PhD in Population Health Sciences Resources

Helpful Information

The Office of the University Registrar maintains the academic calendar followed by The Graduate School. For current information please see the Registrar’s webpage.

The Duke Career Center is committed to assisting graduate students as well as alumni with discovering and refining their career pathways and ultimately realizing their future career goals.  The office offers a wide range of resources and services, including online and offline tools for career development, one-on-one career coaching, workshops series, career events, and specialized career programs. You are encouraged to utilize the Career Center frequently and make the most of your Duke experience by leveraging different resources and services provided by the office. If you would like a thought partner to work through something, please schedule time to meet with a career advisor in Handshake.

Under certain circumstances, students may need technical support for DPHS resources. This assistance is provided by Duke Health Technical Support (DHTS). Our DHTS support contact is Adam Carter. You may wish to contact him for help with the following:

Laptops – If your PI / Supervisor indicates that in your research assistantship you’ll need access to sensitive data, use of a DPHS-issued laptop may be warranted. 

VPN – In order to access certain data and resources, your laptop may need access to the department’s virtual private network (VPN), which is maintained by DHTS.

Printing – To print in the department, requires access to the DHTS wireless network, and access to the VPN.

Duke’s Access and Accommodations Department is charged with the responsibility of exploring possible coverage for necessary and appropriate accommodations for qualified students who have a disability, in compliance with Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. If you believe you may need and qualify for reasonable accommodations, visit the Duke Access and Accomodation Services website for detailed information and procedures.

The Graduate School is dedicated to and benefits from a student population comprising all backgrounds, cultures, socioeconomic circumstances statuses, abilities, and work and life experiences. Our commitment to inclusive excellence contributes to a fuller representation of perspectives within the academic life of the university. As part of a larger institutional commitment to inclusion, one of Duke’s core values, we encourage applications from all sectors of society, including prospective students whose life experiences may include the challenge of access due to a disability.

As part of our long-standing commitment to cultivating a community of graduate students who represent all life experiences and backgrounds, The Graduate School works to:

  • Engage with prospective students from a range of backgrounds and experiences
  • Review prospective applicants fairly and holistically, using an evidence-based evaluation rubric
  • Provide students with sufficient funding to complete their graduate studies in a timely manner
  • Promote an academic and social environment where these scholars can flourish

The Graduate School also demonstrates its commitment to inclusive excellence by offering optional staff training, workshops, and exercises in partnership with Duke’s Office of Institutional Equity and other campus resources.

Additional resources available at:

In the event of an emergency, visit the DukeALERT website for instructions and information about the incident, campus services, and resources available to the Duke community.

The LiveSafe Mobile application is used as an adjunct to the DukeALERT system to notify users of emergencies on Duke’s campus. LiveSafe is a free resource that offers real-time, two-way communication between Duke community members and the Duke University Police Department.

The Graduate and Professional Student Government of Duke University (GPSG) is the umbrella student government organization for Duke’s nine graduate and professional schools. Their purpose is to:

  • Represent and advocate on behalf of graduate and professional students at Duke University
  • Serve as a liaison among the student governments of the graduate and professional schools of the University
  • Serve as a liaison between graduate and professional students and the University Administration
  • Nominate graduate and professional student representatives to University committees
  • Program events of interest to the graduate and professional student community
  • Financially support the programming of graduate and professional student groups
  • Duke GPSG advocates on behalf of all graduate and professional students and works to support all individuals and groups by releasing written statements of support GPSG has offered in response to events and legislation related to the well-being of the student population. 
  • For more information, visit the GPSG webpage.

The Student Health Fee entitles the student to outpatient treatment through the University Student Health Program, inpatient treatment in the University Infirmary, and services provided by Counseling and Psychological Services.  The health fee should not be confused with the Duke Student Health Insurance Plan, which covers a large number of medical costs above and beyond the treatment available through the University Health Program.  Full-time and part-time students who are entitled to coverage by the Student Health Program are also eligible for the supplementary insurance policy. Duke University requires all students to have health insurance coverage. 

Located in the Student Wellness Center, Duke Student Health is jointly supported by the Division of Student Affairs and Duke Community and Family Medicine and is the primary source for a wide range of healthcare services for all Duke Students, many of which are covered by the student health fee. Visit their website to make an appointment, learn more about your health insurance, and access other useful information for new students.

Duke University offers a Mobile DukeCard that will allow you to: access Duke facilities, use campus parking lots, print documents on campus, check out books from Duke libraries, and purchase discounted tickets to a number of on-campus events. Visit the DukeCard office website for more information on the Digital DukeCard. 

DPHS students are also provided a School of Medicine ID badge.  Students should carry their identification badge at all times as it is required to access the Imperial Building and DPHS Suite at 215 Morris St in Durham. Students will be expected to present their digital or physical ID cards on request to any University official or employee. The ID is not transferable, and fraudulent use may result in loss of student privileges or dismissal from the Graduate School. A report of the loss of a card must be given immediately to the DukeCard Office (919-684-5800).  There is a fee to replace a lost DukeCard.

