MS & PhD in Biomedical Sciences

Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Annual Stipend

Financial support packages are provided by the BSGP to incoming PhD students during the first academic year of the program.

At the end of the first academic year, beginning June 1, PhD students are funded by their dissertation advisor (mentor), training grants, and/or the advisor’s department.

This package includes:

Full tuition support, including mandatory student fees
Payment of student health insurance
And an annual stipend:

ANNUAL STIPEND (12 MONTHS)
Increases go into effect July 1 of	2022			2025	2026
Increase effective January 1 of		2023	2024
	AY22-23	AY23-24	AY24-25	AY25-26*	AY26-27*
Pre-Comprehensive exam	$26,500	$28,386	$30,090	$31,895	$33,808
Post-Comprehensive exam (~ in yr 3)	$28,000	$29,993	$31,794	$33,701	$35,723

*Amounts are approximate. After AY24-25, stipends increase annually to stay 2k above NIH (~$500 or 2% annually).

Note: Eligibility to receive financial support throughout the program is contingent on the student remaining in good academic standing by BSGP and UNM Office of Graduate Studies standards.

Good academic standing includes earning passing grades in all academic coursework and maintaining progress towards the research component of the program.
The BSGP is an intensive research-based PhD program; therefore, students who fail to identify a research mentor and secure funding beyond the first academic year of the program will be unable to continue in the BSGP.
The program provides guidance and a variety of opportunities during the first academic year of the program for students to successfully identify research mentors.
However, the task of finding a long-term fit within a research lab is the personal responsibility of each individual student.

Who is responsible for paying my mandatory fees?

Ultimately, the student is responsible for paying mandatory fees. First-year BSGP students receive funding for all mandatory fees. Following the first year, mentors pay a student’s mandatory fees. Verify that these fees are included in your RA contract before approving the contract.

Note: Some courses taken outside the BSGP degree program have associated fees that may be the student's responsibility (e.g. MBA-related course fees).
These fees can change each year. Consult the Tuition and Fee Rates website to confirm the current fees.

How do I change the number of credit hours for a course I am registered for?

Follow this how to video to learn how.

How do I know if my RA contract is correct?

You can view RA contracts that are waiting for your approval or that you have already approved by logging in to loboweb using your Main campus netID and password. Students should audit their contract for accuracy before accepting.

See the Annual Stipend section above for current pre-/post-comprehensive stipend amounts. Work with your department admins to change your salary after passing comps. Salaries do not automatically increase without a new contract.
You should have at least 6 credit hours of tuition covered in fall and another 6 in spring (though we recommend 9+ hours to add cushion). You should have at least 3 credit hours in summer (though we recommend 6+).
1. NOTE: First-year student contracts cover 14 credit hours of tuition in fall and spring to account for core curriculum.
Your mentor contract tells you what student fees your mentor has agreed to pay. Mentors should be covering all student fees. Contracts can be written for a greater amount (ex: $650) to add cushion. If fees offered on the contract are high, the mentor will only be charged for assessed fees not the full amount on the contract.

Please send a copy of each new assistantship (RA, TA, GA, etc.) contract to somreo@salud.unm.edu for your student file and so that we can audit your contract for accuracy.

Is my concentration added to my degree plan?

Once your your application for candidacy (PhD students) or your program of studies (MS students) is approved, you can verify whether your concentration is correctly listed in your student records by viewing your unofficial transcript.

Log in to my.unm.edu
In the Student Life Tab, click on Enter LoboWeb
Go to Registration & Records
Under Records, go to View Unofficial Academic Transcript
Complete the dropdown menus (All Levels, Advisement – web), click submit
Your concentration, if you have one recorded, is listed under your major (see photo)
If you do not see your concentration listed, and your AOC/POS is approved, please email somreo@salud.unm.edu and request that your concentration be added. Please provide the concentration name and verification that you have completed the requirements (requirements listed here: goto.unm.edu/bsgp).

