With May signaling the end of the 2020-2021 academic year, I want to recognize and congratulate the 61 graduate students who completed their degrees over the past 12 months.
IU School of Medicine currently offers 12 PhD degree-granting programs, as well as eight MS degree-granting programs. In total, we have 219 students enrolled in PhD programs and 194 in MS programs. The school recently added a PhD program in Regenerative Medicine and Technologies, which supports the Indiana Center for Regenerative Medicine. In 2018, we began offering a PhD in Musculoskeletal Health, which supports the Indiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health. Both programs offer new visions for approaching doctoral training in biomedical research that focuses on team-based and translational research. Approved by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, they also fill unique gaps in the professional workforce of the state.
In recent years, our graduate student pipeline has become increasingly diverse. Over half of our graduate students are women. The number of students from populations that are under-represented in biomedical research, including black, indigenous and people of color, applying and accepting admission into our graduate programs has tripled over the past four years. This reflects a strategic approach to diversity which began four years ago, examining every piece of our recruitment and admissions pipeline to develop a holistic admissions process that focuses on individual achievement in research, rather than metrics, such as standardized test scores, that are poor predictors of success. Our goal is to continue our efforts to increase the diversity of our graduate student population and ensure that the next generation of scientists trained at Indiana University School of Medicine reflects the society that we serve.
It is impressive that these 61 students were able to complete their graduate degrees despite the challenges of a global pandemic. The research, persistence and perseverance demonstrated by these individuals will improve the lives of many and benefit the state of Indiana for years to come.
Tatiana Foroud, PhD
Executive Associate Dean for Research Affairs,
Indiana University School of Medicine
Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs for Clinical Research, IU Health
