Meet Eric Seiser, MS, graduate of USP's Bioinformatics program

Name: Eric Seiser
Degree Program: MS in Bioinformatics
Year Graduated: 2006

Why I chose USP

In my undergraduate career, biology was my major and computer science was my minor, yet there was no correlation between the two fields. After having discovered the area of bioinformatics, I looked for institutions in the central and southeastern PA area with a master's program in bioinformatics. With evening classes offered, and the good reputation of the PharmD program at the school, I selected USP.

How this degree program prepared me for my career

The program at USP allowed me to become involved with the Greater Philadelphia Bioinformatics Alliance internships, which ultimately led me to an outstanding internship at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. That experience, along with my coursework, motivated me to continue in academia.

My career path since graduation

After graduating from USP, I completed my internship at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and began my PhD in Functional Genomics at North Carolina State University with a National Science Foundation IGERT Fellowship.

A memorable USP experience

While I enjoyed all of my courses, the experience that had the greatest impact on me was my internship at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The involvement of USP with the Greater Philadelphia Bioinformatics Alliance allowed me to receive a paying internship at the hospital while I completed my coursework. The internship itself provided me with great insight into many aspects of clinical research and ultimately motivated me to continue my education beyond my MS degree.

My advice for prospective students

The networking that is available through USP is excellent. The fact that most of the courses are held in the evening allows students to take advantage of internships and possibly full-time positions to gain further experience while they work to complete their degree.