How to request a PDF copy of your unofficial transcript

Method 1: Get a PDF of your transcripts through LoboWeb

Log in to my.unm.edu
In the Student Life Tab, click on Enter LoboWeb
Go to Registration & Records
Under Records, go to Advisement Transcript - UNM

If you have holds on your record, you will be unable to view or download your transcript

Click Submit Request
Once submitted, you will be emailed (to UNM email) a PDF version of your transcript

Method 2: Get an unofficial copy of your transcripts from the Office of Records and Registration

You may go to the Office of Records and Registration in person to request and/or pick up your unofficial transcripts. Photo identification is required when ordering and picking up transcripts in person.
Unofficial transcripts are free with a maximum of three copies per person only.
Students with work prior to the Summer of 1983 or other Record holds will take additional time.

Resources for the MS/PhD in Biomedical Sciences Programs

BSGP Handbook, Learning Plan (sample)

BSGP Code of Professional Conduct

Annual Activities and Accomplishments Report - Due each Apr 15 while in the program.

Application for Candidacy (PhD) - due semester after taking the Comprehensive Exam (can be done earlier). See below for details.

Assistantships: OGS Assistantships Website

Committee on Studies (COS) forms: MS and PhD

Appointment - Due in Fall of Second year.
- Please review Student Committee Composition requirements prior to submission.
- Non-UNM tenure track faculty committee members (Category 2 or Category 4):
  - Four weeks before your comprehensive exam or defense date, students are responsible for submitting the email address, phone number, and CV/Biosketch for Category 2 (Non-UNM tenured or tenure track faculty) or Category 4 (Others considered experts in the field) committee members to SOMREO@salud.unm.edu. Please also indicate if the person is tenure track faulty at a non-UNM institution in your request. Optional: OGS asks for the race and gender of the committee member. SOMREO will submit the person to OGS for committee service approval.
    
    NOTE: The turnaround time for OGS processing these requests can vary. It is recommended that you submit people to be approved for committee service as soon as you are considering them for your committee. They do not ultimately need to serve on your committee even if you submit them for committee service approval.
- If your appointed tenure-track committee member leaves UNM, retires, or changes status, you need to request their approval for committee service (see above).
Report: due every 6 months.

Comprehensive Exam information:

Announcement of Exam - Due to OGS at least two weeks prior
Exam Flyer - Due to SOMREO at least three weeks prior
Comprehensive Exam Checklist
Dissertation Proposal
Report of Exam (online form) - Due within a week of your exam
1. COS (Exam Committee) Chair Initiates at gradforms.unm.edu by entering the overall COS decision
2. Each member of the COS, including the Chair a second time, enters their individual decision
3. The form then routes electronically to OGS

COVID-19

SOMREO Remote Office Hours
UNM’s dedicated COVID-19 website
HSC policies may add additional restrictions or differ from UNM main campus policies. Check your email regularly for updates from the HSC and SOMREO related to COVID-19. The HSC created its own COVID-19 webpage to track these updates.
FAQs for SOMREO learners
UNM HSC research continuity guidance document
CDC - Demonstration of Donning (Putting On) Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Video

Dissertation Committee: post-Comprehensive PhD

Appointment - Due in Fall of Second year.
- Please review Student Committee Composition requirements prior to submission.
- Non-UNM tenure track faculty committee members (Category 2 or Category 4):
  - Four weeks before your comprehensive exam or defense date, students are responsible for submitting the email address, phone number, and CV/Biosketch for Category 2 (Non-UNM tenured or tenure track faculty) or Category 4 (Others considered experts in the field) committee members to SOMREO@salud.unm.edu. Please also indicate if the person is tenure track faulty at a non-UNM institution in your request. Optional: OGS asks for the race and gender of the committee member. SOMREO will submit the person to OGS for committee service approval.
    
    NOTE: The turnaround time for OGS processing these requests can vary. It is recommended that you submit people to be approved for committee service as soon as you are considering them for your committee. They do not ultimately need to serve on your committee even if you submit them for committee service approval.
- If your appointed tenure-track committee member leaves UNM, retires, or changes status, you need to request their approval for committee service (see above).
Report: due every 6 months.

