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Get Your Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology – Everything You Need to Know in 2024

What’s in this guide, at a glance, why get a phd in clinical psychology, entry requirements for a clinical psychology phd program, what’s covered in a clinical psychology phd program, how much does a phd in clinical psychology cost, program funding and financial support, program duration and flexibility, location and access to clinical populations, program curriculum and specializations, internship placement and post-graduation outcomes, what jobs can you do with a phd in clinical psychology, how much can you earn with a phd in clinical psychology.

By psychologyjobs.com Staff Writer

A PhD in  clinical psychology  is an advanced academic degree that delves into the scientific study, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders and behavioral conditions. This rigorous program is designed to prepare graduates for careers in research, teaching, and direct clinical practice. Through the blend of coursework, research, and hands-on clinical training, students are equipped with comprehensive knowledge and skills necessary to become leaders in the field of psychology.

Typically, a PhD in clinical psychology takes between 4 to 7 years to complete, with the variation in duration often depending on the specific requirements of the program, the nature of the student’s research, and the requisite clinical training hours. Most programs include a combination of classroom-based learning, research projects culminating in a dissertation, and applied clinical experience through internships or  practicums .

The curriculum for a PhD in clinical psychology encompasses a wide range of topics. Core areas of study usually include foundations of clinical psychology, research methods, psychopathology, psychological assessment, and various psychotherapy and counseling techniques. Additionally, students often delve into specialized subjects such as  neuropsychology ,  forensic psychology ,  child psychology  and health psychology. This comprehensive training ensures that graduates are well-prepared to address diverse psychological needs across different populations and settings.

There are a multitude of reasons why students pursue a PhD in clinical psychology, here are a few key reasons to consider it:

Demand for Clinical Psychologists

The demand for  clinical psychologists  has been steadily rising, reflecting the growing awareness and acceptance of mental health services in the general population. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (as of 2019), the employment of psychologists is projected to grow 14% from 2018 to 2028, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. This growth is attributed to the greater demand for psychological services in schools, hospitals, mental health centers, and social service agencies. With a PhD in clinical psychology, individuals are well-equipped to meet this increasing demand, providing essential services and contributing to the overall well-being of the community.

Opportunity for Specialization and Higher Earnings

Pursuing a PhD in clinical psychology opens doors to various specializations, such as neuropsychology, child psychology, or forensic psychology. Specialized psychologists often have the potential for higher earnings compared to their generalist counterparts. For instance, according to a 2019 salary survey by the American Psychological Association (APA), doctoral-level clinical psychologists with a specialization (like neuropsychologists) reported median salaries that were approximately 40% higher than those without a specialization. A PhD program allows for deep dives into specific areas of interest, enhancing expertise and potentially boosting earning potential.

Leadership Opportunities and Policy Influence

One of the often-overlooked advantages of a PhD in clinical psychology is the doors it opens to leadership roles within organizations and the potential to influence public policy. The intensive training and deep expertise gained from such a doctoral program position graduates as thought leaders in the field of mental health. According to the American Psychological Association, psychologists with doctoral degrees often find themselves in positions where they can shape policy, both within healthcare institutions and at regional or national levels. Their informed perspectives are invaluable in advisory roles, committees, or when collaborating with governments to create mental health programs, ensuring that psychological services are both effective and accessible. A PhD not only amplifies their voice but also underscores the weight of their expertise in these pivotal roles.

• Bachelor’s Degree : Typically in psychology or a related field, though some programs may accept applicants from other disciplines if they’ve completed prerequisite courses.
• Master’s Degree : Some programs prefer or require a  master’s degree  in psychology or a related field, while others will accept students directly from a  bachelor’s program .
• Grade Point Average (GPA) : Many programs have a minimum GPA requirement of 3.0.
• Letters of Recommendation : Typically from professors, researchers, or professionals familiar with the applicant’s academic and/or clinical work.
• Background Check : Given the nature of clinical work, some programs might require a background check before final admission.

A PhD in clinical psychology is designed to train students in both the science and practice of psychology. The curriculum typically covers a wide array of topics to ensure that graduates are well-rounded and competent researchers, educators, and clinicians. Here’s an overview of the subjects often covered:

• Foundations of Clinical Psychology : This introduces students to the history, theories, and key concepts of the field.
• Research Methods and Statistics : Comprehensive training in both qualitative and quantitative research methods, along with advanced statistical techniques, ensuring students can design and analyze research effectively.
• Psychopathology : Study of various psychological disorders, understanding their origins, classifications, and manifestations across the lifespan.
• Psychological Assessment : Techniques and tools used for clinical assessments, including intelligence testing, personality assessment, and neuropsychological testing.
• Psychotherapy and Intervention : Training in therapeutic modalities and techniques, from cognitive-behavioral therapy to psychodynamic approaches, ensuring students can provide evidence-based treatments.
• Professional Ethics and Issues : Examination of the ethical guidelines and professional standards in the practice of clinical psychology.
• Biological Bases of Behavior : Understanding the neurobiological and physiological processes underpinning behavior, emotion, and cognition.
• Cognitive and Affective Bases of Behavior : Exploring how cognitive processes and emotions shape human behavior.
• Social Bases of Behavior : Understanding social interactions, group dynamics, and broader societal and cultural factors that influence psychology.
• Human Development : Insights into psychological development from infancy to old age.
• Diversity and Multicultural Psychology : Training to ensure culturally competent care, addressing the unique psychological needs of diverse populations.

Here’s a sample curriculum for a PhD program in clinical psychology:

• Introduction to Clinical Psychology
• Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Theory and Practice
• Research Methods in Psychology I
• Psychological Statistics I
• Clinical Practicum I
• Psychopathology I
• Psychological Assessment I: Cognitive and Intellectual Assessment
• Research Methods in Psychology II
• Psychological Statistics II
• Clinical Practicum II

Second Year

• Psychopathology II
• Psychological Assessment II: Personality Assessment
• Human Development Across the Lifespan
• Biological Bases of Behavior
• Clinical Practicum III
• Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic Therapies
• Cognitive and Affective Bases of Behavior
• Advanced Quantitative Methods
• Professional Ethics in Clinical Psychology
• Clinical Practicum IV
• Neuropsychological Assessment
• Multicultural Psychology and Diversity Issues in Treatment
• Social Bases of Behavior
• Health Psychology
• Clinical Practicum V
• Forensic Psychology
• Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy
• Advanced Clinical Seminar (e.g., trauma therapy or substance abuse treatment)
• Supervision and Consultation in Clinical Practice
• Clinical Practicum VI

Fourth Year

• Family and Couples Therapy
• Advanced Research Seminar I
• Clinical Psychopharmacology (for some programs)
• Elective Course (e.g., School Psychology, Military Psychology, etc.)
• Dissertation Proposal Development
• Advanced Research Seminar II
• Group Psychotherapy
• Elective Course (e.g., Geriatric Psychology, Positive Psychology, etc.)
• Dissertation Research
• Predoctoral Internship (typically a full-year, full-time commitment)
• Dissertation Completion and Defense

The cost of pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology varies significantly based on the type of institution and residency status.

Generally, private universities tend to have higher tuition rates, ranging from $30,000 to $60,000 per year. Public universities, on the other hand, offer different rates for in-state and out-of-state residents; in-state tuition can range between $10,000 to $30,000 per year, while out-of-state students might pay between $25,000 to $50,000 annually. These figures don’t account for other costs like fees, books, and living expenses.

It’s worth noting that many Clinical Psychology PhD programs provide financial support, often in the form of fellowships, research, or teaching assistantships, which can cover tuition and offer stipends.

What to look for in a PhD program

It can be overwhelming with so many PhD programs out there and so many factors to consider. Choosing a program in clinical psychology is a significant decision that will impact the trajectory of your career. Here are a few key ways to compare programs/institutions:

Fully funded programs, which include tuition waivers and stipends, can drastically reduce student debt and allow students to focus on their studies.The National Science Foundation’s Survey of Earned Doctorates found that over 75% of research doctorate recipients in psychology reported no education-related debt, largely due to funding availability in their programs.

