Students receive graduate research training through the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Medical Sciences. This program transcends traditional departmental boundaries, offering students the opportunity to do thesis research in any lab in the College of Medicine. M.D./Ph.D. students typically receive their research training in one of seven graduate tracks.  The Space Life Sciences Track is offered in conjunction with the Faculty of Genetics and the Departments of Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Nuclear Engineering at Texas A&M.  The Biomedical Engineering Track is offered offered in conjunction with the Texas A&M Department of Biomedical Engineering.

• Biochemistry and Structural Biology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Cell and Molecular Biology
• Neurosciences
• Microbial and Molecular Pathogenesis
• Space Life Sciences
• Systems and Translational Biology

Research training is available in a wide range of areas in the many labs that a student can choose from. Most faculty members employ multidisciplinary approaches and/or actively collaborate with other local (College of Medicine or adjacent Texas A&M University) or national/international scientists. The faculty are drawn from the basic science departments in the College Medicine and our clinical faculty.

The curriculum is organized into seven tracks corresponding to the areas of emphasis listed above. Although primary responsibility for designing a course of study rests with the student and his/her advisor, each tract has a defined curriculum, which builds on broad-based foundation courses taken by all students in the program. Students select a curricula track based on their own particular interests and educational objectives. To assist students in the process of discovering these interests, exposure to research opportunities are available through:

• summer rotations
• research seminars
• consultation with potential research advisors
• weekly M.D./Ph.D. student journal club

Typically, the selection of an advisor and research discipline is accomplished during the first two years, but students may make their selection at any time. Students are urged to make their decision as early as possible so that they can begin their dissertation research in a timely fashion.