Dissertation Defense information:

Announcement of Exam - Due to OGS at least two weeks prior
Exam Flyer - Due to SOMREO at least three weeks prior
Report of Exam - Due within a week of your defense
1. COS (Exam Committee) Chair Initiates at gradforms.unm.edu by entering the overall COS decision
2. Each member of the COS, including the Chair a second time, enters their individual decision
3. The form then routes electronically to OGS
Report on Thesis/Dissertation - One from each reader due within a week of your defense
1. These are paper forms completed by each member of the examination committee
2. The COS Chair should collect these and return them to the BREP Office for forwarding to OGS

Graduate Resource Center Workshops: Calendar

Workshops on a variety of topics for graduate students including; Wellness, Reading Skills and Strategies, Financial Literacy, Time Management, and more.

Graduation:

Graduation Checklist - Due semester prior to graduation
Exit Information - Complete during your last semester.
Intent to Graduate - Due after your Program of Studies (POS) is approved and no later than semester prior to graduation.
Graduate Studies Roadmap for graduation: Start to Finish
All degree requirements (except current term grades) must be complete by the following deadlines:
- Summer Graduation: July 15
- Fall Graduation: November 15
- Spring Graduation: April 15

Individual Development Plan:

Template (Word)
AAAS Interactive

Lab Rotations (First Year):

Rotation Agreement
Rotation Evaluation
Mentor Research Inventory: Research Topic/Interest, Rotation and Student Slots Available, Recent Publication

Manuscript (Thesis/Dissertation) Information - lots of information on the Graduate Studies site; format, ETD Release, Procedures, Embargo, Checklist!

Mentor Forms

Mentor Agreement (MS) or Mentor Agreement (PhD): due March 15
Mentor Research Inventory: Research Topic/Interest, Rotation and Student Slots Available, Recent Publication
IMSD Mentor Agreement Supplement

Program of Studies (MS) - due semester prior to graduation. See below for details.

Qualifying Exam information:

Student Health and Counseling:

Student Health and Counseling Guide
Counseling Resources
Medical Services (Immunizations, Lab and X-Ray, Acupuncture, etc.)
Pharmacy

Student Health Plan:

UNM provides full payment of an assistantship recipient’s insurance coverage premium, on a semester-by-semester basis, provided the FTE is 25% or higher and all other eligibility criteria to hold the assistantship is met.
Website with details on the Student Health Plan
Enrollment, call 855-865-0352: Waiver process, adding dependents, initial enrollment, adding dental, vision, etc.
Medical Plan, call 844-866-2224: Information about ID cards, provider networks, prior authorization, prescriptions, etc.

Thesis Defense information:

Announcement of Exam (online form) - Due to OGS at least two weeks prior
Exam Flyer - Due to SOMREO at least three weeks prior
Report of Exam (online form) - Due within a week of your defense
1. COS (Exam Committee) Chair Initiates at gradforms.unm.edu by entering the overall COS decision
2. Each member of the COS, including the Chair a second time, enters their individual decision
3. The form then routes electronically to OGS

Travel Award:

Wellness:

UNM School of Medicine Counseling and Psychotherapy Guide

Required Courses

All first year students (MS and PhD) share a one-year core curriculum. MS students may take up to 2 years to complete these courses:

Course	Title	Credits
BIOM 501	Fundamentals for Graduate Research	1
BIOM 507	Advanced Molecular Biology	4
BIOM 508	Advanced Cellular Biology	4
BIOM 522	Experimental Design and Methods in Molecular and Cellular Biosciences	3
BIOM 525	Cell and Molecular Basis of Disease Journal Club	2
BIOM 530	Cell and Molecular Basis of Disease Seminar (2 semesters, 1 credit hour each, year 1)	2
Lab Rotations	Complete lab rotations(at least 3 for the PhD, 2 for the MS)	0
BIOM 555	Problem Based Research Bioethics (year 2)	1
	Biostatistics Method TBA
Seminars	Departmental or additional BIOM 530 (2 semesters, 1+ credit hour each, 2nd year)	2
Statistics	At least 2 hours of graduate statistics(may be taken in 2nd year or later) Summer 2021 - BIOM 505-001 Introduction to Statistics	2