DISC serves Duke’s international students, scholars, their families, and the broader community through advocacy, advising, educational programming, and community building.

The Center hosts an orientation in August to welcome graduate and professional students joining Duke. A detailed schedule and recordings of prior orientation workshops may be found on their webpage. 

The Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP) provides students with counseling, risk reduction and mitigation of charges. For more information on legal services available to students please visit the LAP webpage.

The Medical Center Library and Archives provides biomedical information, innovative services, educational programs, archival preservation, knowledgeable staff, and collaborative spaces. Services are available to Duke Medicine faculty, staff, and students in the School of Medicine, School of Nursing, allied health programs, and graduate programs in the basic medical sciences including Population Health Sciences. The Library also serves Duke Hospital and Health System. 

Resources for Research 

 

Specialized Spaces for Writing, Research, and More Near the Medical Center Library (on West Campus)

 

Publication 

 

Teaching 

 

Get Involved 

 

Graduation 

  • Life After Duke: Tips for engaging in research at institutions beyond Duke University 

 

Library Liaisons 

  • Meet with you by phone, email, Zoom, or in person. 
  • Guest lecture in your class or journal club 
  • Integrate evidence-based practice and information literacy into your course or curriculum 
  • Collaborate on systematic and scoping reviews of the literature 
  • Consult with you about: 
    • Literature search strategies and resource selection 
    • Citation management (i.e. EndNote) 
    • NIH Public Access Policy compliance 
    • Data management and sharing (DMPs etc.) 
    • Publishing your work 
    • Researcher profile/tracking scholarship (ORCID ID, Scopus Author IDs, Web of Science Researcher ID, Scholars@Duke) 
    • Research impact / bibliometrics 

The Population Health Sciences library liaison is:

Lesley Skalla, PhD, MSLS

Research and Education Librarian

Liaison to Biomedical Research and Population Health Sciences

IACUC Librarian

Duke University Medical Center Library & Archives

lesley.skalla@duke.edu

Phone: 919.660.1197

orcid.org/0000-0001-5121-6010

Pronouns: she, her, hers

 

Duke University maps are available online.  Students can search for Duke facilities, bus routes, parking options, medical and emergency facilities and much more.

The Office of Information Technology manages Duke’s central technology infrastructure and provides services and applications to support the educational and research missions of the institution, as well as the university's business functions. 

OIT works with key campus constituents to develop IT strategic planning; provides applications and services ranging from e-mail to wireless connectivity to server hosting; supports departments and individuals with help via the OIT Service Desk, online self-help and training; and supplies a communications infrastructure to support advanced network, voice and Web services.

Duke students are offered guidance and encouragement through: 

  • Personalized appointments
  • Educational seminars
  • Engaging events

All services are facilitated by professional staff or outside experts. Learn more about services via their website.

Each semester, The Graduate School offers workshops specifically designed for students in the school’s research  programs as part of the Professional Development Series. 

Events in the Professional Development Series can help students evaluate and consider the range of career options open to PhD-prepared professionals. This series is designed to broaden graduate students’ career perspectives and develop competencies in communication, self-awareness, professional adaptability, leadership, and professionalism.

Programming is offered on a two-year cycle and changes each semester; over the course of two years, the series includes opportunities to learn about career paths in each of the five major career sectors available to alumni of The Graduate School: academia, business, entrepreneurship, government, and nonprofit.

Some programming is also offered through cross-campus collaborations. To see the complete series, visit the websites for the Mentoring and Communication Series and the Careers Beyond Academia Series.

The Department is pleased to be able to offer each PhD student $1,000 annually to pursue opportunities for professional development, such as conference attendance, paper presentation, or other scholarly pursuits relevant to their academic training. These funds are provided in the form of reimbursement and include items such as travel, accommodations, and printing costs. Before incurring any expenses for which they wish to seek reimbursement, students should consult the Assistant Director. An example of items ineligible for reimbursement is computers or other computer equipment. Receipts and business purposes must be provided for any expenses classified in this policy.

*NOTE: This policy is subject to departmental budgetary needs and may be amended due to changing financial circumstances within the program.

For information on student groups and organizations visit the Duke Student Affairs Student Organizations webpage.

The Office of Graduate Student Affairs (GSA) works with students, faculty, and other campus offices to develop programs, resources, and services to meet graduate students’ needs in areas such as health, safety, childcare, mentoring, and professional development. GSA also works to address the needs of students from various ethnic backgrounds, international students, women, the LGBTQ+ community, students with disabilities, and other groups. 

Among other things, the GSA

  • assesses and responds to the concerns of graduate students;
  • works to strengthen communication among graduate students, faculty, and staff;
  • advises and assists graduate student organizations, including the Graduate and Professional Student Council, the official representative body for PhD and master's students in The Graduate School;
  • recruits underrepresented students to Duke and helps them thrive throughout their matriculation (learn more about GSA’s diversity efforts); and
  • is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities (if you believe you may need and qualify for reasonable accommodations, visit Duke’s Access and Accommodations Services for detailed information and procedures).

