Incoming ECN PhD fellows will attend a boot camp at the beginning of October. This three-week intensive programme will help the students to get an overview of the interdisciplinary fields of study before they take part in their first laboratory of choice.
Students will familiarise themselves with the core curriculum of the Einstein Training Programme (ETP). The intensive programme features lectures on key neuroscience concepts. The focus will be on fundamental aspects such as neuroanatomy and neurophysiology as well as other relevant disciplines like philosophy and ethics.
During the boot camp, the students will take a test for individual assessment and the identification of personal interests and strengths.
Additionally, the students will attend weekly lectures to complement the core curriculum of their studies in each field. At the end of the lab rotation period (about six months), each ECN student will select a laboratory and a mentor for the PhD thesis.
Internships are required. During the first six months, all students are expected to perform three separate laboratory rotations in labs of their choice. Each rotation usually lasts for a period of two months. During this time, the students gain hands-on experience in a variety of approaches and methods. They also get to know faculty members and their laboratory groups better.
In this way, all PhD fellows are able to make an informed choice about their respective thesis labs.