How long does it ordinarily take for BMB students to complete their Ph.D.?

The time taken to complete a Ph.D. is quite variable. However, most students write and defend their thesis late in their fifth year or early in their sixth year of graduate study. See http://www.upenn.edu/VPGE/rules.html for full information on academic regulations.

What do most BMB graduates do after getting their degree?

A sample of career choices for recent BMB graduates can be seen here.

How many new faculty members have been recruited recently?

All departments involved in the BMB Graduate Group have a number of recent faculty recruits.  For example, Biochemistry and Biophysics has recruited two new assistant professors in the past year.

What is the ratio of male to female students? How many are international students?

43% of the current BMB students are women. Approximately 8% are international students.

How do BMB students pick their research advisors?

As described here, all BMB students undertake three laboratory rotations in BMB labs (BMB 699) during their first year of study, to expose them to the science and personality of labs in which they are interested. Most often, the students choose one of these three labs in which to do their dissertation research. In some cases, a fourth rotation is done if none of these labs suits the students needs and interests.

What courses do BMB students take in their first 2 years?

A description of the courses can be found here.  Sample curricula can be seen here.

What activities are available to BMB students?

Activities based in the Graduate Group are described here.  Other University information is available at http://www.upenn.edu/osl/. Information on Philadelphia activities can be found at: http://www.philly.com/.

Where do most graduate students live?

The cost of living close to Penn is quite reasonable.  Information on the options available can be found at: http://www.business-services.upenn.edu/housing.

What about stipends?

Fellowships from the Biomedical Graduate Studies program at Penn (of which BMB is a part) provide tuition, fees, health insurance, and a stipend for all full time students in good academic standing.  BGS endeavors to provide a uniform stipend to all students. Stipends for BGS fellowships are paid in equal amounts at the end of each month. The stipend level (for academic year 2007-2008) is $26,520.

Is owning a car necessary? Is it practical to have one?

It is not necessary at all to have a car as a graduate student at Penn. Public transportation in the city is very good and cheap.  Penn also has a variety of shuttle services to help you get around quickly and safely. In addition, Penn's urban location affords easy access to destinations off campus and outside of the city. Philadelphia's mass transit system, SEPTA, operates a coordinated system of bus, subway, elevated train, and trolley lines that covers all of Philadelphia and parts of surrounding counties. With a fifteen-minute walk to Amtrak's 30th Street Station, Penn students can expand their possibilities by making short excursions to destinations such as New York City and Washington, D.C. In addition, the Philadelphia International Airport is only a twenty-minute drive from campus, and can also be reached on a convenient high speed express line that intersects the campus. The University City station is at South Street and Convention Avenue.  See http://www.septa.com/ for information. If you have a car, you may want to apply for a parking permit to the University's Department of Transportation and Parking. Depending on where you want to park, this will cost you ~ $900 (for more remote Commuter Parking) or ~$1,500 (for 24 hour campus parking). There is often a wait for these spots, so you should apply early. Go to http://www.upenn.edu/transportation/ for more information.

Will I get health insurance?

Full health insurance is provided for all graduate students in the program. In addition, dental coverage is available for a nominal fee (less than $100 per year).

Is student health care provided?

Yes. To learn more about the Student Health Service click here.