The length of a program and its ability to accommodate part-time students or offer flexible schedules can be vital, especially for those balancing work, family, or other commitments.

According to the APA, the median time to complete a doctorate in psychology has been around 7 years. However, some programs, especially those designed for working professionals, might offer accelerated tracks or part-time options, which can affect this duration.

Being in a location that provides access to diverse clinical populations or specific groups that align with a student’s research interests can be invaluable for hands-on training and research.

A report from the APA emphasized the importance of diversity in clinical training. Programs located in urban settings or areas with diverse communities can offer broader exposure and experience in multicultural clinical practice, which is essential for a comprehensive education in clinical psychology.

The curriculum and available specializations should align with a student’s career and research interests.

In a survey by the APA, PhD recipients emphasized the importance of finding a program that matched their specific interests, as this played a crucial role in their eventual job satisfaction and career trajectory.

High-quality internship placements and positive post-graduation outcomes can significantly influence a graduate’s early career.

The Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) provides data on internship match rates. Programs with high match rates to APA-accredited internships often signal strong training and preparation.

• Licensed Clinical Psychologist : This is perhaps the most direct application of the degree. Clinical psychologists assess, diagnose, and treat mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. They might work with specific populations, such as children, the elderly, or individuals with severe mental illness.
• Licensed professional counselor : an LPC is a mental health professional trained to provide therapy and counseling services to individuals, couples, and groups for a variety of emotional and psychological challenges.
• Mental Health Counselor :  provide counseling and therapy services to individuals and groups with mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety, and trauma.
• School Psychologist :  work in K-12 schools to provide counseling and support services to students, including academic guidance, behavioral interventions, and emotional support.
• Professor : A PhD graduate can work in academia, conducting research on various psychological topics and teaching undergraduate and graduate students.
• Forensic Psychologist : Working at the intersection of psychology and the legal system, forensic psychologists might assess defendants’ competency, provide expert testimony, or evaluate the risk of reoffending. Although you might instead consider a  PhD in forensic psychology .
• Neuropsychologist:  diagnose and treat cognitive and behavioral disorders related to brain function, such as traumatic brain injury and dementia.
• Health Psychologist : Focusing on how psychological factors affect health and illness, these professionals might work in hospitals, clinics, or public health settings to improve patient outcomes.
• Director of Clinical Services : Those with a blend of clinical expertise and administrative skills might oversee clinical services at hospitals, clinics, or mental health centers
• Research Psychologist :  conduct research on a variety of topics related to human behavior and mental health, including developmental psychology, social psychology, and cognitive psychology.
• Industrial-Organizational Psychologist : work with organizations to improve productivity and employee well-being through programs such as employee selection, training, and development.
• Licensed Clinical Psychologist : $91,677
• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) : $65,000
• Mental Health Counselor : $60,000
• School Psychologist : $90,000
• Professor (Psychology) : $80,370
• Forensic Psychologist : $101,000
• Neuropsychologist : $79,820
• Health Psychologist: $100,000
• Director of Clinical Services: $120,000
• Research Psychologist : $79,000
• Industrial-Organizational Psychologist : $112,690

• PhD in USA – A Guide for 2020/21
• Finding a PhD

A PhD in USA takes approximately 5 – 6 years of full-time study and can cost between $12,000 – $45,000 per academic year. PhD programs in USA differ from that in the UK and Europe in that students must first take taught classes, coursework and exams before starting their research project.

Why Do a PhD in USA?

The United States has long had some of the most distinguished universities and advanced PhD programmes in the world. Combined with curriculum flexibility, rigorous teaching methods, vast funding opportunities, breathtaking campuses and significant career prospects, it’s no wonder that it is one of the most sought-after study destinations for research students.

In addition to comprehensive training standards, here are a few other reasons why a student may choose to undertake their PhD in the United States:

• Longer learning timeframes – A PhD in the US lasts longer than a PhD in the UK or Europe. This allows students to more confidently transition from undergraduate to postgraduate studies; more commonly referred to as ‘graduate studies’ in the US. This gives you the opportunity to learn more about your subject, research methods and academic writing in general before starting your research project.
• World-class universities – It’s no secret that some of the most well-known higher education institutions that continue to dominate global rankings are based in the United States. Although many factors go into determining whether a position is right for you, a PhD at a high-ranking American university will undeniably have many benefits, from excellent learning standards to access to innovative equipment and deep expertise.
• International network – The US has long been a popular choice among PhD students around the world. As such, the US hosts a diverse and multicultural learning environment in which many research students will quickly feel at home.
• Opportunities – With over 4,000 universities in the US, we can safely say you will have plenty of opportunities to find the ideal combination of project, supervisor and university that works for you.

Universities in USA

Universities in the United States can be divided into two types: public universities and private universities.

Public universities are financed by the state in which they are based. Because of this, public universities charge less for students from within the state and more for students from outside the state, including international students.

Private universities are not financed by their state, but by private donors, research funds and tuition fees. For this reason, private universities generally charge higher tuition fees than public universities and require all students to pay the same amount, regardless of whether they come from out-of-state or abroad.

According to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021 , eight of the top ten universities in the world are located in the United States. These are:

Method of Study

The main difference between a PhD in the US and a PhD in Europe lies in the program structure. Whereas a European PhD essentially consists of a single phase lasting three to four years , an American PhD consists of three different phases, each with its own time frame.

• Phase One – The first phase lasts approximately two years and focuses on building a basic foundation for the doctoral student. This phase consists largely of taught components such as lectures, tutorials and laboratory sessions, in which the student learns more about theoretical concepts and research methods within their discipline.
• Phase Two – The second phase can be considered an assessment phase, which runs both periodically alongside and at the end of the first phase. Here, students complete coursework and take exams on the basis of the material they have covered of which they must pass in order to proceed to the third phase.
• Phase Three – The third phase lasts approximately three years and resembles the European PhD structure. During this period, the student undertakes an independent research project, including forming a research design, conducting experiments, writing a thesis (more commonly referred to in the USA as a dissertation) and sitting a viva exam.

Teaching Requirements

Besides structure, a key difference between a PhD program in the US and in Europe is the focus on teaching requirements. In the US, doctoral students are expected to lecture, lead tutorials, host laboratory sessions, mark coursework and provide office hours for undergraduate students. Although students studying in European will likely contribute to these at some point during their study, this would normally be on a voluntary basis and involve less time commitment.

Research Flexibility

Another difference is project flexibility. In Europe, students typically apply to a PhD project predetermined by a supervisor, and although there may be some scope to adapt the project, depending on the funding provider , it will usually be limited to how the project is carried out rather than what it is about. In the US, however, a student applies to become a doctoral candidate within a department rather than applying for a particular research project. This is because students are expected to decide on their thesis topic (also commonly referred to as a dissertation research topic) near the end of their first phase after they have developed a better understanding of their subject and know where their interests lie. Therefore, research students in the US generally have more flexibility and influence in the direction of their research than students in the United Kingdom or Europe.

PhD Admission Requirements in USA

PhD admission into US universities can be highly competitive, both because of the limited number of positions and the large number of annual applicants.

The eligibility requirements for a doctoral program in the USA can generally be divided into four sections:

• Grade Point Average (GPA) – in the US, a scoring system known as Grade Point Average is used to measure academic ability. A student’s GPA is calculated as a weighted score of the subjects they study during their undergraduate degree; an equivalent score is calculated by universities for international applicants. Although universities rarely set minimum GPA requirements for doctoral study, it’s worth being aware that a GPA of 3.0 is equivalent to a UK second class honours (2:1); the typical entry requirement for UK universities.
• Graduate Records Exam (GRE) – most universities will require you to take a series of examinations known as Graduate Records Exams, which are used to determine your suitability for graduate study. GREs will assess your analytical, reasoning and critical thinking skills as well as your depth of your subject.
• Student aptitude – in addition to academic ability, US universities also look for characteristics of a strong researcher. These include traits such as engaging in the subject in your own time, e.g. by attending talks and conferences, demonstrating a high degree of independence and enthusiasm, and a general passion for your subject.
• English Language Proficiency – international students whose first language is not English must sit language exams such as IELTS or TOELF to demonstrate their English language proficiency.

