How to Arrange a Visit to the Epidemiology Department

We welcome your interest in our graduate programs, and look forward to meeting you on campus.

Visit Days	Logistical Information
Alternatives to Visit Days	Cancellation
Applicants not yet Admitted	Before Departure
How to Arrange your Visit

VISIT DAYS FOR ADMITTED APPLICANTS

• For admitted applicants only, Visit Days are scheduled each spring.
• Thursday, March 7, and Friday, March 8, 2013.
• Begin to contact faculty about Visit Day meetings as soon as you are admitted (see below for procedure). An organized program will be held on March 8 until 1:30 pm so try to avoid that morning and early afternoon.
• For more information see https://depts.washington.edu/epidem/newstudents/visitdays.shtml. For questions, contact epiapply@uw.edu.

ALTERNATIVES TO VISIT DAYS:

• If you are not yet admitted or cannot attend Visit Days, see alternative below or arrange an individual visit.
• Graduate Opportunity-Minority Achievement Program (GO-MAP) Visit Events March 7 or 21, or April 4.
• Some students, especially from, but not limited to, minority ethnic groups may wish attend the GO-MAP Visit Days, which includes an SPH lunch on March 21, but no Epidemiology Program.
• See http://www.grad.washington.edu/gomap.

APPLICANTS NOT YET ADMITTED

• A personal interview is not required in the admission process.
• An applicant does not need to locate a faculty mentor prior to admission or enrollment, but should discuss 2-4 faculty members whom s/he might like to have as a chair and why, based on interests. (This is not a commitment on anyone's part.)
• Prior to admission, concentrate on the core and adjunct faculty because they (for the most part) can chair thesis and dissertation committees.
• Applicants without a doctorate are not considered for RA positions prior to admission.
• There are one or two predoctoral fellowships with deadlines prior to admission, otherwise applicants should wait to contact faculty about predoctoral fellowships until after admission.
• Postdocs should start looking for a fellowship immediately because deadlines are often a year or more in advance.
• Visiting is important for admitted students who have not been offered funding.
• See below to arrange a visit.

HOW TO PLAN AND ARRANGE YOUR VISIT

• Research the faculty.
• Identify the Epidemiology Department faculty members you would like to visit.
• Look first at the names and links on the faculty research page at: http://depts.washington.edu/epidem/research/.
• After admission, also contact faculty from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center for funding. See: http://www.fhcrc.org/science/investigators/. Be sure to click on the link under the 2 profiles displayed called "repeat the search with the omitted results included" to view the full list of investigators.
• Contact faculty from other departments. See departmental websites to identify appropriate individuals. The directory is athttp://www.washington.edu/home/peopledir.


• Contact the EPI Program Office.
  Next, contact epiapply@uw.edu with your list of faculty. Please allow three weeks if at all possible. We will review your list and edit it, if applicable. We will also provide you with a current student email address, if you are not attending visit days, so you can set up a meeting or contact them.
• How to Contact Faculty
• Prepare a professional email template(s) of no more than two paragraphs briefly describing your qualifications and interests.
• Attach your resume or CV.
• Include all of the following information:
• Official name
• Your telephone numbers (all of them) and your email address
• Degree(s) for which you are applying (or are interested in) and whether you have been admitted
• Dates you will be in Seattle
• Specific dates and times you are available for meetings
• Allow at least 2.5 hours between the airport and a meeting.
• Allow one hour between meetings at different locations.
• Your contact information in Seattle: cell number and/or hotel phone number
• When & where you can be reached just before leaving for Seattle
• Whether you will use a car while in Seattle
• Be persistent; faculty travel a lot, especially those with international interests. If you do not hear back in a week, try calling. If you still cannot reach the faculty member, try again in about 2 weeks. A number of faculty members may not be available.
• Epidemiology faculty members often have offices in more than one location, including off campus, so check with the faculty member and the Faculty Directory above for the specific location. See the "Before You Depart" section of these instructions.
• Review of your Itinerary and Meeting with Epi Program Office:
  Once your itinerary is finalized, send it to epi@uw.edu. We will try to make sure the intra-meeting travel will work. If you will not attend visit days, we will also arrange for you to meet, if possible, with Kate O'Brien, the Student Services Manager.
  
  

LOGISTICAL INFORMATION

• Accommodations - Hotels and motels near the campus: http://depts.washington.edu/epidem/directions/lodging.shtml. If you would like accommodation with a student host, let us know at least a week in advance (much sooner for visit days). Student hosts can only accommodate one person, traveling alone, for a maximum of 2 nights.
• Transportation - Print out the directions, maps, bus and shuttle schedules provided on the "Visiting the Department" page at http://depts.washington.edu/epidem/adm/visiting.shtml. You will need to know when and where to catch appropriate shuttles or buses. Shuttles run on time or even early, but Metro buses are often a little late.
• Parking on the UW Campus - See Directions to the Department: http://depts.washington.edu/epidem/EpiDirect.shtml (costs $15 and requires considerable walking).
• Campus Tours (Optional) - Campus Tours take place every weekday at 10:30 a.m. and at 2:30 p.m. sharp, and 10:30 a.m. on Saturday mornings (except state holidays and some holiday weekends). Online registration and information can be found at: http://admit.washington.edu/Visit/WalkingTour. The tours are of upper campus and do not include the Epidemiology Department, located in the Health Sciences Center, across NE Pacific Street, on lower campus. Tours last approximately 60 - 90 minutes. Alternatively, you can take your own tour of upper campus, which is lovely, especially in spring and summer. See http://admit.washington.edu/files/PDFs/AdmissionsSelf_guidedTour2008.pdf.

IN CASE OF CANCELLATION

If you are unable to make a meeting for unforeseen reasons, contact the person expecting you right away to cancel the meeting (and possibly arrange another time).

BEFORE DEPARTURE

• Print out your itinerary and bring it.
• Print out all relevant maps, directions and bus schedules and bring them with you, from the Department of Epidemiology visit page (http://depts.washington.edu/epidem/adm/visiting.shtml), which has information on most Epidemiology sites.
• Print these documents to bring with you as a minimum:
• Directions to the Department: http://depts.washington.edu/epidem/EpiDirect.shtml
• Health Sciences Building Map: http://depts.washington.edu/epidem/directions/health_sci_map.pdf
• Printable Campus Map: http://www.washington.edu/home/maps/campusmappg.pdf (print as 2 pages)
• Campus maps with locator guide: http://www.washington.edu/home/maps/
• Before your arrival, review maps, bus shuttle schedules and/or driving directions.
• Bring an umbrella, and wear shoes in which you can walk up to 3/4 of a mile, even if you are driving.
• Check your email and voice messages for last-minute changes, including after arrival.
• Review information on EPI programs, funding, and application procedures, as applicable:
• Epidemiology Degree Programs: http://depts.washington.edu/epidem/program
• Application Procedures: http://depts.washington.edu/epidem/adm/direct_uw.shtml
• Admissions Criteria: http://depts.washington.edu/epidem/adm/admissions_criteria.shtml
• Funding Information: http://depts.washington.edu/epidem/funding

This page was last updated on February 5, 2013