The University tracks your progress toward the degree by means of a series of Graduate Milestones. Successfully completing each milestone is a University requirement for the PhD degree. The following briefly describes the milestones for the School of Medicine Interdisciplinary Biomedical Graduate Program. Please contact the Graduate Studies Office for more information (412-648-8957).

I. The Preliminary Evaluation. Conducted by the STEERING Committee at the conclusion of your first year of study.

II. The Comprehensive Examination. An oral and written examination usually conducted at the end of the second year of study by the student's degree-granting program.

After or at the time of passing the Comprehensive Exam, the student, in consultation with his/her advisor, chooses and nominates a dissertation advisory committee.

III. The Prospectus/Overview Meeting. The student's dissertation advisory committee meets and approves the dissertation proposal at this meeting.

IV. Admission to PhD Candidacy. This is the formal petition from a student permitting him/her to study toward the PhD degree at the University of Pittsburgh. It must be approved by the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies.

After being Admitted to Candidacy, the University requires students to meet with their dissertation advisory committee yearly, at a minimum, and report the results in the form of a summary of progress and action plan for future work to the Graduate Studies Office in writing.

V. Dissertation Defense. When the experimental work and written dissertation are completed, a public defense is held in accordance with University regulations. The Dissertation Defense Report is signed and submitted to the Graduate Studies Office following the defense.

VI. Dissertation Approval. The Dissertation Approval Report is signed by your committee and submitted to the Graduate Studies Office upon completion and approval of all revisions to the written document.