International students will also require a F1 student visa in order to study in the US, however, you would typically apply for this after you have secured a place into a doctorate program.

How to Apply for PhD in USA

When applying for a PhD position at a graduate school, the application process will differ between universities, however, they will all typically ask for the following:

• Academic CV – a short document summarising your educational background and current level of experience .
• Personal statement – a document which outlines why you believe you are suitable for PhD study and your passion for the subject.
• Academic transcripts – a complete breakdown of the modules and their respective marks you have taken as part of your previous/current degree.
• GRE scores – a transcript of your Graduate Records Exam results.
• Research statement – a condensed version of a research proposal outlining your general research interests, if required.
• Recommendation letters – references from several academic referees who endorse your qualities as a person, your abilities as a student and your potential as a doctoral researcher.

Application Deadlines and Fees

Since PhD programs in the United States have taught components, they commence at the same time as all other taught degrees, and therefore share the same application deadlines and start dates. This corresponds to an application period that typically begins in August and ends in February. Admission decisions are typically made in April, with successful students starting in August/September.

When you apply to a graduate school, you will be expected to pay a fee for each doctorate application to cover the school’s administrative costs for processing your application. The fee varies from university to university, but typically ranges from $50 to $100 .

Funding your PhD in USA

It’s very common for a PhD student to receive financial aid in the form of a PhD scholarship; in fact, this will be the case for the vast majority of students in the US.

PhD funding can be ‘fully funded’ covering the student’s graduate program tuition fees, accommodation and living costs, or ‘partially funded’ covering the student’s tuition fee only in part or full.

Besides funding, a graduate student can take on an assistantship, such as a graduate teaching assistant or research assistant, in which they take on a part-time salaried position at the university alongside their studies.

Due to the international and collaborate nature of American universities, there are also a number of international scholarships available, such as the Fulbright Scholarship and the AAUW International Fellowship .

PhD Duration in USA

In the US, a PhD takes approximately 5 – 6 years to complete if studying full-time, and 8 – 10 years if studying part-time.

If you already have a Master’s degree, your first phase can be shortened by one year at the discretion of the university.

Cost of a PhD in USA

The cost of a PhD program in the US can vary considerably depending on the type of university, i.e. whether it’s a public or private university, the doctoral course, i.e. whether it’s in a STEM subject such as computer science, engineering or a non-STEM subject, and whether you are a home or international student.

In general, however, the typical annual tuition fee for a PhD in the US is between $12,000 and $45,000 per academic year.

As with any doctoral degree, additional costs may include travel for collaborations, bench fees, accommodation and living expenses.

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Avoid Fake-Degree Burns By Researching Academic Credentials

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If you’re a hiring manager or human resources professional, chances are you review applications and resumes from people who want to work for your organization or who want to be promoted. Some applicants may list credentials — like a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree, or a professional certification — that sound credible, but in fact, were not earned through a legitimate course of study at an accredited institution. Federal officials caution that some people are buying phony credentials from “diploma mills” — companies that sell “degrees” or certificates on the Internet without requiring the buyer to do anything more than pay a fee. Most diploma mills charge a flat fee, require little course work, if any, and award a degree based solely on “work or life experience.” According to officials from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Department of Education, and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) bogus credentials can compromise your credibility — and your organization’s. You could place an unqualified person in a position of responsibility, leaving your organization liable if the employee’s actions harm someone. You could hire a person who is dishonest in other ways, exposing your organization and colleagues to potential damage. And if the bogus degrees are brought to light, you risk embarrassment. The agencies have teamed up, putting new tools in place to help you weed out bogus academic credentials and insure the integrity of your hiring process.

Tell-tale Signs of a Bogus Degree

Although it’s not always easy to tell if academic credentials are from an accredited institution, the federal officials say there are clues to help you spot questionable credentials on a resume or application. Look for:

Out of Sequence Degrees. When you review education claims, you expect to see degrees earned in a traditional progression — high school, followed by bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral or other advanced degrees. If an applicant claims a master’s or doctoral degree, but no bachelor’s degree — or if the applicant claims a college degree, but no high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) diploma, consider it a red flag, and a likely sign of a diploma mill. Quickie Degrees. It generally takes time to earn a college or advanced degree — three to four years for an undergraduate degree, one or two years for a master’s degree, and even longer to earn a doctorate. A degree earned in a very short time, or several degrees listed for the same year, are warning signs for the hiring official or the person doing the preliminary screening. Degrees From Schools in Locations Different From the Applicant’s Job or Home. If the applicant worked full-time while attending school, check the locations of the job and the educational institution. If the applicant didn’t live where he went to school, check to see if the degree is from an accredited distance learning institution, using the steps described under ‘Checking Out Academic Credentials.’ If the degree is not from a legitimate, accredited distance learning institution, it may be from a diploma mill. Sound-Alike Names. Some diploma mills use names that sound or look like those of well-known colleges or universities. If the institution has a name similar to a well-known school, but is located in a different state, check on it. Should you come across a degree from an institution with a prestigious-sounding foreign name, that calls for some homework, too. Researching the legitimacy of foreign schools can be a challenge, but consider it a warning sign if an applicant claims a degree from a country where she never lived.

Checking Out Academic Credentials

Federal officials recommend that you always check academic credentials, even when the school they’re from is well-known. Some applicants may falsify information about their academic backgrounds rather than about their work history, possibly because employers are less likely to check with schools for verification or to require academic transcripts. Here’s how to verify academic credentials:

• Contact the school. Most college registrars will confirm dates of attendance and graduation, as well as degrees awarded and majors, upon request. If the applicant gives permission, they may provide a certified academic transcript. If you aren’t familiar with the school, don’t stop your research just because someone answers your questions on the phone or responds with a letter. Some diploma mills offer a “verification service” that will send a phony transcript to a prospective employer who calls.
• tuition is charged on a per-degree basis, rather than per credit, course, or semester
• there are few or unspecified degree requirements, or none at all
• the emphasis is on degrees for work or life experience, and
• the school is relatively new, or has recently changed its name.
• Ask the applicant for proof of the degree and the school’s accreditation. If you don’t get satisfactory answers from the school itself and the accreditation sites on the Web, ask the applicant for proof of the degree, including a certified transcipt, and the school’s accreditation. Ultimately, it’s up to the applicant to show that he earned his credentials from a legitimate institution.

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PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences (PiBS)

For contact information, please visit the Program in Biomedical Sciences (PiBS)  website .

Boston University’s Program in Biomedical Sciences (PiBS) is an “umbrella” program with 9 participating departments/programs, all housed within Graduate Medical Sciences at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.  PiBS provides rigorous training toward a PhD degree, focusing on coursework and research, as well as professional development for career advancement. In addition to required and elective coursework, first-year students explore research opportunities by participating in three laboratory rotations to help determine the direction of their PhD research.

Learning Outcomes

The learning outcomes for the doctoral programs in Graduate Medical Sciences at the  Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine are designed to train scholars to be leaders in their respective fields of biomedical research. Trainees become fluent in their areas of specialization, as well as develop competencies that provide the foundation for lifelong learning and practice in their chosen field. Trainees will demonstrate and apply the professional and scientific skills necessary to benefit society. They will:

• Generate an original body of work in the biomedical sciences that reflects critical thinking and independent thought.
• Demonstrate competencies in advanced research skills and critical thinking.
• Develop the ability to communicate with specialists and nonexperts through writing and oral communication within their chosen field of expertise.
• Demonstrate a commitment to professional development and continued learning in their chosen field.

