Get to know our new graduate students
The latest cohort of aspiring scientists have arrived at the VCU School of Medicine to begin certificate, master's, Ph.D. and postdoctoral programs.
New graduate students gathered in Sanger Hall for their advanced degree program orientation. (Photo by Arda Athman)
On Wednesday, Aug. 15, more than 100 new graduate students arrived at VCU School of Medicine. With a broad set of backgrounds and ambitions, these talented and diverse students are pursuing certificate, master’s, Ph.D. and postdoctoral programs. They come to us from all over the globe, with nearly half from Virginia and others from as far as Ecuador and India.
Their long-term goals include getting accepted into medical school, making careers in academia, and exploring government and private sector research — and with more than 20 graduate-level programs at VCU School of Medicine, each path is available. The Premedical Graduate Health Sciences Certificate (CERT) helps students enhance their qualifications for medical or dental school; post-baccalaureate study areas include addiction studies, clinical genetics and medical physics; and M.S. and Ph.D. programs cover the full spectrum of biomedical sciences, including anatomy, biochemistry, human genetics, microbiology, neuroscience, pharmacology and physiology.
From former business majors to collegiate athletes, new kitten parents to collectors of clown dolls, the newest cohort of School of Medicine graduate students bring a wealth of knowledge, experiences and skills to the lab, classroom and clinic.
Before beginning graduate school, they...
- Worked as teachers, tutors, camp counselors, bartenders, custodians, UPS drivers, quality analysts and beekeepers.
- Studied abroad in Spain, skydived in Australia, hiked solo across Utah, trekked Mt. Kilimanjaro and explored dozens of national parks.
- Gained scientific and clinical experience as lab, medical, genetic counseling and dental assistants, registered behavior technicians, biotech interns and researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
In their free time they...
- Enjoy meditating, hot yoga, reading, hunting, fishing and bug collecting. You’ll also find creatives who love to crochet, play guitar, play piano, cross-stitch, sew, paint, bake and write.
- Stay active with pickleball, field hockey, running, hiking, soccer, mixed martial arts, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, golf, kayaking and swimming.
We also have...
- Speakers of Spanish, German, Japanese and French.
- A stand-up comedian, a published author, a Division I soccer player, a Beyoncé superfan, a competitive a cappella singer and a body builder who can squat 495.
