Admissions question

[galema]

I currently work in a government military laboratory (not NIH) and am interested in getting a PhD. However I want to remain in the laboratory I currently work in and do my thesis work there, while being affiliated with a university. My PI is very approving and encouraging of this and has agreed to serve as a mentor if I find a program that is willing to accept this.

Does anyone know if it is possible to be affiliated with a university but do your thesis work elsewhere? I am specifically looking at schools in the Washington DC area (JHU, GMU, GWU, GTU, USUHS, etc).

[belleoftheball]

I know that you said you're not at NIH, but here are some programs called the Graduate Partnership Programs (GPPs) that are affiliated with NIH. The local schools that have these programs are GWU, GU and JHU and you do your coursework at the university and do the lab work at an NIH lab. It might be worth it for you to look into them and contact the coordinators about if its possible for you to do these programs but work at a non-NIH lab. Along with these "formal partnerships" any person at any school, can make an individual partnership with NIH and work in a lab there. There may be some way for you to do an individual partnership with the lab you're in, once you get into a regular program. Sorry I don't know anything about non-NIH government labs, but I am currently at NIH and applied to the GPPs this year. While I don't know everything about these programs, I can't believe that there wouldn't be a way for you to stay in the lab you're in for your Ph.D either through the GPPs or in a different way.

[Genomic Repairman]

Does your boss already have any affiliations with grad schools/programs/etc? If not this is going to be difficult to swing. Most programs want you to study underneath advisors that work in their programs. Is this a DoD based or funded lab?

[galema]

This is at a DoD based lab. My boss doesn't really have any affiliations with grad schools. I was thinking maybe USU (uniformed services university) may be a possibility since they're affiliated with the research center I work at.

Does your boss already have any affiliations with grad schools/programs/etc? If not this is going to be difficult to swing. Most programs want you to study underneath advisors that work in their programs. Is this a DoD based or funded lab?