Skip to Content

nav = Orientation

Orientation

All entering GSBS students will begin their studies on August 22, 2022, with a mandatory week-long orientation. This in-depth experience provides the foundation for a successful start to graduate school and an introduction to the MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School community.

Welcome

New Student Orientation will be held August 22-26 with additional information provided via online modules. Please check your email for a link to the New Student Orientation Canvas course.

Please review the Admitted Students page for information on pre-enrollment requirementsFor questions, please email Oscar Sevilla or Karen Weinberg.

 Last updated 8/4/2022

Schedule of Events

  • Full Schedule

    For an overview of the schedule, please click here

    Monday, August 22
    All events to be held in Onstead Auditorium, BSRB 3rd floor unless otherwise noted

    7:30 a.m.         Breakfast and Student ID Badge Pick Up

    8:30 a.m.         Welcome and Introductions               

    •          Sharon Dent, PhD, Dean ad interim
    •          New Student and Staff Introductions
    •          Introduction to Orientation 

     

    10:00 a.m.       Academic Overview

    •          Bill Mattox, PhD
    •          Natalie Sirisaengtaksin, PhD
    •          Wassim Chehab, PhD
    •          Bunny Perez

     

    12:00 p.m.       Lunch

                           Finance Group A [Gallick Classroom – BSRB S3.8367]

    •          Elisabet Lau, MBA
    •          Medhanit Zekarias
    •          Colden Snow

     

    1:00 p.m.         Office of International Affairs

    •          All international students are required to attend the OIA session

    1:00 p.m.         MD/PhD Career & Fellowships Session [Gallick Classroom BSRB S3.8367]

    •          Raquel Salinas, PhD
    •          Laura Rademacher, MEd

    2:00 p.m.         Finance Group B

    •          Elisabet Lau, MBA
    •          Medhanit Zekarias
    •          Colden Snow

     

    2:30 p.m.         Finance Group C

    •          Elisabet Lau, MBA
    •          Medhanit Zekarias
    •          Colden Snow

     

    Tuesday, August 23
    All events to be held in Onstead Auditorium, BSRB 3rd floor unless otherwise noted

    7:30 a.m.         Breakfast

    8:00 a.m.         Mentoring Up 

    •          Cherilynn Shadding, PhD

     

    10:00 a.m.       Break             

    10:30 a.m.       Presidents’ Research Scholars Symposium

    •          Vidhi Chandra, PhD student, Cancer Biology program
    •          Jiexi Li, PhD student, Cancer Biology program
    •          Kareem Wahid, MD/PhD student, Quantitative Sciences program
    •          Ruoyu Wang, PhD student, Genetics & Epigenetics program

     

    12:00 p.m.       Lunch

    1:00 p.m.         MS Student Panel

    2:00 p.m.         Program Sessions

    •          Biochemistry & Cell Biology [MSB Leather Lounge & 2.135]
    •          Genetics & Epigenetics [Onstead]

     

    Wednesday, August 24
    All events to be held in Onstead Auditorium, BSRB 3rd floor unless otherwise noted

    7:30 a.m.         Breakfast

    8:00 a.m.         Research Advising with Program Directors 

    •          Harry Karmouty-Quintana, PhD - Biochemistry & Cell Biology
    •          Jian Hu, PhD - Cancer Biology
    •          Francesca Cole, PhD – Genetics & Epigenetics
    •          Seyed Moghaddam, MD – Immunology
    •          Michael Lorenz, PhD – Microbiology & Infectious Diseases
    •          Qingchun Tong, PhD – Neuroscience
    •          Traver Hart, PhD – Quantitative Sciences
    •          William Plunkett, PhD – Therapeutics & Pharmacology

     

    9:30 a.m.       Choosing a Mentor Panel Discussion

    •          James Bankson, PhD
    •          Vasanthi Jayaraman, PhD
    •          Pierre McCrea, PhD
    •          Student Panel

     

    11:00 a.m.       Career Development – PhD Students

    •          Raquel Salinas, PhD
    •          Laura Rademacher, MEd

     

    12:00 p.m.       Lunch

    1:00 p.m.         Benefits

    2:00 p.m.         Program Sessions

    •          Quantitative Sciences [Onstead]
    •          Therapeutics & Pharmacology [4SCRB]

     

     

    Thursday, August 25
    All events to be held in Onstead Auditorium, BSRB 3rd floor unless otherwise noted

    7:30 a.m.         Breakfast

    8:00 a.m.         Intruder Training 

    •          Scott Barnwell, Sergeant, UT Police at Houston

     

    9:00 a.m.         Student Wellness

    •          Cherilynn Shadding, PhD
    •          Raquel Salinas, PhD
    •          EAP Representatives
    •          Student Panel

     

    10:30 a.m.       Break             

    11:00 a.m.       Career Development – MS Students

    •          Raquel Salinas, PhD
    •          Laura Rademacher, MEd

    12:00 p.m.       Lunch

    1:00 p.m.         Assistance with Registration (Optional; for students who have questions/issues registering for courses.)

