Biological Sciences of Public Health IDPs

There are 4 aims to the BPH IDP process: Self-Assessment, Career Exploration, Goal Setting, and IDP Implementation.

1.     Self-Assessment: Students will complete annual self-assessments. The emphasis is on stage-specific graduate school goals with a focus on recognition of skills and deficiencies. Goals in the G1 year focus is on expanding desired knowledge and filling gaps through course work, the selection of laboratory rotations, and finding the best fit for a dissertation advisor.  Goals for the G2 year and beyond, focus on developing project ideas and research directions toward the dissertation, enhancing skills in experimental design and execution, critical data interpretation, and communicating science to diverse audiences.  Student ideas around career aspirations, which evolve during the doctoral studies, should be discussed at each stage.

 2.     Career Exploration: Beginning in the G3 year, students should research career options, network, and explore different career paths by reading online resources, attending alumni career workshop and other events within the Harvard community and elsewhere.  A goal is to recognize the skills and experiences that best fit a given career path.

3.     Goal Setting:  Students identify actionable goals for developing desired skills, determining areas of professional interest and building contacts within those areas of interest.

4.     IDP Implementation:  In all years, students will have targeted conversations with their mentor(s) about academic and professional goals, plans and experiences and ways to implement and monitor progress towards these goals.  These conversations encompass short-term goals related to doctoral studies and research, mid-range goals for just after graduate school, and longer-term career goals, with the emphasis guided by stage of training.

BPH G1 IDP Form

BPH G2 IDP Form

BPH G3 and above IDP Form