Overview of Mentoring and Advice
MD-PhD Faculty Advisors
MD-PhD students have access to many different levels of mentoring. The MD-PhD program assigns all students an individual mentor. The group of people who serve as mentors are members of the Penn faculty who themselves have both an MD and PhD, or who have an MD and are also scientists. You are expected to meet with your mentor at least once a year, and and strongly encouraged to be in touch with him/her more often -either through additional meetings or by e-mail or phone. Our vision is that the MD-PhD program advisor will help provide mentoring nd guidance on many issues, particularly those unique to MD-PhD training and careers. (The MD-PhD mentors are: Jean Bennett, Skip Brass, Lewis Chodosh, Bob Doms, Carolyn Felix, Peter Klein, Gary Koretzky, Terri Laufer, Debra Leonard, Nina Luning Prak, Carl Oberholtzer, Steve Reiner, Doris Stoffers, Kate Sullivan, Mitch Weiss and Bryan Wolf).
Other Faculty Advisors
In addition to the MD-PhD program advisor, students will receive guidance from a wide variety of other sources: the Medical School Associate Deans, Graduate Group Chairs and advisors, thesis mentors, thesis committee members, and other faculty members. We strongly encourage you to network and talk with a diverse group of faculty members about your training and career plans.
Staff and Students
You will also meet individually at least once a year with Maggie Krall, Director of Administration. Among other things, she can help students connect with other students in the program who have insights on particular issues.
Events and Meetings
Each year the program holds class meetings and panel discussions.
Women's Group
The program hosts a number of informal discussions throughout the year for MD-PhD physician-scientist students, residents, fellows and faculty members. The goal is to provide a comfortable forum for conversation about issues that affect women physician-scientists and MD/PhD students in unique ways.