Message from the Deans

Coordinated Doctoral Programs in Biomedical Sciences at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons

Dear Students,

Thank you for your interest in the Coordinated Doctoral Programs in Biomedical Sciences at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons. The Programs are part of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and are located at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) campus. Our location makes for a unique academic experience as our students share resources with a School of Public Health, Medical School, Nursing School, and Dental School. This concentration of intellectual capital encourages interaction and collaboration both in teaching and research. Drawing on the vast resources of Columbia University, students also have access to courses in business, the humanities and the social sciences.

Upon acceptance, you will become part of the Coordinated Doctoral Programs and a welcome member of the vibrant and highly interactive research community of faculty, students, and postdoctoral fellows at CUIMC.

Due to the interdisciplinary nature of modern biomedical research, many of our training faculty are affiliated with multiple programs. Additional flexibility in the training experience is provided by allowing students to pursue their doctoral research with any of our more than 250 training faculty regardless of the specific program affiliations of the faculty member or student. Thus, you will be able to select both a training and a research environment best suited to your individual needs.

In selecting an institution for graduate study, the importance of the institutional culture cannot be overstated. At CUIMC, we provide a supportive environment which goes beyond academics. We also seek to foster a spirit of cooperation and communication rather than competitiveness amongst students and laboratories.

As a student in the Coordinated Doctoral Programs, you will be given full support for required tuition, student health services, and medical insurance (including full coverage for dependent health premiums for our PhD students). You will also receive a generous stipend for your personal use. The stipend begins at registration and normally continues throughout the period of graduate study. For the 2023-2024 academic year the stipend level is $45,765.

We are delighted by your interest in conducting your PhD studies with us. Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.

Sincerely,

  • Arthur G Palmer III, PhD

    • Associate Dean for Graduate Affairs, Robert Wood Johnson Jr. Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics
  • Yinghui Mao, PhD

    • Assistant Dean for Graduate Affairs, Associate Professor of Pathology and Cell Biology
    Headshot for Yinghui Mao.