Participating programs/departments include:

• Biochemistry & Cell Biology
• Genetics & Genomics
• Molecular & Translational Medicine
• Nutrition & Metabolism
• Orofacial & Skeletal Biology
• Pathology & Laboratory Medicine  (including Immunology Training Program )
• Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics
• Virology, Immunology & Microbiology (including Immunology Training Program )

PiBS faculty’s broad research interests include:

• Bioinformatics
• Cancer biology, cancer immunology, and tumor microenvironment
• Cardiovascular and pulmonary disease
• Cell dynamics and architecture
• Cell signaling and gene regulation
• Computational biology
• Development and regenerative biology and stem cells
• Genetics and gene regulation
• Hematologic disorders
• Host-pathogen interactions and infectious disease
• Inflammation and inflammatory diseases
• Lymphatic system physiology and disease
• Neurodegenerative disorders
• Nutrition, obesity, diabetes, and related metabolic diseases
• Oral, craniofacial, and skeletal biology
• Pathology and laboratory medicine
• Physiology and pathophysiology
• Proteomics and glycomics
• Structural biology and molecular biophysics
• Vaccine development

Please visit the PiBS website for links to the participating programs’ websites and additional information regarding individual faculty research interests.

In the first year, PhD students take the Foundations in Biomedical Sciences (FBS)  core curriculum, professional skills development courses, as well as elective courses focused on area-specific interests. In addition, students experience three laboratory rotations and attend research seminars. Students work closely with a faculty advisor to develop a plan tailored to serve specific research and professional goals. After selection of a laboratory, students join the program/department with which the mentor is affiliated and continue advanced studies toward candidacy. Once a student chooses a dissertation laboratory and a department/program of study, additional coursework is dictated by the requirements of that department/program. All departments/programs require that the student submit, present, and defend a dissertation based on original laboratory research performed under the direction of a member of the PiBS faculty.

PiBS First-Year Curriculum

Core/required courses (18–20 credits total).

• GMS FC 708 Professional Development Skills (2 cr)
• GMS FC 711 Foundations in Biomedical Sciences: Protein Structure, Catalysis and Interaction (3 cr)
• GMS FC 712 Foundations in Biomedical Sciences: Structure and Function of the Genome (3 cr)
• GMS FC 713 Foundations in Biomedical Sciences: Architecture and Dynamics of the Cell (3 cr)
• GMS FC 714 Foundations in Biomedical Sciences: Mechanisms of Cell Communication (3 cr)
• GMS FC 764 Professional Skills (2 cr)
• Statistics class (2–4 cr)

Possible Elective Courses (4–8 Credits Total)

• GMS BI 777 Techniques in Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology (2 cr)
• GMS BY 762 Foundations of Biophysics and Structural Biology I (2 cr)
• GMS BY 763 Foundations of Biophysics and Structural Biology II (2 cr)
• GMS BY 776 Macromolecular Assemblies I (2 cr)
• GMS BY 777 Macromolecular Assemblies II (2 cr)
• GMS FC 706 Foundations in Biomedical Sciences: Molecular Metabolism (2 cr)
• GMS FC 709 Research Design and Statistical Methods for Biomedical Sciences (3 cr)
• GMS FC 715 Foundations in Biomedical Sciences: Translational Genetics and Genomics (3 cr)
• GMS FC 717 Foundations in Biomedical Sciences: Physiology of Specialized Cells (3 cr)
• GMS FC 762 Critical Thinking in Biomedical Research (2 cr)
• GMS GE 701 Principles of Genetics and Genomics (4 cr)
• GMS MI 701 Concepts in Virology (2 cr)
• GMS MI 713 Comprehensive Immunology (4 cr)
• GMS MI 715 Immunological Basis of Disease (2 cr)
• GMS MM 703 Cancer Biology and Genetics (2 cr)
• GMS MM 710 Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine (2 cr)
• GMS MM 725 Biology of the Lung and Pulmonary Disease (2 cr)
• GMS NU 755 Molecular, Biochemical, and Physiological Basis of Nutrition I: Energy Balance and Micronutrients (4 cr)
• GMS NU 756 Molecular, Biochemical, and Physiological Basis of Nutrition II: Macronutrients (4 cr)
• GMS NU 757 Molecular, Biochemical, and Physiologic Bases of Nutrition: Regulation of Energy Balance (2 cr)
• GMS OB 763 Basic Processes in Oral Biology I (2 cr)
• GMS OB 764 Basic Processes in Oral Biology II (2 cr)
• GMS PA 700 Basic and Experimental Pathology (4 cr)
• GMS PA 710 Principles of Basic and Applied Pathology (2 cr)
• GMS PA 801 S Special Topics in Pathology
• GMS PA 910 Human Biospecimens in Research (2 cr)
• GMS PA 932 Histopathology (4 cr)

Lab Rotations, 4 credits total

Each student completes three laboratory rotations in the first year of the program.

Professional Development Opportunities

In addition to the biomedical and professional skills coursework in the first year, we offer our graduate students a host of professional development opportunities ( BU’s BEST  and PhD Professional Development Opportunities ). These include workshops, panel discussions, site visits, and internships to enable students to consider and prepare for careers in a variety of sectors, including research and nonresearch careers in academia, industry, government, communications, law/compliance, or wherever they may choose to work.

Financial Support

PhD students in good standing are provided with a financial package that covers the cost of tuition, health insurance, and fees, as well as a living stipend.

Admission Requirements

PiBS applicants should have a strong undergraduate academic record as well as research experience. Students matriculate during the fall semester. Please visit the  PiBS website for more information regarding the application and selection processes.

Related Bulletin Pages

• Abbreviations and Symbols
• Graduate Medical Sciences Courses

Beyond the Bulletin

• GMS Admissions
• Program in Biomedical Sciences (PiBS)
• Foundations in Biomedical Sciences (FBS)
• PhD Professional Development Opportunities
• The Vesalius Certificate
• Anatomy & Neurobiology
• Behavioral Neuroscience
• Biochemistry
• MD/PhD in Bioinformatics
• Biomedical Forensic Sciences
• Biomedical Research Technologies
• Biomedical Sciences (PiBS)
• Clinical Research
• Forensic Anthropology
• Genetic Counseling
• Health Care Emergency Management
• Health Professions Education
• Medical Anthropology & Cross-Cultural Practice
• Medical Sciences
• Mental Health Counseling & Behavioral Medicine Program
• Microbiology
• Neuroscience
• Oral Biology
• Oral Health Sciences
• Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
• Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics
• Physician Assistant
• Physiology or Biophysics
• Departments
• BU Medical Campus Library
• Graduate Medical Sciences Student Organization (GMSSO)

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How to Do a Background Check

Last Updated: March 24, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD . Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 57,561 times.

Background checks can have a wide range of detail. You might be looking for something as simple as a credit check or SSN verification. You might need something more complex, like a detailed record of past work history, residences, or criminal background. Other common background checks include education, bankruptcy, medical, military, real estate, and employment records. While detailed background checks take more time and money, they can provide a great deal of useful information.

Checking Someone’s Background as a Private Citizen

• When using a search engine, put quotation marks around the name of the person you’re researching. [1] X Research source This ensures that the engine looks for the entire name instead of breaking it up. You want "John Smith," not "John Brown" and "Jim Smith."
• Include extra identifying information to make sure you find the right person: "Bill Gates" Microsoft.

• Remember to search documents in all states where your subject has lived, and to search county and city websites as well.

• For example, if you're considering a potential new roommate, you want to make sure they pay bills on time. Ask for a copy of his or her credit report before making your decision.
• If the person doesn't provide the information you need, you can choose not to move forward with the arrangement.

• Private companies and citizens can't access all the records law enforcement agencies can. As such, the information gathered by private agencies may not be as reliable.
• Beware of scam artists! Don't do business with companies that charge too much below or above the industry standard. Compare prices with other companies in the area who provide similar services.

