The training program is designed to provide breadth as well as depth of training in cardiovascular research disciplines, and to insure development of networking skills, written and verbal communication skills, career skills (e.g. grant writing, CV building), and training in the ethical conduct of research. The required coursework exposes students to homeo static mechanisms at the molecular, cellular, systems and integrative levels and then pursues the principles of homeostasis in the context of development or disease of the cardiovascular system.
Although didactic presentations form a central element of the coursework, problem solving skills as they relate to current research are emphasized. Hypothesis formulation, experimental design, possible outcomes analysis, and data interpretation are all emphasized in the core courses and journal clubs, and are central in the context of their own research and the research of their...