NIH Oxford Cambridge Scholars Program

• Timelines & Benchmarks
• Roles of Mentors
• Current Cohort
• Overview of LPM
• Training Plan
• Discoveries & Pubs
• New Class Resources
• Current Student Resources

Timelines/Benchmarks

Timelines and Benchmarks of Graduate Study

• Admissions and Orientation
• First Year
• Second Year
• Third Year
• Fourth Year

 

Fourth Year

October

When the co-mentors, the University and the OxCam Program concur that the student is ready to graduate, a thesis is written and the student defends it orally (the Viva) in the UK before both an external and an internal examiner who are experts in your  field of scientific inquiry.  A copy of the thesis is submitted to the University and the NIH and University Program Directors.  Although time to complete the thesis varies, it is expected that most students will complete it within four years.  Approximately one year or more before you expect to complete your doctorate, you should begin planning and applying for postdoctoral positions.  The most sought after labs often make commitments a year or more in advance so that the earlier you apply, the better your chance of finding an open spot in the lab of your choice.  You may also need to apply for postdoctoral fellowship support, which is best done well in advance.  Having publications, especially those on which you are the first author, enhances your chance of securing the postdoctoral opportunities of greatest interest to you.   For medical students, you should plan your transition back to medical school a year or so ahead of time.  It will be important to have sufficient lead time if you have to arrange a schedule of medical school rotations or other training activities to minimize loss of time in finishing your medical degree and applying for a residency.