The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) offers certificate credit for postdoctoral scientists at UTMB. The postdoctoral fellow certificate program and the
leading up to them carry credits that will be reported on transcripts available through the UTMB Office of the Registrar. The Provost requires all postdocs to be enrolled in the certificate program as a condition of their postdoctoral appointments.
There is no cost to postdocs for this program—all tuition and fees are paid by the GSBS.
Courses in the certificate program provide training in core competencies, as well as specialized training that scientists require for professional success. Some courses offer credit for everyday activities: conducting mentored research, attending departmental
seminars and journal club meetings, and drafting a career development plan, none of which requires classroom attendance.
Currently, there are six certificates are available, listed below. Click here to view the requirements for each certificate. Course descriptions can be found using the Quick Links.
- Advanced Professional and Scientific Skills
- Clinical and Translational Research
- Data Science and Medical Informatics
- Effective Teaching and Mentoring
- Professional and Scientific Skills
- Scientific Management
The certificates are structured for maximum flexibility, both for course sequencing and time management. Several courses are online and many others are offered at times that do not conflict with laboratory schedules, so that participants may give full
attention to their learning.
Each certificate consists of required courses, prescribed electives, and a spectrum of specialized additional electives. To promote maximum flexibility and individual career preparation, most elective courses may be applied to any certificate. In addition,
a base course (Mentored Research, CTPS 6001) is available to all postdoctoral scholars every term. It consists of focused research and supervision in the postdoc’s area of concentration, allowing the scholar to stay in the lab to work on experiments,
manuscripts or both, in conjunction with the mentor.
Upon completion of the required coursework for a specific certificate, postdoctoral scholars are responsible for requesting its issuance from The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs. This feature gives scholars control over the timing of when a certificate
is earned and issued.