An Overview
The University of South Florida, with 35,000 students, is the second largest university in the state and houses the undergraduate campus as well as Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, and Physical Therapy. The Department of Anatomy is part of the College of Medicine. Faculty members collaborate with a wide range of departments within the College, the Health Sciences Center, and the undergraduate campuses.

The Community
The University of South Florida is located on the northeast side of Tampa, in a large metropolitan area that includes Tampa, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg. The area has two excellent independent performing arts centers and hosts numerous arts festivals. The University and surrounding area offer multiple theatrical, musical, and cultural events each year. Intercollegiate sports offerings include all major women's and men's sports. The region is home to professional football, hockey, and baseball franchises. In addition, the University is close to the internationally famous Florida Gulf Coast beaches, which offer many recreational opportunities.

The graduate program at the College of Medicine enrolls approximately 90 students. The Department of Anatomy has 3 to 6 students in the Ph.D. program.

Programs of Study
The Department of Anatomy offers graduate training leading to the Ph.D. degree. The program strives to provide students with a broad education in the basic medical sciences, with emphasis on cardiovascular, immunological, neural, and reproductive biology and structure. The program prepares graduate students for careers as productive and versatile researchers and effective and knowledgeable teachers. The department makes every effort to adapt programs to the interests of individual students and encourages interdisciplinary education. To meet these objectives, first- and second-year students take a wide variety of courses in the medical sciences, including biochemistry, cell biology, histology, gross anatomy, neuroscience, and related areas. Students are expected to attend the many seminars given by both College of Medicine faculty members and visiting scientists, and are required to attend and participate in the department's seminar series. A very important aspect of the first year is Introduction to Anatomical Research, where students rotate through three different research laboratories, are introduced to the process of research, and aided in the selection of a mentor.

The Department of Anatomy does not offer a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree.

Facilities and Resources
The College of Medicine is housed in the Health Sciences Center on the Tampa campus of the University of South Florida. The Health Sciences Center complex provides modern laboratory facilities, office space, conference rooms, multiuser research and surgical suites, and a large vivarium. Core facilities are available for electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, confocal microscopy, and tissue culture. Students in the Ph.D. program also have convenient access to multiuser computers and the Internet. The Health Sciences Center includes a library with a present collection of 114,553 bound volumes, 1,477 subscriptions to journals in the health sciences, and electronic access to literature worldwide.

Expenses and Aid
Tuition waivers partially cover the cost of tuition. Tuition for the academic year is approximately $5,428 (plus academic fees) for Florida residents and $15,876 (plus academic fees) for nonresidents.

Financial Aid: Financial support includes both stipends and tuition waivers, and is offered to all students for the first two years of graduate study. Students are encouraged to obtain stipend support from independent sources. Stipend support for the twelve-month period is $18,600.

Housing/Living Expenses: Numerous apartments are available in communities near the University of South Florida. Students should contact the University for more information.

How to Apply
Students should have a good undergraduate background in biology, chemistry, and mathematics, with a grade point average of at least 3.0 (on a 4 point scale) and GRE scores totaling 1100. Application forms may be obtained online at the Web sites listed below. Completed application forms should be submitted to the University of South Florida Graduate Admissions Office. Copies of all materials and any questions regarding applications should be sent to the Graduate Program Director (see address below). Students may also submit applications online, but three letters of recommendation must be sent directly to the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Affairs (see address below). A statement describing the student's research interest should be included in the application. The application deadline is April 1 for the fall semester.

GRE scores and two official transcripts of undergraduate and any previous graduate work should be sent to the USF Graduate Admissions Office.