Executive Vice Dean and Chief Scientific Officer
Reporting Offices

Biomedical Graduate Studies (BGS), established in 1984, serves as the academic home within the University of Pennsylvania for more than 600 graduate students pursuing a PhD in the basic biomedical sciences. BGS oversees and administers all aspects of the training of PhD candidates in biomedical science and assures the continued high quality of the student body and their training experience. 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.

Biomedical Postdoctoral Programs (BPP), established in 1997, is recognized as the national model for postdoctoral training, and presents outstanding programs for the training and career development of postdoctoral appointees in the biomedical sciences. In addition to the many administrative services provided by BPP, this office presents career skills workshops and bioethical training, provides support for postdoctoral recruitment, and organizes an annual postdoctoral research symposium.

The Combined Degree and Physician Scholar Programs office oversees the MD-PhD program, which was established in 1969 and is now one of the largest, oldest and most respected Medical Scientist Training Programs in the country. In addition to administering the MD-PhD program, the Combined Degree and Physician Scholar Programs Office works closely with other offices in the School of Medicine to provide support to MD-Masters students. The office also serves as a resource for medical students who wish to engage in elective research through year-out programs or summer research.

The Office of Masters Programs (OMP) was established in 2002 to provide academic oversight for master's degree programs offered within the School of Medicine, including the Masters in Clinical Epidemiology (MCE), the Masters in Translational Research (MTR) and the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree programs. These functions are performed by an OMP Committee, composed of faculty representatives from each School of Medicine-based master's degree program. The Committee reviews program requirements, admissions criteria, confirms that degree candidates have fulfilled degree requirements, and conducts formal reviews of the programs.

The Research Program Development Division (RPDD) was established in 1993 to foster interdisciplinary biomedical and health services research at the University of Pennsylvania. RPD provides administrative and financial support in the development of multidisciplinary grant proposals and contracts, multidisciplinary research retreats and sponsor site visits. The office also facilitates the identification of funding sources, provides guidance to faculty and staff concerning proposal submission and serves as a resource for the School of Medicine regarding sponsor policies and federal regulations.