Prospective Students
Mission
The major goals of the Integrative Physiology and Metabolism doctoral program at ECU are to provide students with foundational knowledge in physiology and metabolism, and to train our students to apply this knowledge towards original high-quality research in an inclusive environment that fosters collaboration and mentorship. Through this work we aim to provide a well-rounded and rigorously trained next generation of scientists.
Doctoral Program Overview
The Integrative Physiology and Metabolism doctoral program focuses on the fundamental principles of physiology ranging from mechanistic regulation to organ system biology to metabolism. The knowledge base is set in the first year to allow students to appreciate whole organism ramifications of their research and be able to interact with the world of medical research as a knowledgeable colleague. Our doctoral program is encompassed within the broader Biomedical Sciences Programs of ECU’s Brody School of Medicine. The program consists of a core curriculum for Biomedical Sciences, combined with the requirements of Integrative Physiology and Metabolism. Throughout the program students choose elective courses tailored to the study of physiology, the expertise of our faculty, and the student’s interests. Our faculty teach to medical professions and graduate students, fully dedicating our energy towards advanced education in the biomedical field and our strong research program.
To apply: visit the Biomedical Sciences PhD site or Biomedical Sciences Masters site
Where are we?
ECU is located in Greenville, NC just 100 miles inland of the beautiful North Carolina Crystal Coast and Historic Outer Banks. Our coastal location and moderate climate make for easy day trips to the coast year-round. The town of Greenville is widely recognized as the thriving cultural, educational, economic, and medical hub of Eastern North Carolina. Experience our vibrant art, live music, and culinary scene in the Uptown Greenville and Dickinson Avenue Districts. You can drive or fly directly into Greenville via the Pitt-Greenville Airport (PGV) located just a few miles from our hub on the medical campus.
What do Alumni do? Check out our Alumni page. Our doctoral graduates:
- Hold a wide array of positions within pharmaceutical companies, the U.S. government, academic and industry administration, and serve as investigator/project managers/leaders across numerous scientific companies.
- Continue research as postdoctoral fellows in some of our country’s most prestigious universities (Harvard, Duke, Columbia, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, UT-Southwest, etc.),
- Currently serve in academic faculty positions
Admissions
An appropriate academic background, including a minimum Grade Point Average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) during the last two years (junior/senior) of a bachelor’s degree at an accredited college or university, proficiency in the English language, and undergraduate education. Ideal candidates have taken college-level biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and mathematics. Students with a master’s degree will be consulted for the possibility of transfer and substitution of applicable masters course credits.
GRE scores are not required.
Benefits and Stipends
The standard School of Medicine Doctoral Graduate stipend is $28,000/year.
Masters’ stipend is up to $12,000/year.
Health insurance is provided as part of the financial support package.
Tuition remission are available on a competitive basis for Ph.D. students.
Cost of Living
The cost of living in Greenville is excellent. As an example, cost of living in Greenville is approximately one-half of that in Boston and one-third of that in San Francisco. Thus, your grad-student stipend goes further here!
An example of a doctoral plan of study with both required and elective course work can be found here.
More details can be found on our ‘Current Students’ tab.
Semester 1
| Course | Hr |
|---|---|
| Grad Phys I | 4 |
| Seminar (all first-year grad students) | 1 |
| Seminar (Physiology students) | 1 |
| Intro to Research (research/rotations | 3 |
| Optional Elective |
Semester 2
| Course | Hr |
|---|---|
| Grad Phys I | 4 |
| Seminar (all first-year grad students) | 1 |
| Seminar (Physiology students) | 1 |
| Statistics | 3 |
| Optional Elective |
Semester 3
| Course | Hr |
|---|---|
| Critical Thinking in Phys | 4 |
| Ethics | 2 |
| Adv. Topics (research) | 3 |
| Seminar (all Physiology students) | 1 |
| Optional Elective |
Semester 4
| Course | Hr |
|---|---|
| Adv. Topics (research) | 3-6 |
| Seminar (Physiology) | 1 |
| Research Proposal Strategies | 2 |
| Optional Elective |
Semester 5-10
| Course |
|---|
| Research credits |
| Seminar (all Physiology students) |
| Any additional Electives needed/desired |
Examples of optional electives: (Course topic information found on our ‘Current Students’ tab)
- Biochemistry I
- Biochemistry II
- Molecular Biochemistry
- Graduate Neuroscience
- Molecular Cell Biology
- Toxicology
- Immunology
- Cardiovascular Pharmacology
- Advanced Topics: Mitochondrial Diagnostics
To Apply: visit the Biomedical Sciences PhD site or Biomedical Sciences Masters site.
For additional information regarding the Physiology Ph.D. Program, contact the Graduate Studies Committee:
Director