Skills Training
Skills Training for Graduate Students
There are a wide range of skills training opportunities for graduate students within the Radcliffe Department of Medicine. You should ensure that you are aware of any local training that may be offered in your lab or division. You will receive notifications about local opportunities through your supervisor and graduate advisor. Your local graduate representative may also have some information on what is available locally or has been useful to students in the past.
It is important to keep track of your training. The Graduate Handbook contains templates to record training courses and seminars you attend, as well as a outline CV. An editable version of the training record is also available.
WIMM Methods & Techniques Course
The WIMM run a methods & techniques course every year, with most sessions falling in Michaelmas and Hilary Terms. As the name implies, the course primarily focuses on scientific methods & techniques, including experiment design, microscopy and flow cytometry, but also covers some transferable skills, such as career development and presentation skills. The course is designed to ensure that students achieve a familiarity with a broad range of methods & techniques, including some which may not be of direct use at the start of their DPhil and scientific career.
The course is compulsory for first year WIMM students, with an assessment at the end of the course to ensure that information has been retained. However, the course is open to students throughout RDM and indeed the Medical Sciences Division. You can attend the whole course or just dip into it for the methods & techniques you need or find interesting. You can find a full timetable of the methods & techniques course on the WIMM website.
Medical Sciences Skills Training
The Medical Sciences Division provides a comprehensive programme of skills training courses. These courses are generally based around transferable skills, such as communication skills, project management, career development and teaching skills, but there are also scientific skills courses in selected areas, such as electron microscopy, bioinformatics and statistics. There is a comprehensive range of courses on research ethics. Medical Sciences Skills Training also offers a course on Managing your Supervisor, which is highly recommended for first year students.
The programme of courses varies from term to term, with some courses running more frequently than others according to demand. You are likely to receive emails in advance to notify you of the courses on offer during the following term. The latest programme can always be found on the Medical Sciences Skills Training website.
You should be aware that many of the courses are subject to high demand and you are therefore advised to book your place on a course early. Courses are offered free of charge. However, owing to the limited availability you should make sure that you always let the Medical Sciences Skills Training Co-ordinator know if you are unable to attend a course that you have booked. They can usually offer your place to another student, even at quite short notice.
IT Learning Programme
IT Services run courses on using a wide-range of different IT. The ITLP courses cover everything from the basics of Microsoft Office to advanced programming and academic use of software. You can sign up for a teacher-led course or come along to our short, focused lunchtime sessions. To learn at your own pace, try the ITLP Portfolio, which offers free course materials online.
Oxford Learning Institute
The Oxford University People and Organisation Development website provides voluntary courses for university and college staff. Coverage includes teaching and learning, leadership and management, and personal development, as well as programmes for women and newcomers.
Language Centre
The University's Language Centre offers courses in various languages. If you are an international student and English is not your first language you may benefit from their courses on English for Academic Studies.