Students then have a choice of at least 9 credit hours selected from the following:

Course	Title	Credits
BIOM 509	Principles of Neurobiology	3
BIOM 510	Physiology	3
BIOM 514	Immunobiology	3
BIOM 515	Cancer Biology	3
MPHY 516	Fundamendals of Medical Imaging	3
PHRM 576	Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology	3

To view the program's curricular map as a suggested time line to follow, click here.

Limited funds are available on a competitive basis as travel supplements to defray the cost of BSGP student travel to professional meetings. Applications will be accepted three (3) times per year with deadlines of: October 1, February 1 and June 1. Announcements of the BSGP Travel Award application deadline will be circulated one month before each deadline to students, department administrative contacts and faculty. Applications will be reviewed by the Travel Award Review Committee, consisting of at least three faculty members, and ranked in order of merit. Students and their mentor will be notified of funding within two weeks of the committee decision.

Award distribution (number of awards and amount of award) will be contingent on availability of funds and will be processed as reimbursement after travel has occurred.

BSGP Travel Award:

Resources available to students through the Student Health and Counseling Office:

Student Health and Counseling Guide
Counseling Resources
Medical Services (Immunizations, Lab and X-Ray, Acupuncture, etc.)
Pharmacy

Vassar House

vassarhouse@salud.unm.edu

505-277-3716

917 Vassar NE

1 University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, NM 87131

SOM Office of Professional Well-being: Psychologist services. Text, call, or email

Rebecca Ezechukwu, PhD, UNM Psychologist

505-274-8919 or Rezechukwu@salud.unm.edu

Raven Cuellar, Ph.D., UNM Psychologist

505-239-9880 or ravencuellar@salud.unm.edu

Supporting Mental Health and Productivity Within Labs

If you have questions or concerns about obtaining financial assistance, please reach out to our SOM Financial Aid Manager, Leslie Murphy, for information.

FAFSA

The paper application of the FAFSA is specific to students only seeking state aid and/or are considered under the Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Act. If your paper application was denied as you are eligible to apply for Federal Aid via the online FAFSA. General eligibility requirements include that you have financial need, are a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen, and are enrolled in an eligible degree or certificate program at your college or career school.

Please complete a FAFSA online here using the year you are requesting aid. Our federal school code is 002663. General processing time is between 3-5 business days for the FAFSA to be received by our system.

STATE ASSISTANCE (SNAP Benefits)

SNAP eligibility can be found online here. Eligibility income guidelines can be found here. You may apply online or view the specific reasoning of your application denial of benefits online through the YesNewMexico portal here.

Once you have a FAFSA on file, we can assist you in applying for food stamps through NMHSD via the NM HSD Verification of Student Status, Financial Aid and Budget Form. We ask that, once a FAFSA is on file, you complete the top portion of the form and email it to the SOM Financial Aide Office for completion.

Please reach out to a NMHSD field office and inquire about your file with their division. Case workers are available to speak with over the phone and can inform you if you are eligible to reapply, or if an appeal is needed for the denial of your benefits application. You may ask to speak with a supervisor if you are not receiving appropriate guidance.

Resources for the MS/PhD in Biomedical Sciences Programs

Documents & Forms

BSGP Handbook, Learning Plan (sample)

BSGP Code of Professional Conduct

Annual Activities and Accomplishments Report - Due each Apr 15 while in the program.

Application for Candidacy (PhD) - due semester after taking the Comprehensive Exam (can be done earlier). See below for details.

