“U of T has promoted access for graduate students to non-academic skills.”

I have been at U of T since 1978. I have seen the growth of the graduate programs in life sciences and the successful efforts of faculty and departments to teach state-of-the-art knowledge and skills to graduate students.

A reduced emphasis on coursework has promoted more student engagement in self-learning, problem-solving, and creative research investigations. With the creation and expansion of hospital research institutes, the research faculty has grown, and state-of-the-art infrastructure has become available for graduate student training across the Toronto Academic Health Science Network.

A new emphasis on translational research and commercialization has been introduced into graduate programs to add to the highly successful discovery type research being taught. Many new seminar series and symposia are organized by faculty and students, which bring in outstanding international scientists to address students and faculty.

There have been many more student awards based on merit and on financial need within the University for which students may compete.

U of T has promoted access for graduate students to non-academic skills. Students are supported in student-generated activities around career development. Students are exposed to networking and its use to solve important scientific questions.

Postdoctoral fellows are senior trainees who are in a phase of their research training that requires sound basic knowledge, creativity, and the ability to carry out an independent research program within the context of the research goals and objectives of the laboratory in which they train.

U of T offers opportunities to work with internationally recognized scientists. The educational and laboratory environment in life sciences creates excellent opportunities to discover new knowledge and to publish in high-impact journals.

The close associations between basic and clinical sciences at U of T provide for innovative translational research activities, which can have important impact on health care. Interdisciplinary, interfaculty, and international collaborative opportunities available at U of T propel the studies that postdoctoral students carry out.

Related: Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology