Trainee Resources

Individual Development Plan

All students enrolled in a Bioinformatics Data Science degree program must complete and submit an Individual Development Plan (IDP)* annually. Individual Development Plans are meant to help you:

• Assess your skills and abilities
• Identify which skills to gain or improve
• Set (and keep) short-term goals
• Think about how your skills and long-term goals might translate into a career
• Facilitate conversations between you and your research mentor

Research finds that people who develop and implement strategies to pursue career-specific goals:

• Achieve greater career success as measured by salary, promotions, and level of responsibility
• Report greater career satisfaction and rate themselves as more successful than their peers compared to those without career plans

Students are required to review their IDPs with their mentor annually and are encouraged to review them individually each term.

Program of Study

The T32 Training Curriculum aligns closely with that of the larger Bioinformatics Data Science Doctoral Program, while placing additional emphasis on professional development.   The degree requires a minimum of 43 credits.  Degree requirements are outlined in the CBB T32 Program of Study* (POS) and students are required to maintain an updated version of the document.  Students are asked to review their POS with their T32 mentor and program directors each semester of study.

Internships

CBB T32 Trainees are required to complete an internship at some point during their doctoral studies.  Students are recommended to do this in the summer following their second year of study, while being supported by NIH funds, but timing is flexible.  Past internship sites for CBCB students are available on the CBCB Internship page.

The internship will be applied to 3 credit hours of BINF864 Internship, requiring the completion of three forms:

• Interim Internship Evaluation Form for Industry Mentor*
• Interim Internship Evaluation Form for Student Intern*
• Final Internship Evaluation Form for Industry Mentor*

The trainee’s CBB T32 mentor will be the Instructor of Record for the internship and is responsible for administering each form, supplying completed versions to the CBB MPIs, and entering a final grade.  Interim forms should be completed halfway through the internship.

Previous students have obtained internships through CBCB or mentor recommendation, the Graduate College A2i program, job postings, and networking.  Students are encouraged to reach out to the CBB T32 Leadership Team with any questions or concerns about the internship process.

Reimbursements

T32 Trainee benefits include reimbursements for health insurance premiums, childcare, and travel.  Students interested in these benefits should contact CBCB (bioinformatics@udel.edu) to inquire.

*To create your own documents, please download a copy of the provided files or create a copy in your Google Drive for editing.