartmental (INTD)
The terms indicated are expected but are not guaranteed. For the courses offered during any given term, consult the Schedule of Classes.
462 Physiology for the Health Professions (4, Sp) (Enroll in PHBI 462)
500 Ethics and Accountability in Biomedical Research (1, Sm) The purpose of this course is to engage current (and potential) research trainees in discussions about the responsible conduct of science. The course is designed as an option for meeting current federal regulations which require that all predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows paid from federal contracts and grants have a component of ethical training.
504 Molecular Biology of Cancer (4) Epidemiology, pathobiology, carcinogenesis, tumor biology and heterogeneity; retroviruses, oncogenes, cell cycle control, genetics of cancer, tumor immunology; treatment strategies. Prerequisite: MICB 501.
504 Molecular Biology of Cancer (4, 2 years, Sp) Epidemiology, pathobiology, carcinogenesis, tumor biology and heterogeneity; retroviruses, oncogenes, cell cycle control, genetics of cancer, tumor immunology; treatment strategies. Prerequisite: MICB 501.
522 Infection and Host Responses (4, Sp) Overview of microbes, their life cycles and the host response they elicit, evade or exploit, including the manipulation and the malfunction of the immune system.
531 Cell Biology (4, Fa) Current perspectives on major research areas in cell biology. Emphasis will be on in-depth examination of cellular structures, regulatory processes, intra-cellular routing and targeting, and cell/environmental interactions.
535 Continuing Introduction to Clinical Medicine for M.D./Ph.D. Students (1, FaSp) Course for M.D./Ph.D. students in Ph.D. years designed to allow maintenance and improvement of clinical skills prior to re-entry in clinical rotations in the Year III medical curriculum. Open only to medical students who have completed Years I and II. Graded CR/NC.
549 Protein Chemistry -- Structure and Function (4, Sp) Chemistry of peptides and proteins; protein structure and folding; molecular basis of protein action. (Duplicates credit in former BIOC 549.) Prerequisite: general biochemistry.
550 Introduction to Pathology (6, Fa) Three separate series of lectures: one on normal histology, one on basic principles of microbiology, and the other on basic principles of immunology. Emphasis on normal aspects of biological processes important in disease pathogenesis. (Duplicates credit in former PATH 550aL.)
551 Advanced Pathology (6, Sp) Mechanisms of disease processes including inflammation, tissue injury and cell death, atherosclerosis, infectious diseases, diseases of the immune system, cancer, diseases of aging, and pollution. (Duplicates credit in former PATH 550bL.) Prerequisite: INTD 550.
555 Biochemical and Molecular Bases of Disease (4) Biochemical and molecular abnormalities in disease states. Prerequisite: general biochemistry.
561 Molecular Genetics (4, Sp) Prokaryotic and eukaryotic molecular genetics: DNA and RNA structure and function; biochemistry and molecular biology of replication, transcription, RNA processing, translation, and regulation of gene expression. (Duplicates credit in former BIOC 561.) Prerequisite: INTD 571.
562 Systems and Integrative Physiology (4) (Enroll in PHBI 562)
571 Biochemistry (4, Sp) Physical-chemical basis of life processes: protein structure and enzyme function; synthesis and metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, and nucleotides. (Duplicates credit in former BIOC 441.) Prerequisite: open to qualified students.
620 Medical Students Elective Program (0) Opportunities for medical students as preceptors in research laboratories or in field medical service under guidance of sponsors approved by faculty committees. Graded CR/NC.