Checking Someone’s Background as an Employer

• No matter how honest someone seems in an interview, your new employee's actions may hurt someone. If you didn't perform a background check on that employee, your company might be liable for negligent hiring. A background check can help insulate your company from such risk.
• Most states demand criminal background checks on people who work with children, the elderly or people with disabilities.

• For example, running background checks only on Muslim or African American applicants would violate equal opportunity laws. So, too, would "people under 30" or "men."
• You might run background checks on everyone who applies to work for you. But, taking action on that information only for members of protected classes is illegal.

• Research CRAs carefully before contracting services. Because there is such a wide variety, you need to ask about specific services to make sure they fit your needs.

• Normal credit reports affect the subject's credit score. A request for an “Employment Report,” though, has no effect on it.
• Most CRAs don't list credit scores because asking (without reason) is illegal in some states. [4] X Trustworthy Source National Conference of State Legislatures Bipartisan, nongovernment organization serving the members of state legislatures and their constituents Go to source A good reason to request an employee's credit score might be if the person would be handling your money.

• A few states have stricter regulations that protect even criminal records older than 7 years.
• Even though arrest records are public records, some states don't allow them to be used in hiring decisions.

• Official criminal records ("Rap Sheets") aren't always public records. Some states allow access only for special cases, like law enforcement and childcare facilities.
• This doesn't mean private investigation companies can't compile their own lists. They can still search for individual convictions and arrests in the public records.

• Be aware that asking these questions early in the application process might expose you to liability. You can't exclude every applicant who answers “yes.” Allow them to provide an explanation, and take it into consideration before making your decision.

Checking Someone’s Background as a Landlord

• If you run background checks on potential tenants, you should run them on ALL potential tenants. Cherry-picking the people you want to research opens you up to discrimination lawsuits.

• You may want to give applicants a discount on the fee so you don’t scare them away from even applying to rent with you.

• If you reject an applicant due to information on the Credit Report, you should give an “Adverse Action” notice. This letter should provide contact information for the agency you used to get that report.
• The tenant can choose to dispute the information the agency provided. Applicants can receive a free copy of the Credit Report from that agency so long as they dispute the information within 60 days.

• Note that some states allow a fair housing claim to be filed past the two years, in which case you should keep the reports longer.

Expert Q&A

• Employers cannot use the following information in hiring decisions: Bankruptcies, Workers’ Compensation Records (unless the employee's injury might interfere with the subject’s ability to perform work), Medical Records (though you can inquire about a subject’s ability to perform work), and Genetic Information. Further, the following records require the subject’s consent to access: School records, Credit reports, and Military Records (though basic information such as name, rank, and salary may be released without consent). Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
• Beware of hiring less-reputable online data brokers to do a background check. Employers (and landlords) run the risk that such a broker is not in compliance with federal or state laws regarding the type or source of information gathered. Additionally, such companies can pull data from untrustworthy and unreliable sources. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 3
• Landlords should run a background check on ALL potential tenants (not just those who have shifty eyes). If you start picking and choosing whom to subject to a check, you’re potentially opening yourself up to discrimination lawsuits. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://libanswers.snhu.edu/faq/8740
• ↑ http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/background_checks_employers.cfm
• ↑ https://www.nolo.com/products/consent-to-background-check-pr121.html
• ↑ http://www.ncsl.org/research/financial-services-and-commerce/use-of-credit-info-in-employ-2013-legis.aspx
• ↑ http://www.amof.info/ca-employer.htm
• ↑ http://www.esrcheck.com/Services/Criminal-Records
• ↑ http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/qanda-inquiries.html
• ↑ http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/how-landlords-can-check-tenant-s-credit-report.html

About This Article

To do a background check as a private citizen, keep in mind that you'll need the person's permission in order to obtain certain records, like their credit report or school records. If you don't have their permission, you can still run a background check by searching public records for information about things like arrests and convictions. Alternatively, you can hire a legal service to conduct the background check for you. For more advice from our Legal co-author, like how to conduct a background check as a landlord or employer, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Human Resources University of Michigan

Search form.

• UHR Procedures

201.95 Background Screening

Applies to: Faculty, Postdoctoral Research Fellows, Staff (Regular and Temporary) and Graduate Student Instructors, Graduate Student Staff Assistants and Graduate Student Research Assistants (collectively, "GSAs") Issued by (dept.): The Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and University Human Resources SPG number: 201.95

Guidelines for Conducting Background Checks

This policy is intended to support the verification of credentials, criminal history and other information related to employment and appointment decisions that assist the University in meeting its commitments.  Additional review or verification may be required, based on the nature of the position sought.

The conditional nature of an offer of employment for faculty and staff (regular and temporary) pursuant to this policy must be stated explicitly in any contingent offer of employment or appointment. The following language should be included in offers of employment: "This offer of employment is contingent on the successful completion of a background screening. The University's background check vendor will be contacting you directly via email for additional information needed to complete this process. It is critical that you complete this information as soon as possible to expedite your hire process."

The following language should be included in an initial offer of appointment as a Graduate Student Instructor (GSI), Graduate Student Staff Assistant (GSSA) or Graduate Student Research Assistant (GSRA): "If this is your first offer of appointment as a Graduate Student Instructor, Graduate Student Staff Assistant or Graduate Student Research Assistant at the University of Michigan, this offer of appointment is contingent on the successful completion of a background screening.  For GSI and GSSA appointments, this contingent offer of appointment is not a written job offer under Article IX.C.9. of the UM/GEO collective bargaining agreement.  The University's background check vendor will be contacting you directly via email for additional information needed to complete this process. It is critical that you complete this information as soon as possible to expedite your appointment process."

In addition, all funding commitment letters given to prospective or current graduate students by academic units must notify the prospective or current student that the continued funding commitment for a GSI, GSSA and/or GSRA appointment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check prior to the first appointment as a GSI, GSSA, or GSRA.

Appointing units, in consultation with the applicable Human Resources Office, will assess any criminal conviction history which is returned as a result of the criminal records check. The Office of the General Counsel will be consulted as needed. This assessment will be individualized. Generally, prior to making a final decision regarding employment or appointment, the University will inform the candidate that he or she may be excluded from employment or appointment because of a past criminal conviction and will provide the individual with an opportunity to demonstrate why the exclusion should not be applied to him or her. This demonstration may include information that the criminal conviction information is inaccurate, and/or additional information to demonstrate why accurate criminal conviction information should nonetheless not preclude his or her employment or appointment.

When a candidate for employment has a criminal conviction history, the individualized assessment of this information will generally consider some or all of the following information:

• The nature and gravity of any criminal offense(s)
• The nature of the position sought
• The facts and circumstances surrounding the offense;
• The number and type of offense (felony, misdemeanor, traffic violations, etc.) and whether there is a pattern of offenses
• The sentence or sanction for the offense and compliance with the sanction(s)
• The amount of time that has passed since the offense and/or completion of the sentence(s)
• Whether the offense arose in connection with the candidate's prior employment or education
• Information supplied by the candidate about the offense(s)
• The length and consistency of employment or educational history before and after the criminal conviction
• Rehabilitation efforts (e.g. education/training)
• Truthfulness of the candidate in disclosing the offense(s)
• Other mitigating or extenuating circumstances

Michigan Medicine Procedures for Conducting Background Checks

See Michigan Medicine Background Check Procedures  

Please note: this page is accessible to Michigan Medicine employees only.

Dearborn Procedures for Conducting Background Checks

• Please contact the Dearborn Campus Office of University Human Resources at (313) 593-5190 or [email protected] .

Flint Procedures for Conducting Background Checks

• Please contact the Flint Campus Office of University Human Resources at (810) 762-3150 or [email protected] .

Procedures for Conducting Academic Appointment Background Checks

Appointing unit:.

