Academic Progression & Procedures
In order to reflect changing program needs and considerable enlargement of student groups, BP, CCB, and Bioinformatics established its own formal journal club with the following ground rules:
- Two talks per student required: one talk for first year students; one talk for second year students
- Two presenters per session; complementary distribution (1 CCB + 1 Bioinformatics, or 1 BP +1 CCB or 1 BP + 1 Bioinformatics)
- Genentech Auditorium, Tuesdays 10:45am-12:00pm
Faculty Coaches
- First year students: Two faculty coaches per speaker, preferably one who is experienced in the journal club process
- Second year students: Two coaches; one faculty member, and either one postdoc, SRA or senior student
- May not be 2nd yr student’s PI
- PI of speaker to attend
- Both coaches present at talk; one will submit formal review for student record
Faculty Coach Duties
- Approve choice of paper
- Provide guidance to student as requested
- Rehearse student until acceptable performance is achieved
- Attend journal club and discuss presentation with student afterwards
- Provide written evaluation to program administrator for academic file
Students
In a timely fashion (one month before assigned date):
- Arrange for faculty coaches and identify lead coach Must be done at least three weeks in advance to ensure adequate time for practice talks
- 1st year students: Paper should not be related to student’s primary or undergraduate research
- 2nd year students: Paper should be from a different field (i.e. Bioinformatics students should do an experimental paper)
- Submit article and justification to coaches for approval Paper should be current, scientifically significant, and of broad interest to three groups; coaches can veto choice if above criteria not demonstrated
- Submit presentation title, approved article, and choice of coaches to: Rebecca Brown at rbrown@cgl.ucsf.edu
- Organize coaching appointments and practice talk
- If assigned date is in conflict with schedule, arrange an alternate date with another speaker and inform administration
- Invite PI to attend
Administration
- Devise year-long schedule in August
- Send out reminders to students
- Record coaches chosen
- Database of articles chosen
- Follow-up to students and coaches as necessary
- Distribute flyers

