Certificate Programs for Postdoctoral Research Training

Supervised Research - Supervised Research consists of the training you get from your mentor in the laboratory every day and, as such, requires no class attendance. When your research schedule will not allow you to be away from the lab bench, you should register only for Supervised Research. 

Electives - Elective courses are offered to enhance your training experience, but are not required.  Please register for these courses only if your research schedule allows for full participation and you have completed required courses for your certificate program. Complete listing and course descriptions are available on-line.
Course Verification Forms

Please email your questions to the Postdoctoral Affairs Office

---

Postdoctoral Certificate in Advanced Research
Required Courses  (View Requirements Checklist & Current Term Course Offering

1. Poster Presentation
   Produce a poster to describe a research project and exhibit data.  Make a presentation at a local (i.e.  annual UT Southwestern Postdoctoral Poster Session), regional, national or international conference/symposium. An oral presentation at an off-campus conference/symposium also meets this requirement. Course verification form.
2. Public Speaking - Journal Club/Works-in-Progress (WIP) – The purpose of a journal club or WIP is to keep abreast of recent research advances, to sharpen critical thinking abilities, and to develop public speaking skills. Any existing departmental (multi-lab) journal club/WIP with a published schedule may meet this requirement with approval of the Postdoctoral Affairs Office. Course verification form.
3. Seminar Series
   Any existing, regularly scheduled institutional, departmental, or program seminar series may meet this requirement with approval of the Postdoctoral Affairs Office.  The purpose is to keep abreast of recent research advances and to observe communication styles. Course verification form. Course verification form.
4. Individual Development Plan - This course is comprised of writing an Individual Development Plan following guidelines from the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. This planning process, initiated by the postdoctoral scholar, identifies his/her professional and development needs and career objectives. The plan must include feedback from the research mentor.
   IDP Description for Postdoctoral Scholars
   IDP Description for Mentors

Supervised Research - Supervised Research consists of the training you get from your mentor in the laboratory every day and, as such, requires no class attendance. When your research schedule will not allow you to be away from the lab bench, you should register only for Supervised Research. 

Electives -  Elective courses are offered to enhance your training experience, but are not required.   Please register for these courses only if your research schedule allows for full participation and you have completed required courses for your certificate program. Complete listing and course descriptions are available on-line.
Course Verification Forms 

Please email your questions to the Postdoctoral Affairs Office

---

Postdoctoral Certificate in Advanced Technology
Required Courses  (View Requirements Checklist & Current Term Course Offerings)

1. 1. Advanced Technology Coursework
      Two courses shall be chosen from any of those offered on topics in advanced technology.  Additional courses may be taken as electives.  Examples include, but are not limited to:
      Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis
      Basic Principles of NMR
      Chemical Neurotransmission
      Chemical Structure and Reactivity I or II
      Chemical Synthesis I or II
      Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
      Molecular Biophysics: Spectroscopy
      Protein Structure and Folding
      X-ray Crystallography
      Experiences in advanced techniques offered off campus may qualify (such as workshops or conferences).  Advance permission from your research supervisor and the Postdoctoral Affairs Office is required.  Costs associated with such courses are not provided by the graduate school. 
      
   2. Public Speaking - Journal Club/Works-in-Progress (WIP) – The purpose of a journal club or WIP is to keep abreast of recent research advances, to sharpen critical thinking abilities, and to develop public speaking skills. Any existing departmental (multi-lab) journal club/WIP with a published schedule may meet this requirement with approval of the Postdoctoral Affairs Office. Course verification form. 
   3. Seminar Series
      Any existing, regularly scheduled institutional, departmental, or program seminar series may meet this requirement with approval of the Postdoctoral Affairs Office.  The purpose is to keep abreast of recent research advances and to observe communication styles. Course verification form.
   4. Individual Development Plan - This course is comprised of writing an Individual Development Plan following guidelines from the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. This planning process, initiated by the postdoctoral scholar, identifies his/her professional and development needs and career objectives. The plan must include feedback from the research mentor.
      IDP Description for Postdoctoral Scholars
      IDP Description for Mentors

Supervised Research - Supervised Research consists of the training you get from your mentor in the laboratory every day and, as such, requires no class attendance. When your research schedule will not allow you to be away from the lab bench, you should register only for Supervised Research. 