• Create Job Opening using eRecruit system.
• Select final candidate. Give the candidate an offer letter that states all contingencies. Letter should communicate to the candidate that the next stage of the selection process is contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Inform the candidate that U-M's background check vendor will be contacting them directly via email and that it is critical that they complete this information as soon as possible to expedite the appointment process.

Selected Candidate:

Accept contingent offer.

Provide instructions to selected candidate to apply for Job Opening on the U-M Careers website. Inform selected candidate to expect direct contact from background check vendor regarding authorization to conduct background check and to provide required information.

Apply for job opening through the U-M Careers website following unit provided instructions.

Prepare Job Offer panel in eRecruit.

Employment Process Coordinator:

Order background check from third party vendor.

Background Check Vendor:

Contact candidate via email with consent and instructions to provide personal information needed to complete check.

Consent to authorization and complete required information.

Receive results from vendor and forward report with any adverse information to Academic HR Representative. If report has no adverse information, inform the unit.

Appointing Unit in consult with Academic Human Resources Representative:

If a report has adverse information, conduct an individualized assessment of the information contained in the report. Make a decision about how to proceed. If the hiring process of the selected candidate is to proceed, the unit should finish the hiring process as appropriate based on the appointment level (title).

Continue with appropriate appointment process. Refer to the Provost's Office Appointment Guidelines  and the Academic Appointments Manual .

Staff Appointment Background Checks

Create Job Opening in eRecruit.

Apply through the U-M Careers website.

Select final candidate and extend verbal contingent offer.

Accept verbal contingent offer.

Prepare Job Offer panel in eRecruit .

Send the standard contingent offer confirmation letter to the selected candidate. Order background check from background screening vendor, review restricted table and complete ICHAT screening.

Receive report from vendor and forward report with any adverse information to central office HR Representative.

Appointing Unit in consult with central office HR Representative:

Conduct individualized assessment of the information contained in the report. Make hiring decision.

Appointing Unit: 

Inform candidate of outcome. Complete steps to finalize hire.

Complete steps to finalize hire or rescind offer and begin adverse action process.

Graduate Student Appointment Background Checks

• Provide instructions to the selected candidate to apply for Job Opening on the U-M Careers website.  Inform the selected candidate to expect direct contact from background check vendor regarding authorization to conduct background check and to provide required information.

If not already completed at time of matriculation, order background check from background screening vendor vendor, review restricted table and complete ICHAT screening.

Contact candidate via email with request for consent and instructions to provide personal information needed to complete check.

Consent to screening and complete required information.

Receive report from vendor.  Forward report with any adverse information to Academic HR Representative. If the report has no adverse information, EPC will finalize the offer and the unit will receive automated email notification.

Academic Human Resources Representative, in consultation with Office of General Counsel, Rackham and/or appointing unit:

If a report has adverse information, AHR, in consult with others as appropriate, conduct individualized assessment of the information contained in the report.  Make a decision about how to proceed. If the hiring decision is to proceed, inform the EPC to finalize the offer. If the decision is not to appoint the GSA, inform the EPC to start an adverse action process.

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How to Check a Doctor's Background and Credentials

Where to start.

• Age of the Doctor

Length of Practice

Hospital affiliations, involvement in research, personality and attitudes.

One important step in choosing the right doctor  is to do a background check on that physician. You can research a doctor's credentials to be sure he or she is competent to take care of you.

It's not always possible to research ahead of time. For example, you may be assigned a doctor in an emergency room or you must see a different doctor because yours is out when you arrive for an appointment.

You may not have the time to do research on that doctor before you are examined but you can do so as soon as possible afterward. If you find you don't like that doctors' background, you can try to change doctors later.

Jose Luis Pelaez Inc / Getty Images

To research a doctor, you'll need to start with his or her name and location. Go to the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) website to check the basics with their  DocInfo.org search function. You will find the doctor's board certifications, education, states with active licenses, and any actions against the physician.

Each state licenses doctors. With no license, the doctor is not allowed to practice medicine. You can further research the doctor with the state physician licensing board in each state where he or she is licensed.

Board Certification

Doctors may claim various  board certifications  in medical specialties. These credentials are verified by medical facilities who employ them or grant them privileges, but you may check board certification  as well. Doctors may be board-certified in one area, but actually practicing in a different area of medicine.

Medical School and Residency

For an older doctor, this may be less important than one who is younger and just getting started in practice. You may not know how old a doctor is when all you have is a name, so this information will give you some insight into his or her background and education credentials.

The FSMB site shows medical school education and graduation dates. In some states, there will be more information about residency on their licensing site. For others, you'll get the information most quickly at a site like Vitals .

These are related to malpractice or other disciplinary actions brought against the physician. There will be only basic information, but this is a prompt to search further with the state licensing board and online searches.

A doctor may have been reported problems for anything from a bad attitude to an unclean office to malpractice. Problems for others may become problems for you. The FSMB site will list any actions related to  medical malpractice , but you may want to do further web searches for the doctor by name for suits that may be pending.

To find general commentary about a doctor's practice, you might turn to some of the online doctors' rating sites such as Healthgrades ( www.healthgrades.com ), Vitals ( www.vitals.com ), and RateMDs ( www.ratemds.com ).  However, be aware that these ratings are subjective and may have been influenced in many ways.

The Age of the Doctor

There are reasons you want to establish an approximate age of the physician. If a doctor is quite a bit older than you are, and may retire or leave practice before you get older yourself, then you may want to keep searching for one who is younger, or at least closer in age to you.

If your medical problem is acute, then this will be less important. However, if your symptoms or diagnosis are chronic, you'll want to establish a relationship with a doctor who can treat you during the rest of your lifetime.

You may be interested in seeing a doctor who has been in practice for a long time and is therefore very experienced. Conversely, you may be interested in a younger doctor who has been taught in medical school to use more modern equipment or may be more up-to-date on research in a specialty area.

You may be able to assess how long a physician has practiced in one place at your states' medical licensing board site, or it may require one of the online doctor listing sites. For example, if a doctor is 50 years old, but appears to have been practicing in his or her location for fewer than 10 years, that indicates an interruption in his or her practice.

Longevity may give you a sense of how much more digging you need to do into possible problems.

An interruption may be due to a variety of circumstances. For example, a doctor may have decided to move to Florida and will retire in a few years, or he may have lost his license due to negligence in another state before moving to their current location.

If the doctor has not been licensed for as long as you think he or she should have been, then do some general digging on the web using that doctor's name and possibly other states' names to see if you can turn up his or her former practice. That may give you a clue as to why the doctor moved.

Doctors must apply for privileges to admit and treat patients at hospitals. If you have a preferred hospital, it is important that the doctor has privileges to practice there. Some sites will note which hospitals a doctor is affiliated with.

Facilities where a doctor has privileges do additional and ongoing checks of the doctor's credentials, which can be an assurance of their validity.

If the doctor is involved in medical research, then their involvement is important to you. Not all doctors participate in medical research, but if they are affiliated with academic or university medical centers, there is a good chance they are.

On the one hand, it means they are learning more about your problem, ways to diagnose or treat it, and may be considered experts in the field. On the other hand, it may mean they are being paid by drug or other medical manufacturing companies and their recommendations to you might (or might not) be skewed.

Conflicts of interest have become a major problem, revealing themselves in recommendations being made to patients that aren't necessarily in the best interests of the patient. These conflicts may mean you will be prescribed a drug you don't really need, or they may mean you are pushed into a  clinical trial  that is more for the benefit of the doctor than for you.

To learn about possible involvement in medical research, do a general online search with the doctor's name and the word "publication" or "research." If you find the doctor has been involved in research, then you'll want to look to see whether he or she is being paid by one of those manufacturers.

You will want to review a doctor's personality and attitudes if you will have a long-term relationship with the doctor as a  primary care doctor  or in a specialty where you will have ongoing care such as a cardiologist, endocrinologist, or allergist.

