Students complete research rotations in at least three laboratories to help identify a thesis lab. Rotations aim to broaden the student’s intellectual and technical experiences. The objective of the research rotation is to find a research home, and not to complete a significiant amount of work.
Each lab rotation lasts at least 6 weeks, to facilitate completion of three rotations by the end of the Spring semester. The rotation should not be prolonged beyond the normal 6 week period to meet particular research objectives. Students should begin their first rotation by September 1 and move on to their second and third rotations by Oct 15 and Jan 3, respectively. This allows time for a fourth rotation in the second half of the Spring semester, if necessary. Students may choose to end a rotation after 3 weeks, should they find it desirable to move on to the next rotation. At least one rotation must be conducted at the Washington University Danforth campus with a mentor whose primary affiliation is with the PMB Program. Students are expected to affiliate with a laboratory by May 1 of their first year.