Academic Milestones
The Center for Translational Science Activities (CTSA) Postdoctoral Programs Committee tracks certain milestones to keep apprised of your progress toward completing the Postdoctoral Certificate Program.
Milestone 1: Research proposal
If you were admitted to the program in March, 2012, your research proposal and supporting materials are due by Jan. 2, 2013; although you are encouraged to submit earlier.
If you were admitted to the program in September, 2012, your research proposal and supporting materials are due by July 1, 2013; although you are encouraged to submit earlier.
Milestone 2: "Writing for Biomedical Publications" workshop
Scholars are required to attend the "Writing for Biomedical Publications" workshop, which is offered once each year in March.
Milestone 3: Completion of didactic course work
The certificate program requires that you complete 12 credits with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Read more about the certificate program's curriculum, including required and elective courses.
Milestone 4: Completion of manuscript
The research you conduct as part of the Postdoctoral Certificate Program should result in a publication-ready manuscript. Remember that you must cite the CTSA grant in the "acknowledgements" section. Read more about manuscript requirements.
After you complete your manuscript, your mentor should prepare a summary statement verifying that:
- The research was conducted by you (the scholar) and is scientifically sound.
- The manuscript is accurate and clearly written.
- You (the scholar) are the primary author of the manuscript.
Milestone 5: Program completion
Before awarding your certificate, the CTSA Postdoctoral Programs Committee will complete a final evaluation of your achievements in the program. This includes confirming that you've completed all necessary course work with a satisfactory GPA and reviewing your manuscript, mentor summary statement and curriculum vitae. You will also be asked to complete a brief program evaluation questionnaire.
After program completion
After completing the Postdoctoral Certificate Program, you'll be asked each year to submit your curriculum vitae, which enables the CTSA to document your publications, grant support, academic rank and other accomplishments for the purpose of outcomes reporting to the National Institutes of Health.
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