Here's what our grads had to say when we asked, "what features of the Biomedical Masters Degree program do you think were the most useful for you to succeed in your current position?"
The opportunity to conduct hands-on lab work and research was a major reason I was hired upon graduation.
Daniel F Armstrong, Associate Scientist at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals (MS 2018)
In my current position I oversee community programs with a health focus - in particular food access and food security. Having a large breadth of knowledge from biology to culture helps me navigate conversations with community (informal - but nuanced and requires a different type of "jargon") to our health care providers (formal and very specific medical language and understanding of social determinants of health).
Indy Li, Community Programs Coordinator, Rockaway Initiatives for Sustainability and Equity / Rockaway Waterfront Alliance (MS 2016)
Training in developing research projects; laboratory training; exposure to diverse skill training for health research.
Alysa Pomer, Associate Research Scientist, Yale School of Public Health (MS 2011)
Lab management experience and carefully examining a scientific problem.
Heather Colley, Program Officer, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health (MS 2004)
The lab training was most useful to me in my success in my current position. As an undergrad, I was trained by Michel Shamoon Pour in DNA extraction, PCR and gel electrophoresis working with his PhD project studying mtDNA. Later, as his TA in the FRI program, as well as in the BioAnth lab class with Rita Spathis, I honed in on these techniques, learning a breath of applications in which they were useful, perfecting sterile technique, and performing Sanger sequencing. In addition, the leadership and teaching skills from the TA hours I volunteered in the FRI program were useful, as now I am a lab manager. Overseeing 16 students and helping run the FRI foreshadowed the same skills I use now at CSHL.
Lily Brine, Research Technician II, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (MS 2018)
Experience participating in research- in the lab, in the field, and with the Chronic Wasting Disease Surveying Study. Experience through my internship developing educational material.
Sarah Hempstead, Practice Guidelines Sr. Specialist, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (MS 2013)
Lab and methods training as well as faculty mentorship.
Kathryn Olszowy, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Cleveland State University (MS 2011, PhD 2014)
