Prospective Students

As biomedical research moves forward in the 21st century, the lines between traditional scientific disciplines are almost gone. Accomplished researchers must possess more than an in-depth knowledge of one specific field – they need a broad understanding of principles and techniques from disciplines across the biomedical sciences. Since 1992, graduate students at Vanderbilt have received a comprehensive educational foundation for a successful career in biomedical research through the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences (IGP).

We provide a personalized, flexible approach to accommodate a wide range of educational backgrounds and specific interests. We have always had the goal of providing our students the strongest possible cross-disciplinary education, and we constantly update and modernize our topics, content, and approach to our curriculum.

With multiple core facilities and with the resources provided by the Biomedical, Research, Education, and Training (BRET) Office, students are supported in multiple ways throughout their graduate training.

The Interdisciplinary Graduate Program at Vanderbilt University provides students with a supportive and  highly collaborative environment for pursuing advanced studies in biomedical sciences. As a result, our students are able to gain a broad perspective on their research and develop a deep understanding of the complex issues facing the field today. Please explore our website to learn more!

Our online application for Fall 2024 will open on August 1, 2023. 

• Submission of GRE scores is optional.
• There is no application fee for anyone who has performed research funded by a US entity. Read more here!

The First Year Program

The goals of the first year program are to provide students with a strong, broad background in biomedical and biological sciences and research methods. Courses are based on the most recent literature in the subject fields of the sections of the course. This means that lectures and discussions are heavily dependent on recently-published journal articles.

Students have the flexibility to explore their research interests from the offerings of the 11 participating departments and programs prior to choosing a laboratory for their dissertation research. Students rotate in four laboratories in their first year; at the end of that first year, students will join a department or program and become students in that department or program.

Please visit IGP Training Program to learn more about the first year curriculum.

2023 Biomedical Graduate Program Info Session and Recruiting Fair Schedule

Would you like to meet a representative of our Biomedical Graduate programs? We would love to meet you too! We will be attending the following Graduate School Fairs, some of which will be virtual and free for prospective students. Please stop by so we can get to know you. You can also contact us with any questions you may have.