Choosing a doctor who you will have to visit on regular occasions over a number of years means it's important you get along with each other. Choosing one of these doctors is similar to choosing a spouse. With some of them, you may even need to be more intimate than you are with your partner.

A doctor with an arrogant or otherwise difficult personality won't help you nearly so much as one with a more pleasant personality. A doctor with a different belief system—cultural or religious—may make it difficult to get the care you need or want. There are two ways to get information about a doctor's personality and attitudes:

• Word of mouth : Talking to friends is one way to get a general assessment of a doctor, with two caveats. A "nice" doctor is not necessarily competent. A "competent" doctor isn't always the most pleasant. Draw the line on what you are willing to put up with based on how difficult it is to find another doctor who practices the same specialty or offers the same services.
• Social media : With the rise in the numbers of doctors who either use Facebook, Twitter, or other social networking sites, it's easier than ever to use social media to determine the personality and attitudes of a doctor before you ever meet him or her.

A Word From Verywell

Doing good background research on a doctor is a good way to gain confidence in your choice before you ever see that doctor. When coupled with general advice about choosing the right doctor for you, you have a far better chance of being satisfied with the relationship.

By Trisha Torrey  Trisha Torrey is a patient empowerment and advocacy consultant. She has written several books about patient advocacy and how to best navigate the healthcare system. 

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Resources articles

The Ultimate Guide To Adjudication And Background Checks

Karen Axelton

11 min read

Table of Contents

Click a chapter to scroll directly to it.

What Is Adjudication?

Why do employers need an adjudication process, types of adjudication processes, tips for creating adjudication guidelines, find the best adjudication process for your company .

Background check adjudication standardizes the process of background check review so you can assess candidates’ background check results efficiently, fairly, and compliantly.

This article explains what background check adjudication is, how it works, how it benefits employers, and how to develop background check adjudication guidelines for your company.

Employee background checks are an essential part of the hiring process for most companies. However, a poorly implemented or noncompliant background check process is time-consuming and inefficient, slows time-to-hire and delays onboarding, and could even lead to costly fines, lawsuits, or settlements. That’s where background check adjudication can help. 

By standardizing the background check review process, background adjudication makes reviewing and assessing candidates’ background check results faster, fairer, more efficient, more consistent, and more compliant. 

This article will explain what background check adjudication is and how it works, how a consistent adjudication process can benefit employers, and how to develop background check adjudication guidelines for your company. 

Adjudication is the process of evaluating the results of a job candidate’s background check against your company’s employment screening policy to help filter out candidates who may not meet your hiring guidelines. 

By identifying candidates with relevant offenses, adjudication allows you to quickly filter out job applicants whose specific criminal histories disqualify them from the job.

For example, suppose a background check for a delivery driver job applicant shows she was recently convicted of driving under the influence. Depending on your company’s policy, that may prohibit her from being hired for the driver position. Adjudication allows you to spot this and filter her out of the list of qualified candidates. 

GoodHire Is A Leader In Compliance

Get peace of mind with built-in compliance features.

Developing a process for adjudicating background checks has several benefits for employers.

Background check adjudication can streamline hiring by enabling companies to employ consistent standards to identify unsuitable job candidates and focus on qualified applicants. This saves time and money, especially in large organizations that do high-volume hiring. 

Some industries are regulated, and these regulations may dictate that certain criminal offenses are disqualifying for certain positions. These industries may include childcare, healthcare, and elderly care, or any organization that serves vulnerable populations. Establishing a background check adjudication process can help these companies comply with industry regulations. 

The process of adjudication can also help ensure that employers apply their company hiring guidelines to all applicants equally. Guidance issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) requires that job applications be screened consistently, with the same standards applied to every applicant for the same position. 

By standardizing the way your company reviews background check results, adjudication helps to prevent hiring managers and other decision-makers from making one-off decisions that reflect their own individual biases, rather than company policy, which may reduce the likelihood of a discrimination claim. 

Consistency across locations

Background adjudication is especially important for employers with locations in multiple states, as state background check laws vary in terms of what information can be reported on a background screening report. For example, fair hiring or “ban-the-box” laws in 36 states and over 150 cities and counties nationwide restrict employers from asking candidates about criminal history on a job application. 

Ban-the-box and fair hiring laws may forbid employers from considering non-convictions or convictions not directly relevant to the job in question, or from using a conviction alone as a reason not to hire a candidate. Adjudication can help employers comply with these fair hiring rules. For example, employers can set their adjudication rules so that they do not consider convictions that are not relevant to the job. 

Documentation

Finally, background adjudication provides clear documentation of how decisions in the hiring process were made. Having this information on record can help defend your company against legal action.

Employers typically handle the adjudication process for background checks in one of two ways. 

Manual Adjudication

In the manual adjudication method, employers compare the results of background checks against their lists of hiring criteria. This often involves using a screening matrix or spreadsheet to sort candidates—disqualifying some, moving others along in the hiring process, and identifying those who need further investigation.

Manual background adjudication puts this process in the hands of employers, who, after all, are the best suited to decide which candidates meet their hiring standards. However, managing the entire process manually is time-consuming, eating into time better spent on higher-value activities. The lengthy process also delays onboarding, which could leave your business short-handed.

Manual adjudication also introduces a greater possibility of human error, compounded by states, counties and cities that may report the same criminal offense differently. Busy hiring managers may even forget to start the adverse action process for disqualified candidates.

Finally, unconscious bias may creep into the hiring process when manual background adjudication is used. At best, this could mean missing out on a potentially outstanding hire. At worst, it could mean a discriminatory hiring lawsuit. 

Adjudication in the screening process is an important step, and while manual adjudication might seem like a good way to reduce hiring expenses, when you consider the labor and risks involved, it can actually be very costly. 

Automated Adjudication

Some third-party background screening providers offer adjudication as an additional service. A screening provider that automates much of the process can eliminate many of the challenges and weaknesses of manual adjudication. 

Of course, you cannot completely automate your adjudication process, nor would you want to. Automated adjudication doesn’t free you from ultimate responsibility for whom you hire and reject. 

Human oversight is still necessary to ensure accuracy and to assess the results that the automated process delivers. For example, some jurisdictions require a specific, individualized assessment of the background check be completed as part of the adverse action process. 

However, automated adjudication can eliminate the need for tedious manual review to clear or flag job applicants according to your adjudication guidelines. This gives your HR team more time to spend on the individualized reviews needed to establish relevance and context for an offense. 

A good automated adjudication solution lets you customize filters to fit your company’s needs and comply with state and local laws and industry regulations. This means you can focus on the information that matters most to your business. 

Automated solutions can use the status and adjudication rules you select to set up automated workflows, streamlining the hiring process. For instance, GoodHire’s automated adjudication solutions will automatically send out pre-adverse action notices and final adverse action notices to keep your company in compliance, where such automation is allowed by law. 

Setting filters and automating workflows can also help eliminate hiring bias, reducing the possibility that preconceived notions or human prejudices will affect your hiring process.

Save Time & Stay Compliant With GoodHire’s Built-in Adjudication & Record Filtering.

The specifics of your adjudication process will vary depending on your industry, location, and the positions for which you’re hiring. It’s important to set up this process correctly in order to ensure you are following the relevant laws and industry guidance. 

The following best practices will help you design background check adjudication guidelines tailored for your business. Be sure to work with your business’s legal counsel when determining background check policies.

First, develop policies for categorizing different offenses or findings of the background screening. Which findings will eliminate a candidate from consideration for a given role? 

If your business is in a highly regulated industry, such as childcare or health care, this decision may be made for you by law. For example, state and/or federal laws may prohibit a home health agency from hiring a caregiver whose background check shows he has abused or neglected patients.

In other situations, you have more flexibility to set your own parameters, but must take into account federal, state, and local laws. List possible findings for all the key areas your background check covers, such as the national sex offender list, national and state criminal records search, and motor vehicle records (MVR) search. Your filters should also consider factors such as the age and severity of the offense .

