SPUR Program

The Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) at Eastern Virginia Medical School offers several stipends of $3000 each to top applicants for a 10 week, full-time research experience.  Research laboratories in the following research areas are available to the students who are chosen:

Cancer biology and proteomics                             Immunology
Cardiovascular biology                                             Virology
Obesity and diabetes                                               Neuroscience
Reproductive biology                                               Ocular pharmacology
Myosin biochemistry                                                Radiation biology

Students who have completed at least 2 years of college as a biology or chemistry major and have a 3.0 or better GPA, both overall and in science courses, will be considered.  If you have any additional questions about either the SPUR program, or our Biomedical Sciences Master’s and Ph.D. Programs, please contact the Biomedical Sciences Program Director, Dr. Earl Godfrey, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by phone at 757-446-5609.

Complete application, a letter of recommendation from a professor who knows the student well, and college transcripts, are due March 1, 2012, and should be sent to:

Michelle R. Hammer
Biomedical Sciences Program
Eastern Virginia Medical School
651 Colley Avenue, Suite 315
P.O. Box 1980
Norfolk, VA 23501


Application forms may be obtained from, and submitted electronically to, Michelle Hammer at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

OVERVIEW

The Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. Program at Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) provides students with a foundation of biomedical science knowledge and intensive laboratory research training.

Students discuss results of a proteomics experiment.

Key advantages of this program:

• Broad, interdisciplinary curriculum
• Personalized program of study
• Close interaction with the faculty

Research focus areas include:

• Cancer
• Cardiovascular Biology
• Diabetes
• Infectious Disease
• Neuroscience
• Reproductive Biology

Since 1980, Eastern Virginia Medical School has sponsored the Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Sciences. Students initially complete a one-year core curriculum, providing a foundation in molecular and cell biology, biochemistry and research techniques. Formal laboratory training in techniques and instrumentation commonly used in research prepares students for a series of rotations in research laboratories. The student then chooses an advisor and develops a research project, focusing on specific scientific disciplines in the biomedical sciences. The student's research is complemented by advanced courses. Identification of an advisor prior to admission is not necessary. Using cutting-edge technologies, our graduates are prepared to bridge the gap between discovery in the biomedical sciences and application to the art of medicine. They have gone on to careers in academia, industry and government, where their interdisciplinary background has provided a unique perspective.

Eastern Virginia Medical School is a growing biomedical research institution in southeastern Virginia and part of the area's largest medical center complex. EVMS has a number of research institutes and clinical programs that interface with the basic science departments. The integration of clinical and basic sciences is an important component of both research programs and the biomedical sciences graduate program.

About fifty EVMS faculty members from the departments of Microbiology and Molecular Cell Biology, Physiological Sciences, Pathology and Anatomy, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, and Radiation Oncology participate in this program. Applicants may contact the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for information on research in specific areas.

Requirements

The requirements for admission to the Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. Program are:

• Candidates must have completed all undergraduate degree requirements and have been issued a bachelor’s degree prior to matriculating as an EVMS student. If the bachelor’s degree was issued by a U.S. college or university, as a general rule it should be from a regionally accredited institution. However, the program may grant exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
• Competitive scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
• Completion of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (international applicants only)
• Successful completion of coursework in:
  • biology (two years)
  • calculus and/or statistics (one year)
  • physics (one year)
  • chemistry (one year)
  • organic chemistry (one year)

We strongly recommend that applicants also obtain previous laboratory research experience and take additional courses in biology, chemistry and physics.

Transfer Credit Policy

Transfer of credit may be allowed for courses comparable to those offered in our programs, which were taken in other accredited biomedical or biological sciences graduate programs in the U.S.A. Grades of B or higher or a passing grade in a pass/fail course are required. The Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. Program may accept up to 12 transfer credits, and the Biomedical Sciences Research Master's Programs may accept up to 9 transfer credits. Transfer credit will be determined by the Program Director in consultation with program faculty after matriculation of a student into the program.

Application Procedures

The application deadline is February 1. Applications are reviewed annually in the spring for the following fall semester, which begins in mid-August each year.

All application materials must be received by February 1, including:

• Completed online application form, including your personal statement, along with the $60 application fee.
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, sent by the registrar at those institutions. Official transcripts from the awarding institution must specify the date upon which the degree was issued.
• Candidates must have a B average or higher (3.0 GPA)
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test scores, sent directly from the Educational Testing Service. The ETS code for reporting GRE scores to EVMS is 5729.
• TOEFL scores sent by the testing agency (international applicants only).
• Three letters of recommendation submitted using the form provided within the online application system. At least two letters should be written by faculty at colleges attended by the applicant who are familiar with the student's academic and research capabilities. Professional references only; letters from personal friends and family members will not be considered.
• Please note that transcripts and test scores take 4-6 weeks to reach us; please plan accordingly.

Official transcripts and test scores should be mailed to the Office of Admissions and Enrollment for Health Professions at the address shown below. If you experience technical difficulties or related problems in completing your online application, please contact:

School of Health Professions
Office of Admissions and Enrollment
Attn: Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. Program
Eastern Virginia Medical School
700 W. Olney Road, Room 1155
Norfolk, VA 23507-1607

Tel: (757) 446-7437/7153
Fax: (757) 446-8915
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

For more information about the Ph.D. program, please contact:

Program Director, Earl Godfrey, Ph.D.
Department of Pathology and Anatomy, EVMS
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Biomedical Sciences Program Office
Michelle R. Hammer, Program Administrator
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Phone: (757) 446-5076
Fax: (757) 624-2255