Pathology

After a very short induction period of one or two weeks, during which some basic training is provided, you will start a research project in your supervisor’s laboratory.

• within a month of starting you will meet with your supervisor and Graduate Advisor to finalize your project and agree on an initial programme of research;
• within the first six months you are expected to complete a literature review on a topic relating to your area of research. This will be assessed by your supervisory team;
• after one year you will apply to transfer to DPhil status. To do this you write a report describing your research to date and plans for the future which is assessed by two independent experts, who interview you as part of the process;
• you will apply to confirm your DPhil status by the end of your third year. This involves writing a short progress report and thesis outline and giving a presentation. The application is assessed by two experts; and
• the final stage is submission of your DPhil thesis, which needs to be done within four years.

You will be supervised by a team that includes your main supervisor, a Graduate Advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies. Your Graduate Advisor will usually be another experienced principal investigator in the department. Your supervisor may appoint a senior member of the laboratory as your day-to-day supervisor. Most laboratories have weekly meetings where members present and discuss their research results with their supervisors. You will also have regular one-to-one meetings with supervisors and meet your Graduate Advisors every six months.

There are a number of key stages in the research programme:

Whilst working on your research project you will participate in a comprehensive, flexible skills training programme which includes a range of workshops and seminars in transferable skills, generic research skills and specific research techniques. There are also numerous seminars and lectures by local and visiting scientists, and you are provided with many opportunities to meet leading scientists.