The Society of Toxicology (SOT) Education Committee established the Graduate Subcommittee last year to consider ways that the SOT can support graduate training experiences that will prepare toxicology students for new workplace realities. The Graduate Education Subcommittee's purpose is to identify training gaps and needs in current toxicology graduate programs and to develop and implement initiatives within SOT and through engagement with academia, industry, and government partnerships to better equip graduate students in toxicology for productive and successful careers.
The Education Summit and Professional Needs Assessment Task Force and efforts such as those by National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support the biomedical workforce and workforce diversity have provided focus for our efforts.
The first new initiative was the Supplemental Training for Education Program (STEP). The recipients are announced in the STEP Funds Three Graduate Students.
The Graduate Subcommittee hosted a meeting of toxicology department and training program heads during the 2014 SOT Annual Meeting to share information and investigate areas of interest for further interaction.
Among trends noted is the development of nontraditional ways to foster and certify skills and knowledge that are essential in the toxicology workplace. For example:
- University of North Carolina (UNC)-Chapel Hill received approval for their Master of Professional Science in Toxicology program that is beginning this fall. This program will combine advanced coursework in toxicology, experiential activities, and a breadth of business fundamentals to produce graduates who are prepared for a non-academic careers in applied toxicology. For full- and part-time students, the degree will be completed in three semesters of full-time study. UNC–Chapel Hill’s first professional science master’s program is in Biomedical and Health Informatics.
- Michigan State has an online master’s degree in Food Safety and has now implemented a certificate program in Food Safety. This requires completion of four of the qualifying graduate courses.
- University of Washington offers several professional master’s programs, with two examples here.The Biomedical Regulatory Affairs Master of Science addresses the growing need for well-trained professionals in the regulatory field. Each cohort takes evening classroom courses as well as a practicum to provide knowledge as well as job experience over two years. The degree serves those who wish to advance their careers in the medical products industry or those entering the field from related areas.The Master of Pharmaceutical Bioengineering is an evening degree program designed to enable working local engineers, scientists, researchers, and professionals in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and related industries to explore advanced education in the areas of molecular and cellular biology, drug discovery and design, pharmaceutics, and translational pharmaceutics.
We are interested in learning about other programs to encourage diversification of skills for toxicology trainees entering the work force. Please contact me, Jim Luyendyk, or Betty Eidemiller at SOT Headquarters.