MSTP Upcoming Events

The Upcoming Events calendar shows all of the upcoming thesis defenses of our students, the annual retreat schedule, and speakers from MSTP graduates or other MSTP-invited visiting speakers.

MSTP Conversations in Research

This weekly, noon-time seminar series provides 1st- and 2nd-year MSTP students an opportunity to interact with individual MSTP faculty members in the PhD programs affiliated with the MSTP and learn about research opportunities available for graduate training. The series also provides sessions focused on career development topics (writing skills, individual pre-doctoral fellowship application, program transitions, etc).

MSTP Annual Retreat

The annual retreat incorportates two elements: a scientific component and a social outing component. The scientific portion is a one- or two-day research retreat for students and faculty, held at the end of the summer semester, allowing the new M1G trainees to interact scientifically and socially with colleagues in all phases of training. MSTP students give oral and/or poster presentations, highlighting their research accomplishments. The formats and themes are chosen by the student-run Retreat Committee, reflecting their interests and creativity.

The second part of the Retreat is a social outing, sponsored by the MSTP. The activites range from tailgating before and then attending an Iowa Hawkeye football game, travelling to the Wisconsin Dells to Mt Olympus Park, camping excursions in a state park, and visiting a brewery for lunch and a tour. About two-thirds of the students in any given year enjoy the social part of the annual retreat.

I 'Heart' Science

This annual event held close to Valentine’s Day. The MSTP Seminar Committee invites a high-profile speaker. Following the lecture, the MSTP holds an I 'Heart' Science poster event, where graduate phase students share their ongoing research projects.

MSTP Grand Rounds

A forum for patient-based discussions which emphasize how science and medicine intersect held approximately four times per year. Students recently in the clinical phase (M3G or M6G) discusses an interesting patient.

A senior MSTP student (M6G), who has completed the PhD phase of training and has re-entered the medical curriculum, discusses a patient with whom he/she has interacted who presents an interesting medical issue. A student (usually an M4G or M5G) currently in the research phase, discusses a basic science issue related to the patient being presented, focusing on the most recent developments in this area of investigation.

MSTP Student Thesis Defenses

The final examination for doctoral degrees is the defense of the thesis accompanied by public presentation of the thesis work.  Presentations are typically 45 minutes in length and allow sufficient time for questions following the presentation. MSTP students are encouraged to attend the denfenses of their colleages.

MSTP Medley

MSTP Medley is a new program-wide dinner event, developed in response to MSTP student desire for informal gatherings. MSTP Medley will alternate months with Directors’ Dinners. The Directors will organize one MSTP Medley per year focused on issues of Responsible Conduct of Research to refresh central principles (see section 5). Trainee groups will organize the other Medleys, with topics reflecting their interests and creativity.