# Getting Started

Welcome to the CRCHUM (Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal)! Before your first day at the facility, please ensure you contact either **Dr. Obaid** or **Guillaume Theaud**. This step is essential for coordinating your access credentials and ensuring a seamless onboarding experience.

We recommend reaching out well in advance of your planned start date to avoid delays in obtaining the necessary permissions and access cards.

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## 🎉 Welcome to the Lab!

We are delighted to have you join our laboratory team! To facilitate your integration, please schedule your initial onboarding meeting with **Dr. Obaid** and **Guillaume Theaud**. During this meeting, you will receive all the essential information and reading materials to get started. 

If you are a full-time student, we will also establish a recurring schedule for your weekly one-on-one meetings with Guillaume Theaud.

### Information to Provide
Please send the following details to Guillaume Theaud:
- **Google Address:** For Drive access and mailing list inclusion.
- **Date of Birth**
- **P-Code**
- **Study Program** (e.g. MSc in Neuoscience)

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## 📜 Laboratory Policies

### Lab Attendance
- **Mandatory Days:** On-site presence is required from **Tuesday to Thursday**.
- **Core Hours:** You must be present in the lab between **10:00 AM and 3:00 PM**, unless attending a scheduled class. Note that this is a minimum requirement, and additional hours are expected to ensure project progress.

### Lab Meetings
- **Schedule:** Meetings are typically held on **Thursday afternoons**. Refer to the [lab meeting calendar](shared-calendars.md) for details.
- **Format:** Students present their work progress using PowerPoint slides.
- **Attendance:**
    - **Full-Time Students:** In-person attendance is mandatory unless on approved leave (sick, personal, vacation).
    - **Part-Time Students:** Attendance is optional but encouraged to share progress.

### Vacations
### Vacations
- **Duration:** 
    - **Full-Time Students:** Entitled to:
        - **Two weeks** during the summer.
        - **Approximately two weeks** during the university holiday period (based on the university calendar).
    - **Part-Time Students:** Vacation must be discussed with **Dr. Obaid** and/or **Guillaume Theaud**.
    - **Summer Students:** No vacation is permitted during the summer internship period.
- **Approval:** Vacation requests must be pre-approved by **Dr. Obaid** and/or **Guillaume Theaud**.
- **Calendar:** Approved vacation dates must be added to the shared calendar (contact Guillaume Theaud).

### Sick or Personal Leave
- **Notification:** Inform **Guillaume Theaud** and/or **Dr. Obaid** of any absence due to illness or personal reasons.
- **Calendar:** Record all absences in the shared calendar (contact Guillaume Theaud).

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We look forward to working with you and supporting your success in the lab!