Assistantships: OGS Assistantships Website

Committee on Studies (COS) forms: MS and PhD

Appointment - Due in Fall of Second year.
- Please review Student Committee Composition requirements prior to submission.
- Non-UNM tenure track faculty committee members (Category 2 or Category 4):
  - Four weeks before your comprehensive exam or defense date, students are responsible for submitting the email address, phone number, and CV/Biosketch for Category 2 (Non-UNM tenured or tenure track faculty) or Category 4 (Others considered experts in the field) committee members to SOMREO@salud.unm.edu. Please also indicate if the person is tenure track faulty at a non-UNM institution in your request. Optional: OGS asks for the race and gender of the committee member. SOMREO will submit the person to OGS for committee service approval.
    
    NOTE: The turnaround time for OGS processing these requests can vary. It is recommended that you submit people to be approved for committee service as soon as you are considering them for your committee. They do not ultimately need to serve on your committee even if you submit them for committee service approval.
- If your appointed tenure-track committee member leaves UNM, retires, or changes status, you need to request their approval for committee service (see above).
Report: due every 6 months.

Comprehensive Exam information:

Announcement of Exam - Due to OGS at least two weeks prior
Exam Flyer - Due to SOMREO at least three weeks prior
Comprehensive Exam Checklist
Dissertation Proposal
Report of Exam (online form) - Due within a week of your exam
1. COS (Exam Committee) Chair Initiates at gradforms.unm.edu by entering the overall COS decision
2. Each member of the COS, including the Chair a second time, enters their individual decision
3. The form then routes electronically to OGS

COVID-19

SOMREO Remote Office Hours
UNM’s dedicated COVID-19 website
HSC policies may add additional restrictions or differ from UNM main campus policies. Check your email regularly for updates from the HSC and SOMREO related to COVID-19. The HSC created its own COVID-19 webpage to track these updates.
FAQs for SOMREO learners
UNM HSC research continuity guidance document
CDC - Demonstration of Donning (Putting On) Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Video

Dissertation Committee: post-Comprehensive PhD

Appointment - Due in Fall of Second year.
- Please review Student Committee Composition requirements prior to submission.
- Non-UNM tenure track faculty committee members (Category 2 or Category 4):
  - Four weeks before your comprehensive exam or defense date, students are responsible for submitting the email address, phone number, and CV/Biosketch for Category 2 (Non-UNM tenured or tenure track faculty) or Category 4 (Others considered experts in the field) committee members to SOMREO@salud.unm.edu. Please also indicate if the person is tenure track faulty at a non-UNM institution in your request. Optional: OGS asks for the race and gender of the committee member. SOMREO will submit the person to OGS for committee service approval.
    
    NOTE: The turnaround time for OGS processing these requests can vary. It is recommended that you submit people to be approved for committee service as soon as you are considering them for your committee. They do not ultimately need to serve on your committee even if you submit them for committee service approval.
- If your appointed tenure-track committee member leaves UNM, retires, or changes status, you need to request their approval for committee service (see above).
Report: due every 6 months.

Dissertation Defense information:

Announcement of Exam - Due to OGS at least two weeks prior
Exam Flyer - Due to SOMREO at least three weeks prior
Report of Exam - Due within a week of your defense
1. COS (Exam Committee) Chair Initiates at gradforms.unm.edu by entering the overall COS decision
2. Each member of the COS, including the Chair a second time, enters their individual decision
3. The form then routes electronically to OGS
Report on Thesis/Dissertation - One from each reader due within a week of your defense
1. These are paper forms completed by each member of the examination committee
2. The COS Chair should collect these and return them to the BREP Office for forwarding to OGS

Graduate Resource Center Workshops: Calendar

Workshops on a variety of topics for graduate students including; Wellness, Reading Skills and Strategies, Financial Literacy, Time Management, and more.