    •          Bunny Perez
    •          Elisabet Lau
    •          Bill Mattox, PhD
    •          Natalie Sirisaengtaksin, PhD
    •          Wassim Chehab, PhD

     

    2:00 p.m.         Program Sessions

    •          Neuroscience [MSB Leather Lounge and B100]
    •          Immunology [SCRB Conference Rooms 1&2]

    Friday, August 26
    All events to be held in Onstead Auditorium, BSRB 3rd floor unless otherwise noted

    7:30 a.m.         Breakfast

    8:00 a.m.         Diversity, Equity & Inclusion 

    •          Cherilynn Shadding, PhD

     

    10:00 a.m.       Graduate Student Association Welcome Event

    •          Mabel Perez-Oquendo, PhD student, Genetics & Epigenetics program
    •          Clarissa Hoffman, MD/PhD student, Quantitative Sciences program
    •          Takese McKenzie, PhD student, Neuroscience program
    •          Sujanitha Umamaheswaran, PhD student, Cancer Biology program

     

    11:30 a.m.       Lunch with Peer Mentors

    1:00 p.m.         Student Associations Overview

    •          Graduate Student Association (GSA)
    •          Association of Minority Biomedical Researchers (AMBR)
    •          Association of Science Communication (ASC)
    •          Community Outreach Program (Outreach)
    •          International Student Association (SA)
    •          First-Generation Student Group (First-Gen)
    •          LGBTQ+ Student Alliance (LGBTQ+SA)

     

    2:00 p.m.         Program Sessions

    •          Cancer Biology [Onstead]
    •          Microbiology & Infectious Diseases [MSB 1.006]

     

    5:00 p.m.         Orientation Social/Friday Afternoon Club [Cooley Center]

    Updated 8/04/2022

  • Genetic Counseling

    Genetic Counseling students are not required to attend all GSBS orientation sessions. A list of required sessions is below.

    • Monday, August 22
      • Welcome and Introductions
      • Academic Overview
      • Finance Group A
    • Tuesday, August 23
      • Mentoring Up
    • Thursday, August 25
      • Intruder Training
      • Student Wellness
    • Friday, August 26
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      • GSA Event
      • Student Groups

                                                                                                                                                                                        Last updated 7/11/2022

  • Medical Physics

    Not all GSBS orientation sessions are required for incoming Medical Physics students. The Medical Physics program will host additional sessions during the week. 2022 Medical Physics Orientation Schedule

                                               Last updated 8/17/2022

                                                                                                                                                                                  

  • MS Biomedical Sciences

    Some sessions are not required for students enrolling in the MS program in Biomedical Sciences. MS students are welcome to attend any session and a list of required sessions is below.

    • Monday, August 22
      • Welcome and Introductions
      • Academic Overview
      • OIA (for international students)
      • Finance B or C 
    • Tuesday, August 23
      • Mentoring Up
      • Presidents' Research Scholars Symposium
      • MS Student Panel
    • Wednesday, August 24
      • Research Advising
      • Choosing A Mentor Panel Discussion
    • Thursday, August 25
      • Intruder Training
      • Student Wellness
      • Career Development MS Students
    • Friday, August 26
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      • GSA Event
      • Student Groups

                                                

          Last updated 7/112022

  • MD/PhD

    MD/PhD students transitioning to the lab are welcome to attend any session, however the sessions below are required.

    • Monday, August 22
      • Welcome and Introductions
      • Academic Overview
      • MD/PhD Career & Fellowships Session [1 p.m. in the Gallick Classroom]
    • Tuesday, August 23
      • Mentoring Up
      • Presidents' Research Scholars Symposium
    • Wednesday, August 24
      • Research Advising
      • Choosing A Mentor Panel Discussion
    • Thursday, August 25
      • Intruder Training
      • Student Wellness
    • Friday, August 26
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

                                                                                                                                                                              Last updated 7/11/2022

  • Program Sessions

    All entering PhD Biomedical Sciences students are required to attend at least two program sessions during Orientation. Program sessions are encouraged, but optional, for MS and MD/PhD students. Please click here to sign up by Friday, August 12.

    • Tuesday, August 23
      • Biochemistry & Cell Biology (MSB Leather Lounge & 2.135)
        • Ice breaker game, faculty flash talks, student introduction to BCB, networking, and socializing
      • Genetics & Epigenetics (Onstead Auditorium, BSRB, 3rd Floor)
        • Program overview, charades ice breaker, student and faculty flash talks, student panel discussion, and table topics with board games

    • Wednesday, August 24
      • Quantitative Sciences (Onstead)
        • Program overview with program director, faculty chalk talks, ice breaker activities, current student panel discussion
      • Therapeutics & Pharmacology (4SCRB)
        • Program overview with program director, meet & greet with current students, short talks by faculty who are seeking students, round table with faculty

    • Thursday, August 25
      • Neuroscience (MSB Leather Lounge & B100)
        • Ice breaker bingo with faculty and students, faculty elevator pitches, Q&A with current students, networking and socializing
      • Immunology (SCRB Conference Center Rooms 1&2)
        • Program director's welcome and program overview, faculty chalk talks, trivia, Q&A with current students, lab/facilities tour

    • Friday, August 26
      • Cancer Biology (Onstead Auditorium, BSRB, 3rd Floor)
        • Faculty talks, student panel, student flash talks, and speed networking with faculty and current students
      • Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (MSB 1.006)
        • Program introduction, faculty research talks, lab tours, social with current students

    Last updated 8/01/2022

New Student Information