Set up filters for specific jobs reflecting what background check findings are critical to the job and which can be filtered out. 

• For example, if a candidate for a bookkeeping job has a traffic violation, it’s probably not relevant to the job duties. 
• For someone seeking a delivery driver job, however, the traffic violation might be relevant depending on the severity and age of the offense. 

Determine what adjudication result is needed for candidates to move to the next stage of consideration. For example, you might categorize applicants this way:

• “Pass” if there are no conflicts in their background check
• “Pending” if further investigation is needed
• “File adverse action” if the adjudication uncovers an offense that disqualifies the candidate 

Also decide what action you will take for each outcome. For instance:

• Passing candidates will go to the next step of the hiring process
• Pending candidates may be contacted to get further information
• Rejected candidates must receive pre-adverse action letters 

Be careful when making employment decisions based on offenses that may be more common among certain demographic groups . If you automatically filter out candidates with a specific type of criminal conviction, for instance, you could be disadvantaging people of a certain race, color, national origin, sex, or religion. These are protected classes under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , and a blanket ban on certain types of records that disparately impacts candidates in a particular protected class could trigger lawsuits. 

Reviewing job candidates’ background screening results for potentially disqualifying offenses is key to building a team you can trust while keeping your business in compliance with state, local, and federal hiring laws. But conducting background check adjudication manually can be labor-intensive, prone to errors, and subject to human bias that can unintentionally result in unfair hiring. 

An automated adjudication solution that can be customized to your company’s employment screening policy saves time and ensures you are following your policy. The result: A hiring process that’s faster, easier, and fairer to all applicants while protecting your business from litigation. 

Using an accredited consumer reporting agency (CRA) such as GoodHire for your employment screening program can provide you peace of mind, while also improving screening program performance and efficiency. GoodHire’s Advanced Decisioning features include filtering and automated adjudication to help ensure you are applying background screening rules consistently, and keep you in compliance with company policies and best practices. 

GoodHire Is A Leader In Background Checks

The resources provided here are for educational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. We advise you to consult your own counsel if you have legal questions related to your specific practices and compliance with applicable laws.

About the Author

Karen Axelton is a Southern California-based freelance writer specializing in business topics. 

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Background Check Services

The Office of Human Resources offers various types of background checks depending on your position and role within the university. Background check services are only provided for official university business.  The Office of Human Resources is available for consultation regarding both the policy and program processes.

Final candidates for specified university positions are required to successfully complete a background check, per  policy 4.15 . There may also be occasions when current employees or non-employees (volunteer, contractor, consultant, etc.) will be required to complete a background check and/or a renew a background check.

Select positions and individuals not included in the background check policy who are  working with minors must complete a fingerprint background check.

The Ohio State Office of Human Resources does not conduct background checks for the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. For Ohio State Wexner Medical Center background check information, contact HR Shared Services at 614-293-4995 or Security ID Processing at 614-293-4452.

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Fingerprinting BCI/FBI Background Check

Background checks required by the ORC must be conducted through a fingerprinting process and submitted to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and/or the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). BCI/FBI background check services are conducted at the Ohio State Office of Human Resources, 1590 N. High Street, Suite 300, Columbus, Ohio 43201.

Background Check Coordinator [email protected]

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MBA Preparation

Background Verification: The Final Hurdle in the MBA Admissions Process

When it comes to getting into a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, you should know that even after you receive an official offer of admission, the screening process continues and enrollment is not guaranteed. You’ve got one last hurdle to clear before you can start your MBA studies.

What is the MBA background check?

Background verification checks are used in most top full-time, part-time, and  executive MBA (EMBA)  programs as the final step in the admissions process. MBA background checks look for mismatches between your application materials and your personal background. Business school admissions are competitive, and top programs want to make sure that admitted students haven’t exaggerated claims related to skills or experiences. Programs like  NYU Stern  work with companies like Re Vera or Kroll to complete background checks on accepted b-school candidates, though some business programs run the program in-house.

What do schools look for in background checks?

MBA admissions success demands a lot of documentation of your past achievements and experiences. Candidates typically have to submit an MBA resume with lots of exact information, standardized test scores, graduate and undergraduate transcripts, letters of recommendation, and detailed personal essay responses. You should have provided accurate documentation of your background in your submitted application materials.

MBA background checks follow up on your professional background, educational credentials, and even anecdotes you’ve included in essays. The schools review your submitted application materials with a fine-toothed comb to look for potential inconsistencies, minor or major discrepancies, exaggerations, or falsehoods.

Even completely innocently, it’s easy to lose track of the exact details in your background. Here are some examples:

• How do you add up your starting salary with Company A, do the stock options count toward salary, do other forms of compensation count? 
• What’s the most accurate and honest way to describe your early months with your startup, and are you consistent in always giving the same beginning dates for your work there? 
• What’s the right way to convert the GPA you received in that unusual summer program a few years back? 
• When should you disclose that you’ve worked with family members?

The background checks find out the real story about the person behind the profile and ensure that MBA programs are getting for-real excellent candidates—not just good bluffers who can exaggerate a resume into an approximation of impressiveness. Background checks can also catch sloppiness and bad record-keeping, causing need for revision and more accurate re-reporting. 

Who could experience problems with the background check?

Should i be worried about the background check.

Unless you recklessly lied in your application, you really don’t need to be scared about MBA background verification, but like every part of the application process, the background check can easily become nerve-wracking for prospective students.

One of the most frequent questions we are asked is: “Are offers of MBA admission actually rescinded during the background verification process for applicants who have not intentionally misrepresented themselves?” Sadly, the answer to that one’s a “yes.” Each year, some admitted candidates are informed by their dream business school that they’ve failed to pass the background screening. For example, not disclosing past criminal convictions is for sure going to get your admission offer rescinded. Students have even been forced to leave after beginning classes due to issues discovered during background verification checks. So the stakes are very real.

You can make the whole background check deal a lot easier on yourself by carefully documenting everything you present as part of your application materials and disclosing any past lapses, firings, or other issues upfront to show that you’ve changed and improved since that time.

Handling Discrepancies in Background Checks

While you cannot “cheat” a background check, you can certainly be sure to have explanations for discrepancies, and paperwork prepared to document unusual activity. Gaps or inconsistencies will flag a candidate for further probing. Even applicants who have been completely accurate in their apps but have unusual work experience without complete documentation may have to answer some questions. If your background check reveals discrepancies, you’ll be expected to reconcile them or face termination of your admissions offer. 

Some issues that might turn up in the best background checks include:

• Discrepancies between official employment dates and when you claim you started working 
• Compensation and salary claims that can vary based on whether your employer’s HR officially “counts” things like stock options and discretionary budgets as part of your salary
• GPA variances depending on calculation with weighted or unweighted grades
• Disclosure of family-owned businesses and family relationships with recommenders
• Disclosures of firings or past ethical lapses

Background checks sometimes get hung up on genuine but unusual circumstances. If you have a unique personal story, it’s worth taking the time to make sure you’ve added up all the details accurately and consistently throughout your candidacy.

When are background verification checks done?

If you’re going to have to deal with a background check as part of your application, acceptance, and matriculation process, the actual background verification will typically be done in the spring, after you’ve applied and received your acceptance. Background verification occurs after all application rounds are over when admitted candidates are starting to submit deposits.

Not all MBA programs use background verification checks. Top programs like Harvard definitely will, though! And, if your dream program asks for background verification, you want to be positioned to pull off the best background check possible and lock in your seat.

The best background check support around

Having an expert advisor with a proven process and track record can make all the difference. Developed exclusively by The MBA Exchange in 2010, our CounterCheck™ service can help you navigate this confusing and often intimidating process. Don’t wait until you’re contacted by an agency with questions! Your readiness to work through the verification process will not only safeguard your enrollment but can help you avoid sleepless nights when your credentials and credibility are reviewed.

Contact [email protected] to learn more about CounterCheck and how we can help!

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