Graduation:

Graduation Checklist - Due semester prior to graduation
Exit Information - Complete during your last semester.
Intent to Graduate - Due after your Program of Studies (POS) is approved and no later than semester prior to graduation.
Graduate Studies Roadmap for graduation: Start to Finish
All degree requirements (except current term grades) must be complete by the following deadlines:
- Summer Graduation: July 15
- Fall Graduation: November 15
- Spring Graduation: April 15

Individual Development Plan:

Template (Word)
AAAS Interactive

Lab Rotations (First Year):

Rotation Agreement
Rotation Evaluation
Mentor Research Inventory: Research Topic/Interest, Rotation and Student Slots Available, Recent Publication

Manuscript (Thesis/Dissertation) Information - lots of information on the Graduate Studies site; format, ETD Release, Procedures, Embargo, Checklist!

Mentor Forms

Mentor Agreement (MS) or Mentor Agreement (PhD): due March 15
Mentor Research Inventory: Research Topic/Interest, Rotation and Student Slots Available, Recent Publication
IMSD Mentor Agreement Supplement

Program of Studies (MS) - due semester prior to graduation. See below for details.

Qualifying Exam information:

Student Health and Counseling:

Student Health and Counseling Guide
Counseling Resources
Medical Services (Immunizations, Lab and X-Ray, Acupuncture, etc.)
Pharmacy

Student Health Plan:

UNM provides full payment of an assistantship recipient’s insurance coverage premium, on a semester-by-semester basis, provided the FTE is 25% or higher and all other eligibility criteria to hold the assistantship is met.
Website with details on the Student Health Plan
Enrollment, call 855-865-0352: Waiver process, adding dependents, initial enrollment, adding dental, vision, etc.
Medical Plan, call 844-866-2224: Information about ID cards, provider networks, prior authorization, prescriptions, etc.

Thesis Defense information:

Announcement of Exam (online form) - Due to OGS at least two weeks prior
Exam Flyer - Due to SOMREO at least three weeks prior
Report of Exam (online form) - Due within a week of your defense
1. COS (Exam Committee) Chair Initiates at gradforms.unm.edu by entering the overall COS decision
2. Each member of the COS, including the Chair a second time, enters their individual decision
3. The form then routes electronically to OGS

Travel Award:

Wellness:

UNM School of Medicine Counseling and Psychotherapy Guide

Curriculum Outline

Required Courses

All first year students (MS and PhD) share a one-year core curriculum. MS students may take up to 2 years to complete these courses:

Course	Title	Credits
BIOM 501	Fundamentals for Graduate Research	1
BIOM 507	Advanced Molecular Biology	4
BIOM 508	Advanced Cellular Biology	4
BIOM 522	Experimental Design and Methods in Molecular and Cellular Biosciences	3
BIOM 525	Cell and Molecular Basis of Disease Journal Club	2
BIOM 530	Cell and Molecular Basis of Disease Seminar (2 semesters, 1 credit hour each, year 1)	2
Lab Rotations	Complete lab rotations(at least 3 for the PhD, 2 for the MS)	0
BIOM 555	Problem Based Research Bioethics (year 2)	1
	Biostatistics Method TBA
Seminars	Departmental or additional BIOM 530 (2 semesters, 1+ credit hour each, 2nd year)	2
Statistics	At least 2 hours of graduate statistics(may be taken in 2nd year or later) Summer 2021 - BIOM 505-001 Introduction to Statistics	2

Students then have a choice of at least 9 credit hours selected from the following:

Course	Title	Credits
BIOM 509	Principles of Neurobiology	3
BIOM 510	Physiology	3
BIOM 514	Immunobiology	3
BIOM 515	Cancer Biology	3
MPHY 516	Fundamendals of Medical Imaging	3
PHRM 576	Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology	3

To view the program's curricular map as a suggested time line to follow, click here.

BSGP Travel Awards

Award distribution (number of awards and amount of award) will be contingent on availability of funds and will be processed as reimbursement after travel has occurred.

