In order to register for rotations in the MS3 curriculum, MSTP students must notify MSTP Leadership at least 3-4 months prior to defending the dissertation and complete both the MSTP “Transition to Clinical Phase” form and the HSOM "Return from Leave of Absence" form. The following documents the process for completing your PhD and transitioning back to clinics.

1) Meeting with MSTP Assistant Director and Program Manager (4 months prior to your defense)

Schedule a meeting with the MSTP Assistant Director and MSTP Program Manager to discuss your tentative return to clinics time/preferences and schedule. After meeting with the MSTP Assistant Director, you will initiate your return to medical school paperwork and (if applicable) select a clinical track for the return block through the SOM Heersink Scheduling System. An email from the HSOM and MSTP will detail the scheduling and clinical track requirements related to your return to clinics block. Additional steps may be required based on your return from LOA and return to clinics (i.e., updated credentialing, BLS recertification, mask fitting, white coat, IMPACT Provider Training).

2) Application for Degree (Doctoral)

The application for degree must be received in the Graduate School Records Office by the deadline date listed on their website http://www.uab.edu/graduate/deadline-dates. A $50 fee will be charged to the student’s account, which needs to be paid by the student. The student should check their account for that fee to verify the student’s application has been received and processed. If graduation is postponed, a new application for degree must be completed for the appropriate semester and a reorder fee of $25 will be charged to the student’s account.

• All PhD Theme or Program requirements must be met prior to the PhD defense and return to clinics to complete MS3 and MS4 requirements
• Students must be registered for MSTP 799 (~3 semester hours) in the semester they plan to graduate
• Approval forms cannot be completed until a typed Application for Degree for the appropriate semester has been submitted to the Graduate School (see Forms)
• The dissertation must be defended (i.e., public and private) and submitted to the Graduate School for consideration before returning from HSOM LOA

3) Request Thesis or Dissertation Approval Forms

No later than 2 weeks before thesis or dissertation defense, student must submit Request Thesis and Dissertation Approval forms. This is when the dissertation defense date, time, location is set; the MSTP office, graduate school, department/theme must be made aware of this date. This step cannot be completed until the Graduate School has received student’s application for degree for the semester in which they plan to graduate.

• The committee members on approval forms must exactly match those on student’s official records. If any member of the committee has changed, that change must be submitted on an official Change of Graduate Study Committee Form (available on this web site) before approval forms are requested.

4) Dissertation Formatting, Submission, & Binding

When preparing your thesis or dissertation, avoid costly and time-consuming revisions and expedite your graduation by:

• Following the instructions in the Thesis/Dissertation Manual found on the graduate school website (http://www.uab.edu/graduate/images/acrobat/forms/theses/FormatManual.pdf) AND a standard style manual acceptable to your field of research
• Adhering to the deadlines set by the Graduate School concerning the submission of all required forms. Student’s graduation date is set by the date we receive the final ACCEPTABLE copy, not by the date of student’s defense.
• See “Completing a Graduate Degree” and “Deadline Dates” on the Graduate School website http://www.uab.edu/graduate

5) Timing the PhD and Transition to MS3

As the dissertation must be defended (i.e., public and private) and submitted to the Graduate School for consideration prior to the Heersink School of Medicine return from a leave of absence, students should give careful consideration to the timing of completing the PhD and how this will affect the schedule for residency applications and beginning a residency. The MSTP has select blocks that students can return to clinics to ensure an optimal 18-month clinical schedule (See “Transition to Clinical Phase” form). Students who finish their PhD and begin clinical rotations in June/July (MS-III block 6a/6b) will need to plan for an appropriate post-doctoral fellowship or other experiences to be performed after completion of the program and prior to the beginning of a residency. Students may investigate residency programs that accept candidates at times other than July 1st, obtain a post-doctoral fellowship, or engage in other activities after completion of the program.

Based on the MSTP students return block and selected HSOM clinical track, all Graduate School Theme or Program-based academic requirements must be met prior to the return to clinics. This includes the successful defense of the PhD and subsequent submission for review through ProQuest. Students must met the Graduate School dissertation submission requirements within the term they defend and prior to returning to clinics. Failure to do meet the dissertation approval requirements set by the Graduate School may result in the MSTP student returning to HSOM LOA and then registering as a Graduate Theme or Program student to meet the the PhD graduation requirements. During this time, MSTP students may be responsible for tuition, fees, and other expenses associated with this return to the PhD-phase of the program. Once the PhD requirements have been met and approved by the Graduate School, the MSTP student will initate a return from HSOM LOA and begin to start MS3 clinical training permitted by an upated MS3 schedule.

As part of the UAB Heersink SOM rising-MS3 requirements, MSTPs must attend the scheduled meeting to prepare rising MS3s for their transition to the clinics. This meeting is atteneded by all second year medical students prior to beginning their third year clerkships. All MSTP students proposing to return to clinics during this academic period are required to attend this scheduled meeting. This session is required by the Medical School and attendance 2 years in a row is acceptable, whereas entering the clerkships without previously attending this session is not acceptable. The meeting will focus on clinical expectations including HSOM academic standards, policies, and procedures related to this level of training.