Welcome to BGS

Biomedical Graduate Studies (BGS) serves as the academic home within the University of Pennsylvania for roughly 700 graduate students pursing a PhD in the basic biomedical sciences.  The program is organized into seven graduate groups:  Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Cell and Molecular Biology, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Genomics and Computational Biology, Immunology, Neuroscience, and Pharmacological Sciences.

Two affiliated graduate groups, Biology and Bioengineering, are not administered by BGS but overlap with BGS groups in faculty membership, course offerings, and other program attributes.

Penn’s graduate groups consist of faculty with a shared interest in training graduate students.  Graduate groups are not founded on any one academic department but are composed of faculty from several departments to provide flexible, broad-based, interdisciplinary training.  The seven BGS graduate groups consist of over 600 scientists and educators throughout the university and several associated research institutions. Faculty representing more than 30 academic departments and seven schools—Medicine, Dental Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Engineering and Applied Science, Wharton, Nursing, and Arts and Sciences— cooperate in admitting, funding, advising, training, and providing career development advice to BGS students.  The integrative nature of research and training at Penn is made possible by the physical layout of the campus.  All of Penn’s schools are located on a single campus, and most classrooms, offices, and laboratories are located within just a few blocks of one another.

BGS students have ample time and opportunity to explore modern biomedical science and develop their true academic interests.  Many courses are cross-listed by two or more graduate schools, and most faculty members belong to more than one graduate group.  Consequently, students may enroll in any relevant graduate level course and may conduct research with virtually any faculty member within a given field.  During the first year of study, students take fundamental courses in the areas of biochemistry, molecular biology, and cell biology and specialized courses in their chosen field of interest.  They also begin structured laboratory rotations that expose them to hands-on research.  The second year is devoted to focused laboratory work and a limited number of advanced elective courses and seminars.  Beginning in year three, students conduct dissertation research in the laboratory of their choice; this research typically takes three to four years. 

The BGS program provides supplemental training in bioethics and career development to students at all stages.  Most program graduates accept a prestigious academic postdoctoral fellowship, while other alumni find highly suitable positions in the biomedical industry, in government agencies, or in professions such as patent law, science journalism, or science education.  

Students accepted to Biomedical Graduate Studies’ PhD programs receive a fully funded fellowship—including tuition, fees, health insurance, and a competitive stipend—regardless of financial need.  Funds for these fellowships are derived from reserves provided by the School of Medicine and the University Provost, NIH training grants and individual fellowships, research grants, and other funding sources.  Applicants considered for admission are invited to campus for interviews during the months of January through March; offers of admission are made on a rolling basis during this period.