BSGP Travel Award:

Student Health and Counseling

Resources available to students through the Student Health and Counseling Office:

Student Health and Counseling Guide
Counseling Resources
Medical Services (Immunizations, Lab and X-Ray, Acupuncture, etc.)
Pharmacy

Vassar House

vassarhouse@salud.unm.edu

505-277-3716

917 Vassar NE

1 University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, NM 87131

SOM Office of Professional Well-being: Psychologist services. Text, call, or email

Rebecca Ezechukwu, PhD, UNM Psychologist

505-274-8919 or Rezechukwu@salud.unm.edu

Raven Cuellar, Ph.D., UNM Psychologist

505-239-9880 or ravencuellar@salud.unm.edu

Supporting Mental Health and Productivity Within Labs

Financial Assistance

If you have questions or concerns about obtaining financial assistance, please reach out to our SOM Financial Aid Manager, Leslie Murphy, for information.

FAFSA

STATE ASSISTANCE (SNAP Benefits)

Qualifying Exam Deadlines

Qualifying Exam	Spring	Mid-Year Exam
First-year BSGP Students are notified of Qualifying Exam Dates and deadlines	April 1	November 1
Deadline for student petitions to take Qualifying Exam	April 30	November 30
Requests to course directors for papers	April	Mid November
Deadline for papers from course directors	May	Mid December
Exam committee meets to choose papers and organize the exam	Early May	Early December
Steering Committee meets to approve student petitions (first Thursday of the month)	Mid May	Mid December
Qualifying Exam Prep Session (given by Program Director and QE Chair)	Late May	Mid January
Students turn in selected papers (exam is held 5 days after paper choice)	Late May	Mid January
Exams	Late May	Mid January

Program of Studies (MS) Instructions

The form is due to the School of Medicine - Research Education Office at least one week prior to the OGS deadline:

Summer Graduation: March 1st
Fall Graduation: July 1st
Spring Graduation: October 1st

Program of Studies Form (PDF and Electronic):

Section 1: Complete with your info.
Section 2: "SOM - Research Education Office"
Section 3: Complete with your info.
Section 4:
Choose "Master's Degree" and check the box
- If you are also completing the Certificate in University Science Teaching (CUST), then choose "Master's Degree (plus Graduate Certificate)"
Degree Abbreviation (Primary Program): "Master's of Science"
Major: "Biomedical Sciences"
Banner Major Code: "MS-BIOM"
- If you are also completing the Certificate in University Science Teaching (CUST), fill in the following as well:
  Degree Abbreviation (Certificate): "Graduate Certificate"
  Major: "University Science Teaching"
  Banner Major Code: "GCERT-UST"
Section 5: Blank
- If you are also completing a concentration, enter the name (Cancer Biology, Cardiovascular Physiology, Infectious Disease & Immunology, Neuroscience, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Science and Technology Management):
  Concentration #1: Concentration
  Concentration #2: Blank or 2nd concentration
Section 6: Blank
Section 7: Check"Plan I (with thesis)"
Section 8: Enter the Semester (Fall, Spring, Summer) and Year you intend to graduate.
Section 9: Check the year you entered the program.
Section 10: Enter all applicable courses, noting core with a checkmark in the "C" column.
Section 11: Enter approved Applied Credit (courses taken at UNM as Non-Degree, Extension, or while an Undergraduate) courses here.
Section 12: Enter approved transfer (non-UNM) courses here.
Section 13: Blank
- If you are also completing the Certificate in University Science Teaching (CUST), enter all courses used for the Certificate.
- Courses listed here should also appear in one of the preceding sections, 10-12.
- Use additional pages if more lines are required.
Section 14: Blank
Section 15: Student and Major Advisor (Committee Chair) sign.
Section 16: Blank
- If also receiving a certificate (e.g. CUST) then Student and Major Advisor sign this section also.

If using the PDF form:

Once you and your Committee Chair have signed, the form should be submitted to the School of Medicine - Research Education Office for Graduate Director signatures, recording, and courier to Graduate Studies.

