Conclusions

1. Abstract The Ohio State University (OSU) was one of 15 programs involved in evaluating the status of neuroscience graduate education in association with the Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate (CID) in 2004. This initiative was an extensive self-evaluation process that used spatial representations to examine the scope and content of neuroscience at OSU and to compare our program to others in the CID and across the country. This analysis generated maps and graphs that summarized data collected on areas of research training of faculty and students, publication patterns, sources of funding, and departmental distribution. As a follow-up study on this initiative, the progression and evolution of our graduate program during the past three years have been examined. To represent these changes, current data will be compared to data collected in 2004 and presented in graphic form. To further characterize the efficacy and spectrum of the program, additional parameters, including career distribution of recent graduates, student presentations at national and international meetings, diversity of students and faculty, and student involvement in community outreach will be added to those already in place. This will allow us to further explore our program’s ability to mold neuroscientists with a wide breadth and depth of neuroscience knowledge in preparation for entrance into the scientific community. I. CORE CURRICULUM Required Coursework • Neuroanatomy • Neurophysiology • Neuropharmacology • Cellular & Molecular Neuroscience • Behavioral Neuroscience • Research Ethics Seminar Series • Topic specific student seminar • Weekly Deparmental series • Quarterly Hunt-Curtis Seminar Elective Coursework • Computational Neuroscience • Developmental Neurobiology • Survey of Behavioral Neuroscience I, II, and IIINeurobiology of Disease • Principles of Neuroimmunology • Molecular Genetics: Regulation of Gene Expression, DNA transactions • Pharmacology of Drug Receptor Interations • Cognitive Neuroscience • Statistics III. OUTREACH & SERVICE Departmental • Representative on NGSP Committee • Recruitment Planning Committee Community • Neuroscience Education for Urban and Rural Outreach • Brain Awareness Week • State of Ohio Science Fair University • Council of Graduate Students • University Senate Quantitative analysis of the Neuroscience Graduate Studies Program at The Ohio State University: A follow-up on the Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate R. E. White, M. R. Detloff, E. L. Hoschouer, P. G. Popovich, D. M. McTigue, R. J. Nelson Neuroscience Graduate Studies Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210 NGSP Students Then & Now Continued Use of CID Initiatives to develop stewards of neuroscience Primary Appointment Research Area • There are currently 31 NGSP students, compared to 18 in 2004. Undergraduate Major Area of Origin IV. CAREER TRAINING Teaching Opportunities • Preparing Future Faculty • Faculty Development • Conferences for Great Teaching • Mentoring Undergraduate Students • The Ohio State University Association for the Scholarship of Teaching (TOAST) • College Teaching Series Writing Proposals • Professional Grant Writing Workshop • Animal Protocol Writing Workshop • Career Connection Methods Presentations • Departmental: • Individual Department • NGSP Retreat & Symposia • Focus Group Presentations • University: • OSU Medical Center Research Day • Integrated Graduate Studies Research Day • Edward Hayes Research Forum • National: • Poster Presentations • Invited Lectures • Neuroscience Graduate Studies Program faculty and student rosters were examined for demographic information including: previous undergraduate institution, prior degrees, country/place of origin, research focus, publication record, and funding sources. • Neuroscience Graduate Studies Program students enrolled in 2004 and/or 2008 completed anonymous surveys to evaluate the breadth and depth of individual student’s training in his/her research focus. II. LABORATORY TRAINING Required Training • Year 1: Quarterly Research Rotation • Year 2: Candidacy Examination • Grant writing exercise • Oral defense • Year 3+: Dissertation Research • Written Thesis • Oral Defense Interdisciplinary Centers • Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Repair • Center for Molecular Neurobiology • Neurobiotechnology Center Core Facilities • University Laboratory Animal Resources • Campus Microscopy Imaging Center • Small Animal Imaging Core • Neurobiotechnology Center • Behavioral Core Facility • The majority of current NGSP students majored in a biological science topic. • We have several students both from states outside of Ohio and from other countries. 2004 2008 NGSP Faculty Then & Now Primary Faculty Appointment Research Area V. PLACEMENT OF RECENT GRADUATES Placement of Recent Graduates • Since 2004, the NGSP has successfully graduated 19 students. • 79% of graduates are post doctoral fellows at research one institutions including: • Harvard University, Yale University, Johns Hopkins University, Columbia University, University of California at San Francisco. • 16% of graduates are now assistant professors in neuroscience fields. • 5% of recent graduates are attending medical school. Model Systems Used By NGSP Students • Due to the multifaceted lens of neuroscience today, NGSP students use multiple model systems to conduct their research projects including behavioral, anatomical, cellular , molecular and computational neuroscience. • 67 Neuroscience Graduate Studies Program faculty in 2008, up 9% since 2004. • New faculty bring additional expertise in Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience as well as the fields of Neurotrauma and Disease • 19 faculty have a primary appointment in the Department of Neuroscience, while the remaining have primary appointments elsewhere with secondary appointments in Neuroscience. • Students published a total of 15 publications in the past year. • One student published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science and one student published in the Journal of Neuroscience. • Throughout the course of their graduate experience, NGSP students learn and integrate more than 10 research skills to answer their research questions, highlighting the breadth of Neuroscience research at Ohio State. 2004 2008 Conclusions Financial Support of Students 1. In the past 4 years, the NGSP program has expanded the number of faculty members, primarily in the molecular and cellular research area. 2. The NGSP program continues to have a diverse population of students that span a variety of different research areas. 3. Both faculty members and graduate students publish in a variety of journals, including high-profile and subject-specific publications. 4. Faculty members provide adequate funding for their students, primarily from the NIH and other national organizations. In addition, several students are successful in receiving their own funding. 5. The core curriculum of the NGSP program includes courses relevant to modern neuroscience, electives that provide in-depth information on specific subjects, and seminars. 6. NGSP laboratory training includes a defined goal-oriented timeline, several core facilities that provide the necessary equipment to perform experiments, interdisciplinary centers that encourage interaction between graduate students in different programs and departments, and training in multiple model systems and research skills that allow students to answer important research questions. 7. The NGSP program provides outlets for neuroscience outreach and community service. 8. Both the NGSP program and the OSU graduate school aim to train graduate student for future careers by providing training in teaching, grant writing, and professional presentation. 9. Recent NGSP graduates hold both teaching and research-oriented post-doctoral positions. • First year students are funded (student tuition, stipend and fees) by the Neuroscience Graduate Studies Program while they focus on course work and laboratory rotations. • The students’ chosen advisor assumes financial responsibility at the end of the first year. Funds originate from the National Institute of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation (NSF) or from university start-up funds. • Select students received fellowships from the University to support their graduate schooling: • The Ohio State University First Year Fellowship Award • 33% of 2008 1st year students • The Ohio State University Presidential Fellowship Award • OSU Alumni Grant for Research and Scholarship • Additional support was acquired from other national sources, including: • National Institute of Health Ruth L. Kirschstein Service Award (NRSA) • American Heart Association Pre-Doctoral Fellowship • Travel Awards to Attend National Meetings (n=8 in 2007-8) • In 2008, faculty members had a total of 169 publications. • Of those publications, 6 were in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (IF = 9.598), 5 were in the Journal of Neuroscience (IF = 7.490) and 2 were in Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (IF = 6.791). Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank Keri Bantz, Greg Butcher, Leah Pyter, Mike Beattie, and Jacqueline Bresnahan.