Electives - Elective courses are offered to enhance your training experience, but are not required.   Please register for these courses only if your research schedule allows for full participation and you have completed required courses for your certificate program. Complete listing and course descriptions are available on-line.
Course Verification Forms 

Please email your questions to the Postdoctoral Affairs Office

---

Postdoctoral Certificate in Cancer 
This advanced certificate program documents participation in the Cancer Science of Medicine Interest Group (SMIG), an element of Convergence, which is UT Southwestern’s program to promote a collaborative culture engaging students, postdoctoral scholars, academic clinicians and basic science faculty in communication and learning about common diseases. The certificate requirements and expectations are listed below and a total of 15 credit hours are to be fulfilled within two years.  Postdoctoral scholars register for three credit hours in the fall and spring terms and two credit hours in the summer term.  Required courses should be completed before consideration is given to optional electives. 

Expectations – Postdoctoral scholars enrolled in this certificate program are expected to participate in the activities of the Cancer SMIG, which include:

1. Completion of the on-line Cancer Knowledge and Attitude Probe at beginning and end of enrollment in the Cancer Certificate program.
2. Cancer Center Scientific Retreat and other cancer-related symposia
3. Convergence Learning Community Days
4. Making a presentation to a less expert audience such as the public Learning Community Day, STARS, SURF, School of Health Professions Grand Rounds, Medical School Colleges

Required Courses (View Requirements Checklist & Current Term Course Offerings)

1. 1. Public Speaking - Journal Club/Works-in-Progress (WIP) – The purpose of a journal club or WIP is to keep abreast of recent research advances, to sharpen critical thinking abilities, and to develop public speaking skills.    Postdoctoral scholars in this program shall participate in a cancer-related journal club and/or works-in-progress that has been approved by the Postdoctoral Affairs Office.  Course verification form.
   2. Seminar Series
      Regular attendance is required at both Cancer Grand Rounds and another cancer-related series approved by the Postdoctoral Affairs Office,   The purpose is to keep abreast of recent research advances, identify crucial questions to be addressed in cancer research, to learn how biomedical research is translated into clinical practice and to observe communication styles.  Course verification form.
   3. Cancer On-line Course
      The objective is to increase postdoctoral scholars’ knowledge base in cancer biology, to identify crucial questions to be addressed in cancer research and to learn how biomedical research is translated into clinical practice.  The course entails viewing on-line video recordings of selected Cancer Grand Rounds, symposia and Cancer Biology I Course lectures and then completing an on-line evaluation form for each chosen video to provide feedback and to confirm viewing.
   4. Individual Development Plan - This course is comprised of writing an Individual Development Plan following guidelines from the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. This planning process, initiated by the postdoctoral scholar, identifies his/her professional and development needs and career objectives. The plan must include feedback from the research mentor.
      IDP Description for Postdoctoral Scholars
      IDP Description for Mentors 

Supervised Research - Supervised Research consists of the training you get from your mentor in the laboratory every day and, as such, requires no class attendance. When your research schedule will not allow you to be away from the lab bench, you should register only for Supervised Research. 

Electives - Elective courses are offered to enhance your training experience, but are not required.  Please register for these courses only if your research schedule allows for full participation and you have completed required courses for your certificate program.  Complete listing and course descriptions are available on-line. Course Verification Forms 

Please email your questions to the Postdoctoral Affairs Office

---

Postdoctoral Certificate in Chemisty
Required Courses (View Requirements Checklist & Current Term Course Offerings)

1. 1. Chemistry Coursework
      Two courses shall be chosen from any of those offered on topics related to chemistry. Additional courses may be taken as electives. Examples include, but are not limited to:
      Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis
      Basic Principles of NMR
      Chemical Neurotransmission
      Chemical Structure and Reactivity I or II
      Chemical Synthesis I or II
      Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
      Molecular Biophysics: Spectroscopy
      Protein Structure and Folding
      X-ray Crystallography
      