If using the electronic form:

Select all applicable courses in the left side check-box. This is usually all of your BIOM and PHRM graduate courses.
Core box: select for all of core courses; 501, 507, 508, 522, 525, 530, 555, and your Selectives.
Multiple Credential column: check for any courses shared with a Certificate you are receiving:
- Certificate in University Science Teaching (CUST): BIOM 525, 540, 542, 543, and CUST applicable electives.

Once you have submitted your form on gradforms.unm.edu and your Committee Chair has electronically signed the form on gradforms.unm.edu, the form will electronically route to the Graduate Director for signature. If the graduate director approves, the form will electronically route to OGS.

At the various steps of approval, emails are generated to the student and notifications are sent to the appropriate reviewer as well.

The student can check the status of the POS (who’s queue the form is in) on gradforms.unm.edu.

If at any step your POS is rejected/returned for correction, it will be routed back to the student with comment from the reviewer as to what changes are needed on the form.

Application for Candidacy (PhD) Instructions

The form is due to the School of Medicine - Research Education Office at least one week prior to the OGS deadline:

Summer Graduation: last day of the Spring term
Fall Graduation: last day of the Summer term
Spring Graduation: last day of the Fall term

Application for Candidacy Form:

Section 1: Complete with your info.
Section 2: Complete with your info.
Section 3:
Graduate Unit/Department: "SOM - Research Education Office"
Choose "Doctoral Degree Only" and check the PhD box
- If you are also completing the Certificate in University Science Teaching (CUST)
  Choose "Doctoral Degree (plus Graduate Certificate)" and check the PhD box on that line instead.
Degree Abbreviation (Primary Program): "PhD"
Major: "Biomedical Sciences"
Banner Major Code: "PhD-BIOM"
- If you are also completing the Certificate in University Science Teaching (CUST), fill in the following as well:
  Degree Abbreviation (Secondary Program - Dual/Certificate): "Graduate Certificate"
  Major: "University Science Teaching"
  Banner Major Code: "GCERT-UST"
Section 4: Blank
- If you are also completing a concentration, enter the name (Cancer Biology, Cardiovascular Physiology, Infectious Disease & Immunology, Neuroscience, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Science and Technology Management):
  Concentration (if any): Concentration
Section 5: Blank
Section 6: Enter the Semester (Fall, Spring, Summer) and Year you intend to graduate.
Section 7: Check the year you entered the program.
Section 8: Enter all applicable courses, noting core with a checkmark in the "C" column.
Section 9: Blank
Section 10: Blank
Section 11: Enter approved transfer (non-UNM or courses taken at UNM as Non-Degree) courses here.
Section 12: Blank
- If you are also completing the Certificate in University Science Teaching (CUST), enter all courses used for the Certificate.
- Courses listed here should also appear in one of the preceding sections, 8-11.
- Use additional pages if more lines are required.
Section 13: Blank
Section 14: Student and Major Advisor (Committee Chair) sign.
Section 15: Blank
- If also receiving a certificate (e.g. CUST) the Student and Major Advisor sign this section also.

If using the PDF form:

If using the electronic form:

Select all applicable courses in the left side check-box. This is usually all of your BIOM and PHRM graduate courses.
Core box: select for all of core courses; 501, 507, 508, 522, 525, 530, 555, and your Selectives.
Multiple Credential column: check for any courses shared with a Certificate you are receiving:
- Certificate in University Science Teaching (CUST): BIOM 525, 540, 542, 543, and CUST applicable electives.

At the various steps of approval, emails are generated to the student and notifications are sent to the appropriate reviewer as well.

The student can check the status of the AOC (who’s queue the form is in) on gradforms.unm.edu.

If at any step your AOC is rejected/returned for correction, it will be routed back to the student with comment from the reviewer as to what changes are needed on the form.

Contact Us

Mailing Address

School of Medicine Research Education Office
MSC08-4560
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131

Phone: (505) 272-1887
Fax: (505) 272-8738

Email: SOMREO@salud.unm.edu

Physical Location:
UNM Health Sciences Center (North Campus)
Reginald Heber Fitz Hall (Building 211)
Room B61

REO Hours & Appointments