RWJMS+Princeton MD/PhD: Limited to only Molecular Biology?

[deleted728364]

I was looking at the RWJMS MD/PhD Program website and saw that they have a partnership with Princeton. Looking at their FAQs, they say that students may only work in Molecular Bio labs in Princeton. Their "Affiliated Institutions" page, however, shows a bunch of different Princeton centers. The obvious answer is that some Molecular Bio PIs happen to have multiple appointments at different centers, but it would be very awesome if students were allowed to go to other Princeton centers. If anyone here knows more about the program, can you shed some light?


FWIW, I looked up the archives to the Princeton newspaper and it looks like the consortium initially invited students to work with anyone at Princeton. I wonder what caused the change? Also, the program website also invites students to pursue non-traditional research, so I wonder why they don't allow it at Princeton.

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[Patros]

When I interviewed there several years ago, I only spoke with Princeton Mol Bio faculty. I think you are right about the multiple appointments, I assume if faculty from other departments have secondary appointments with the Mol Bio department, you could work with them.

And if there is some faculty that has relevant research that is not appointed to Mol Bio, you might still be able to work in that lab if you provide justification to the program director and get their permission. Of course, that's something you will have to ask them directly.

 

[yogapostbac]

I was looking at the RWJMS MD/PhD Program website and saw that they have a partnership with Princeton. Looking at their FAQs, they say that students may only work in Molecular Bio labs in Princeton. Their "Affiliated Institutions" page, however, shows a bunch of different Princeton centers. The obvious answer is that some Molecular Bio PIs happen to have multiple appointments at different centers, but it would be very awesome if students were allowed to go to other Princeton centers. If anyone here knows more about the program, can you shed some light?


FWIW, I looked up the archives to the Princeton newspaper and it looks like the consortium initially invited students to work with anyone at Princeton. I wonder what caused the change? Also, the program website also invites students to pursue non-traditional research, so I wonder why they don't allow it at Princeton.

Hi! I'm a first year MD/PhD student here now. Even I'm not 100% certain on the rules on this, and I'm a current student rotating in a lab at Princeton mol bio. What I do know is that our director of the MD/PhD program (Jim Millonig) is extremely helpful, and because the program is relatively small, if you're interested in something outside mol bio it can "usually" be worked out. I'm thinking specifically of some recent grads who've been in the neuroscience department, but *technically* also had mol bio advisors on their thesis committees? I would get in touch with Jim if you can and ask him the specifics!

From my experience, basic science research at Princeton is HIGHLY collaborative (not sure if this is the case everywhere, I have limited experience). So there are TONS of PIs in the mol bio department doing collaborations with chemical engineering, physics, neuroscience, etc. The rule MAY just be that you have to have a PhD in Mol bio, but could have a thesis project in collaboration with literally any other department. But run this by Jim if you get in touch with him!

 

[deleted728364]

That’s great to hear, sounds like they’ll work with me if I’m reasonable. Given the choice of Rutgers, RWJMS, and princeton, it seems like a great program.

 

[yogapostbac]

Also I'm not from an elite undergrad but i did have some research experience at an "elite" institute and I really think that's what ended up getting me in!