      Experiences in advanced techniques offered off campus may qualify (such as workshops or conferences).  Advance permission required from your research supervisor and the Postdoctoral Affairs Office.  Costs associated with such courses are not provided by the graduate school. 
   2. Public Speaking - Journal Club/Works-in-Progress (WIP) – The purpose of a journal club or WIP is to keep abreast of recent research advances, to sharpen critical thinking abilities, and to develop public speaking skills. Any existing departmental (multi-lab) journal club/WIP with a published schedule may meet this requirement with approval of the Postdoctoral Affairs Office. Course verification form.
   3. Seminar Series
      Any existing, regularly scheduled institutional, departmental, or program seminar series may meet this requirement with approval of the Postdoctoral Affairs Office.  The purpose is to keep abreast of recent research advances and to observe communication styles. Course verification form.
   4. Individual Development Plan - This course is comprised of writing an Individual Development Plan following guidelines from the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. This planning process, initiated by the postdoctoral scholar, identifies his/her professional and development needs and career objectives. The plan must include feedback from the research mentor.
      IDP Description for Postdoctoral Scholars
      IDP Description for Mentors
      

Supervised Research - Supervised Research consists of the training you get from your mentor in the laboratory every day and, as such, requires no class attendance. When your research schedule will not allow you to be away from the lab bench, you should register only for Supervised Research. 
 

Electives - Elective courses are offered to enhance your training experience, but are not required.   Please register for these courses only if your research schedule allows for full participation and you have completed required courses for your certificate program. Complete listing and course descriptions are available on-line.
Course Verification Forms 

Please email your questions to the Postdoctoral Affairs Office

---

Postdoctoral Certificate in Educational Techniques
The goal of the Educational Techniques Certificate program is for postdoctoral scholars to learn and apply effective teaching practices.  This program requires a greater time commitment and motivation of the participants compared to other certificate programs.  Once awarded, the certificate may prove beneficial for postdoctoral scholars to document training that better qualifies them for positions of employment in education.
Required Courses (View Requirements Checklist & Current Term Course Offerings)

1. 1. Effective Teaching Skills
      1. Participate in a course which covers topics such as teaching methods/practices, learning theory, curriculum development, and test writing.
      2. Teaching experience - the postdoctoral trainee shall seek opportunities independently and in consultation with their research supervisor and the Postdoctoral Affairs Office. 
         1. prepare and present a class lecture under the supervision of a faculty member, or
         2. lead a discussion group for a course under the supervision of a faculty member. 
   2. Poster Presentation - Produce a poster to describe a research project and exhibit data.  Make a presentation at a local (for example the annual UT Southwestern Postdoctoral Symposium), regional, national or international conference/symposium. An oral presentation at an off-campus conference/symposium also meets this requirement.
      Course verification form.
   3. Journal Club or Works-in-Progress (WIP)
      Attending any existing department or program journal club/WIP may meet this requirement with approval of the Postdoctoral Affairs Office.  The purpose is to keep abreast of recent research advances, to sharpen critical thinking abilities, and to develop public speaking skills. 
      Course verification form.
   4. Seminar Series
      Any existing, regularly scheduled institutional, departmental, or program seminar series may meet this requirement with approval of the Postdoctoral Affairs Office.  The purpose is to keep abreast of recent research advances and to observe communication styles. Course verification form.
   5. Individual Development Plan - This course is comprised of writing an Individual Development Plan following guidelines from the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. This planning process, initiated by the postdoctoral scholar, identifies his/her professional and development needs and career objectives. The plan must include feedback from the research mentor.
      IDP Description for Postdoctoral Scholars
      IDP Description for Mentors
      

Supervised Research - Supervised Research consists of the training you get from your mentor in the laboratory every day and, as such, requires no class attendance. When your research schedule will not allow you to be away from the lab bench, you should register only for Supervised Research. 

Electives - Elective courses are offered to enhance your training experience, but are not required.   Please register for these courses only if your research schedule allows for full participation and you have completed required courses for your certificate program. Complete listing and course descriptions are available on-line.
Course Verification Forms