University of Pittsburgh Center for Neuroscience CNUP Graduate Program

1
University of PittsburghCenter for
Neuroscience(CNUP Graduate Program)

• Susan Amara and Alan Sved (co-directors)
• Pat Card and John Horn (grad program)
• Richard Clarke and Annie Cohen (students)

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Key Ideas

• Incorporating student input and initiatives into
  the curriculum
• Re-evaluating faculty credentials to maintain
  quality of graduate training
• Developing new electives to enhance the program

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A Recent Illustration

• Incorporating student input and initiatives into
  the curriculum

Example Revisiting the policy of requiring
students at all stages to participate in a
CNUP-run journal club
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The Players

• Students
• Curriculum Committee
• Journal Club Faculty
• Training Faculty
• Graduate Program Co-directors
• Senior Students

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The Issues

• Format broad-based or specialized focus?
• How do we ensure quality appropriateness of
  papers?
• How many years should it be required?
• Should an acceptable substitute be required?
• How do we enhance student participation?
• How do we provide feedback to students?
• How do we improve instructor performance?

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The Process

• Student input
• Curriculum committee discussion
• Survey of students
• Survey of past journal club leaders
• Curriculum committee recommendation
• Training faculty discussion
• Follow up with co-directors and senior students
• New policy drafted and adopted

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The Outcome

• A new policy (a compromise)
• Students are required to participate in CNUP
  Journal Club every term until they advance to
  candidacy. After reaching this milestone,
  participation will be optional.

But.....we still strongly encourage senior
students to participate in some type of journal
club
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New Challenges

• Re-evaluating faculty credentials to maintain
  quality of graduate training
• Faculty credentials committee
• Developing new electives to enhance the program
  curriculum
• Curriculum committee