If you have questions, concerns, or suggestions about your experience as a Duke graduate student, contact the Office of Graduate Student Affairs at grad-gsa@duke.edu or 919-684-2056. You are also welcome to visit their offices at The Graduate School at 2127 Campus Drive.

The Duke Graduate School provides a number of resources to help graduate students who have children juggle school and family. Details may be found on The Graduate School web    site.

The Wellness Room is intended to provide a safe, clean, and quiet space for new parents to pump breastmilk. The room is located on the ground floor of the Imperial Building along the main hallway, between the freight elevator and reception desk. To reserve the Wellness Room, individuals should contact the Imperial building’s receptionist and ask for a link to the Teamup calendar. Additional guidelines for using the Imperial Building Wellness Room are available online.

Please note that the Wellness Room calendar is managed by the Imperial Building receptionist and any questions/concerns should be directed to the building manager, Bryan Scherich.

Students can reserve any of the conference/meeting rooms in the Imperial Building. Please email a request to the DPHS Operations Coordinator beforehand with the following information:

  • Date of reservation
  • Time of reservation/how long the room is needed, and
  • If there is a need for a room with a display monitor or hybrid meeting capabilities

Upon confirmation of a space, you will receive an Outlook message. If it is a last-minute reservation, students are welcome to come by the front desk and check on room availability. 

There are several spaces available that do not require reservation as well, including: the student lounge and common areas by the classrooms and kitchen.

Building hours and office hours: The Imperial building is open from 7:30am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday.  Outside of those hours, badge access (side entrance) is required to enter the building. The DPHS office is locked at all times and always requires your DukeCard ID badge for access. 

All classes will take place at the Department of Population Health Sciences, which is located in The Imperial Building, 215 Morris St., Suite 210, a renovated tobacco factory in downtown Durham. From this location, it is a 5-minute drive to Duke East Campus and Ninth St. and a 10-minute drive to Duke West Campus.  DPHS has a very limited number of transponders that are provided to first year students to cover the cost of parking downtown. These are assigned to you and your specific vehicle, only valid for parking in the Durham ID Deck, and can NOT be shared.  If you change vehicles, you must update your vehicle information with the DPHS Operations Coordinator as soon as possible.  Parking transponders are issued during the week of Orientation and will be collected by the Operations Coordinator at the end of your first spring semester.  You are expected to keep the transponder in good and working order while it is in your possession. 

Students who do not receive a parking transponder (in their second year and beyond) have multiple parking options downtown, but just as on campus, there is a monthly charge to park near The Imperial Building. The Durham ID Deck is located directly across the street from Population Health Sciences and the Durham Center Garage is located less than a block away from the Imperial building. Students can find a full list of downtown parking here.  Students are also welcome to apply for discounted parking rates at the City of Durham’s parking facilities. In addition, for students who do not have vehicles or do not want to pay to park downtown, there is a free shuttle (Duke ID required) that picks students up directly outside the building and provides service to the University and Health System. You can also find limited free neighborhood street parking within a 10-15-minute walk to The Imperial Building.

The Duke Visa Services office functions as a nexus for monitoring and shaping legislation, regulations, and policies at the federal, state and local levels that impact international educational initiatives. Visa Services interprets and applies those directives and controls in the Duke environment in customer service support of the teaching, research, patient care, and community service goals of the university, health system and affiliated institutions.

For more information, visit the Duke Visa Services webpage.

Students have 24-hour access to secure wireless throughout Duke's residence halls, academic and administrative buildings using the "Dukeblue" WiFi network. Outdoor coverage is provided at the Bryan Center Pavilion, Duke Gardens and Krzyzewskiville.

For those needing unencrypted wireless access for devices such as gaming systems, or other devices, the Office of Information Technology recommends the use of Duke Open.

Additionally, students visiting other colleges or universities are encouraged to install the Eduroam client so that you can make use of the secure wireless at those locations.  More information can be found on the Eduroam page.

The Graduate School offers writing support for students in partnership with the Thompson Writing Program and English for International Students. Resources include academic courses, a dedicated writing space, individual writing consultations, and additional support for international students. Students can also take advantage of online resources to support their development as writers.

All students in The Graduate School can work with writing consultants through individual writing consultations. Consultants help at any stage of the writing process – from brainstorming and researching to drafting, revising, and fine-tuning a final draft. The Thompson Writing Studio asks that graduate students limit themselves to scheduling one appointment per week and come for any additional appointments on a walk-in basis. Graduate School students can schedule an appointment online and learn what to expect from a writing consultation. In addition to meeting in person, writers can also join any of our Graduate Writing Lab sessions online over Zoom.

If you have questions, please email writingstudio@duke.edu.