| Name: | Mustafa Turkoz | |
| Course: | PhD, Developmental Biology | |
| College: | Washington University in Saint Louis |
Every year many international students join the Washington University in Saint Louis (WashU) Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences (DBBS) PhD programs. Why do they prefer WashU instead of other universities' graduate programs? I would like to share my experiences at WashU to answer this question.
First, the scientific atmosphere is exceptional at WashU. DBBS is the umbrella that offers 12 different PhD programs and is home to more than 400 world-renowned faculty members and thousands of graduate students and post-docs. The faculty members and scholars come from 49 different countries, which indicates the welcoming environment for international researchers. The other advantage of DBBS programs is the opportunity for collaborative research and integrated education between biological science programs and medical school. There are training programs called “Pathways”, which allow students to explore different specialized areas of interest in medicine. In these specialized courses, students are trained to learn details of the subjects and shadow medical doctors. In addition to that, the DBBS umbrella provides a variety of mentor and lab options for PhD training. Students can work with any faculty in any sub-department as long as the faculty member approves it.
Second of all, the social atmosphere is very appealing for international students. Many students and faculty members from different parts of the world come here not only to share their expertise but also to develop more skills in their specialized fields. Diverse national origin and ethnicity provide different flavors from different cultures. Faculty members, many of which are international, are “Top 10” in their research and enjoy sharing their knowledge with students. Also, DBBS provides a warm environment that makes you feel like you are a part of this community. More importantly, everyone in the community is welcoming of any culture and friendly towards internationals.
Lastly, there are financial benefits. The stipend that the University provides for graduate students is more than enough to live comfortably in Saint Louis. Although, Saint Louis is one of the major cities in U.S., living expenses are reasonable. In short, as a graduate student, you have the advantage living in a cosmopolitan city, yet in affordable means.
In summary, scientific reasons, advantages of social environment and financial benefits make WashU – DBBS an exceptional place to get your PhD degree. I really enjoy being a part of this community. WashU will promise you an extra-ordinary environment for training and help you to develop your skills. You will have your training in a world-class lab with world-class researchers.











Google
Facebook
Twitter
Myspace
Yahoo
Digg
Del.icoi.us
Windows Live
Reddit
Blogger