A major challenge in graduate education is to incorporate the ever increasing technological advances and subsequent discoveries into existing PhD programs without extending the duration of training. The goal of this symposium is to draw from innovative programs to illustrate how to foster skills such as creativity and critical thinking into training programs without losing discipline specific content. A panel discussion will address emerging needs from the perspective of graduate students, program directors, and training faculty. The symposium features programs in pharmacology and other disciplines and will be of a broad interest for attendees of Experimental Biology.