Ask Yourself:
•What do I want to pursue for a career? What does that career say I should have for education credentials? Master’s? PhD?
•Who offers the kind of degree/program that I need?
•How is their program structured?
•How long is the program?
•What is the school like? What about the surrounding area?
•Are all your boxes checked? Consider applying…
Personal Statement
Help us get to know you and your goals/motivations. Use this statement to share with us:
•Why are you pursuing a PhD in biomedical science?
•What challenges and opportunities have you encountered during your academic training and student life and how did you overcome them?
•Why did you choose biomedical science for your graduate training?
•Why are you interested in the University of Iowa?
•What are your short- and long-term career goals?
•Which specific subprogram would be most relevant to help you achieve your professional career objectives?
Letters of Recommendation
•Identify three (3) individuals that can tell us more about what you are like to work with and can help us understand what kind of student and professional you are. Ideally, these are individuals that can speak to your strengths and areas for improvement as well as your abilities and motivations as a graduate student and scientist.
Research Statement
Your research statement should be 1-2 pages in length and provide a narrative description of your most relevant research experience. Tell us about the project goals, lab and computational techniques utilized, and your specific role in the project(s).
Above, Pharmacology Graduate Program Co-Director Jon Resch presents a summer seminar to undergraduates on "How to Write a Research Abstract."