Students begin their full-time dissertation research at the beginning of their second year of the program. They are expected to present their thesis proposals by March 31 of the second year.

During the second year of study and continuing throughout their graduate career, students take part in the Current Topics Journal Club, along with the Graduate Student Seminar.

Students select a clinical mentor from the attending staff of Memorial Hospital, who is involved in patient-oriented research. The individual choice will be guided by the student's thesis project. Students will meet regularly with the clinical mentor for the duration of the student's program. The clinical mentor will guide the student in hospital-based academic activities such as grand rounds, and pathology and Disease Management Team (DMT) conferences.