You'll gain teaching experience by serving as a Teaching Assistant for two courses (please note: MD / Ph.D. students need only teach one course during the Ph.D. component of their studies). Students typically teach one course during year 3 (Genome 361 or 371), and another course (generally an elective) during year 4.

MD / PhD students should be aware that they may be asked to serve as a teaching assistant during their second year in the program, depending on the number of third year grads available to teach. That is, if there is a smaller than usual third year class, chances are pretty good second year MD / PhD students will end up teaching during year 2 rather than year 3. MD/PhD students can, in most cases, expect to teach Genome 465, due to their unique training background.

Please plan to attend the Teaching Assistant Conference if this will be your first course (attendance is optional for experienced teaching assistants). You are free to attend any sessions that interest you.

International students whose native language is not English are required to meet UW English proficiency requirements. Please resolve this at least two quarters in advance of your first teaching assignment.

Serving as a teaching assistant is an important part of your training and will take a significant amount of time during the quarter in which you teach. Course instructors will discuss expectations of you at the beginning of the quarter and will be in contact with your thesis advisor to provide an evaluation of your performance. Please be aware that an unsatisfactory performance as a teaching assistant may result in your being required to re-teach the same course or an equivalent during a future quarter.

The Graduate School has posted information for teaching assistants that you might find helpful.