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Rotation Information

All incoming students are strongly encouraged to perform a laboratory rotation in the summer before their M1 year.  A rotation is mandatory in the summer between M1 and M2.  Three options are available such that the minimum 2 and easily 3 rotations can be completed before spring of the M2 year.  Students are strongly encouraged to rotate at different institutions to broaden their experiences and to allow for optimal matches at the end of M2.  The rotations can include:

  • Two 7 to 8 week summer rotations performed pre M1 and between M1 and M2
  • A spring rotation starting the last week of January approximately 2 half-days per week and 3 weeks full time at the end of the semester and a 6 week rotations between M1 and M2.  Due to logistical issues this rotation can only be performed on the Piscataway or New Brunswick campus. 
  • Two 5 to 6 week rotations can be performed in the summer between MS1 and MS2. 
  • Third rotations require the approval of the Rotation Advisory Committee and the Program Director.  If 2 rotations were already performed at the same school, the third rotation MUST be at a different institution. 

The policies of the graduate or MD/PhD program can limit the number of students rotating in a particular lab or school and can limit the number of students that can be accepted into a single lab.  Students entering with advanced placement can petition the advisory committee to have the rotation requirement waived.

Faculty from UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and the Graduate Program in Molecular Biology at Princeton University participate as sponsors of MD/PhD students. Below is a list of the most common graduate programs that sponsor MD/PhD students and links to their program sites and faculty lists to assist in the identification of mentors.

Assistance in discussing rotation choices is available from Terri Goss Kinzy PhD, UMDNJ RWJMS and our Liaisons at Rutgers University: Lori Covey, PhD, or Princeton University: Elizabeth Gavis M.D. PhD.

The Rotation Selection Form must be signed by one of the liaisons and submitted to Perry Dominguez at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the rotation and by May 15th of the year for summer rotation.

The Rotation End Form must be completed and submitted within 3 weeks of the end of the rotation.

Graduate Programs and their Faculty Members

This list includes faculty at RWJMS, RU, and Princeton that participate in programs that typically are of interest to MD/PhD students. Additional lists of faculty at RWJMS and RU and other Rutgers graduate programs in the Piscataway/New Brunswick campus that are available for PhD research can be found in the departmental and program listings of:

UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

In addition, there are non-traditional PhD programs which students can enter at the point of admissions, such

Students must submit their Lab Ranking Form showing their rank order of lab choices by September 30 of the M2 year.

Upon confirmation of the selection of a laboratory for the PhD from the Program, the Lab Selection Form must be completed and submitted to Perry Dominguez.