Aims of the program
The Graduate Studies Program in the Department of Pathology has been designed to achieve three major goals:
- To train students in all aspects of designing, conducting, and interpreting experimental research focused on human disease. Pathology includes many sub-specialties, and our research laboratories provide students an opportunity to choose their thesis topic from a variety of areas. The program often leads to interdisciplinary collaborations within McGill and emphasizes intellectual exchange with international experts through participation in conferences and meetings.
- To ensure that students develop and maintain a significant level of knowledge in the basic science of pathology in addition to the specialization of their research project. They must consider contemporary problems/advances in biomedical research, major global problems related to disease, and the potential applications of new technology in understanding disease processes. This prepares them to think beyond narrow limits and sets a pattern for lifelong learning in their future careers.
- To provide initial training in effective techniques of scientific communication across media (i.e., written, oral, and visual). Candidates must prepare manuscripts for publication at sequential stages of their research project, in addition to writing a thesis when their experimental work is complete. They are taught how to organize and deliver scientific seminars and lectures, and every student must give a variety of presentations at different levels during each year of their training. Feedback and guidance are continually provided as they evolve their communication skills, so that students become progressively more composed, confident, and effective at speaking in front of a variety of audiences.
We offer Master's (MSc-Thesis), Doctoral (PhD-Thesis), and Combined (MD/PhD) degrees.