ISMMS is proud of its alumni. Most of the students who complete the PhD program pursue a postdoctoral research-training period before entering a more permanent position and most of the MD/PhD graduates complete a residency and/or fellowship. The faculty of the program actively assists and guides the students in identifying an optimal position. After the immediate postdoctoral work, our graduates have gone on to a gratifying array of research positions in academic, medical, and industrial settings. The Graduate School alumni are invited to join the Associated Alumni of the Mount Sinai Medical Center, and they receive a quarterly bulletin that includes alumni and institutional news.
The ISMMS Alumni encompasses graduates of the Medical School and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, former interns, residents and fellows, as well as past and active members of the basic science and clinical faculty. The association is dedicated to promoting enduring relationships among members, furthering ISMMS’s educational and charitable endeavors, and promoting scholarship for students and physicians-in-training, and honoring alumni with awards on an annual basis. Senior students will be asked to enroll in the association upon graduation, and will receive all benefits of membership, but will not be expected to become dues-paying members of the Alumni Association until postgraduate training is completed. The Student Council selects a member to serve as student liaison to the Alumni Executive Board; however, student input and participation in alumni-sponsored programs and activities is always encouraged. The Alumni Office is located in the plaza of the Annenberg Building. Students are welcome to visit the office at any time to speak with staff.
There is no program-wide teaching requirement, but many students seek to take advantage of the opportunities to teach in a variety of modes and settings either because it enforces the mastery of core material, is intrinsically rewarding or because it is a major part of their career plans. Teaching opportunities include: teaching assistantships for the Core courses; teaching assistantships for additional Medical and Graduate School courses; one-on-one tutoring opportunities for graduate or medical courses; tutoring and special teaching programs at the Life Sciences Secondary School with which ISMMS has a special relationship; student mentorships in the RCR course; and student mentorships in the Introduction to Journal Club course.
The vacation policy for PhD students in Biomedical Sciences or Neuroscience is clearly stated in the Leave Policies section of Chapter 3. Please refer to that section for the complete policy. In brief, PhD students in Biomedical Sciences or Neuroscience receive two weeks of paid vacation each year. Time spent studying for courses, preparing for examinations, etc. is not considered vacation time.