Approaching the first year of Graduate school

All MSTP students are expected to be in a PhD lab by July 1st, after taking the Part I Boards no later than June 30th. With the approval of your rotation mentor, you can choose to take some or all of your two-weeks of vacation at any point during the summer research period. Departures from these rules are possible under appropriate circumstances, but must be cleared with the Program Director and MSTP Executive Committee.

For those going to CSHL labs, please be aware that your health insurance is paid on a monthly basis here - if you start at CSHL early in the month but not on the 1st, we will be wasting most of that month's coverage. There are lots of other things that dictate timing issues - but please keep this one in mind as you plan your transition (e.g. if you are starting early in the month, try to make it on the 1st).

All 3rd year MSTP students enter the PhD Program with class status "G4," which means you register for only 9 credits. Please make sure your Graduate Program Coordinator/Director is aware of your status and credits so that you can be properly registered for classes.

Spousal / family health insurance coverage: The almost universal national standard, and the policy of the school here, is that students can request additional coverage - but have to cover the difference between the expanded plan and what they would receive for their individual policy. This is a pretty good deal, but not necessarily better than what a spouse might receive at their workplace.

All MSTP students at Cold Spring Harbor can apply for fee waivers for technology, infirmary and transportation fees. However, the college and activity fees still have to be paid (which are covered for students on the MSTP NIH training grant, e.g. those in year 1 of graduate school). Please note that if you do not hand in the fee waiver forms, you will be responsible for the resulting fees. The MSTP training grant cannot cover fees that should have been removed through the waiver process.

There is a new procedure for requesting waiver of summer fees at Stony Brook. Your advisor or Graduate Program coordinators must send a confirmation to Kathy Czak-Malone, Director of Student Accounts, to confirm that you will not be on the campus, and to request the reversal of your infirmary fee. Ms. Czak-Malone can be reached at (631) 632-7764 or via email at kczak@notes.cc.sunysb.edu.

Note the following:

- MSTP students should have minimal TAing, for several reasons. Contact the Director if you are asked to be involved in more than a "single" TAing experience (e.g. one course).

- MSTP students can pass out of numerous courses (e,g. biochemistry) if they did acceptably well in the medical school course. See the Course Director and contact the MSTP director if concerns.

Please ask if you have questions!

"Version: July 28, 2009. This version supersedes all previous versions."