Finding the right advisor is probably the most important decision our students make
In fact, when our graduates are asked during exit interviews to give advice for new students, their answers almost always have something to do with finding a good mentor. It's so important to get in the right lab and it all begins with choosing tutorials wisely.
- Two key rules about advisors of Ph.D. students:
- They must be Regular (i.e., full) Members of the GSBS Faculty
- They're expected to have the financial resources to support the student when the student's GSBS funding ends
- Students choose their advisor by the end of their tutorials
- For most students who matriculate in the Fall semester, that means the advisor should be selected by the end of the Spring semester
- Students in the Medical Physics and Neuroscience Programs may do their third tutorial during the Summer term so their advisors will be selected by the end of the summer
- Students who've chosen their advisor should contact Dr. Mattox or Brenda Gaughan to obtain the Accountable Mentorship Agreement form which is used to formalize the student-advisor relationship and Program affiliation
- In some situations, students are permitted to have a secondary mentor. Students interested in such a possibility should contact Dr. Mattox or Brenda Gaughan for guidance.
- Occasionally, advisors leave UT to work at other institutions, which can cause turmoil for their students. The decision of whether the student will stay or go with the advisor, or find a new advisor, depends on multiple factors. It is important for students to know that they have options and that GSBS will be there to help them. Students are encouraged to contact Dr. Mattox or Brenda Gaughan if they learn that their advisor is leaving UT or if they're worried about that happening.