Second Year Student Meeting PhD Candidacy Exam On-topic or - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Second Year Student Meeting PhD Candidacy Exam

On-topic or Off-topic Candidacy Exam? On-Topic: • Exam is on student’s own research project • Your preliminary data is not required Off-Topic: • Student writes 3 off-topic abstracts and Advisory Committee chooses one for the exam

Exam Format Programs On-Topic Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Cancer Biology Cell & Regulatory Biology Clinical & Translational Sciences Genes & Development Human & Molecular Genetics Medical Physics Microbiology & Molecular Genetics Off-Topic Biostatistics, Bioinformatics & Systems Biology Epigenetics & Molecular Carcinogenesis Experimental Therapeutics Either Immunology Neuroscience

Elements common to both exam formats Student is required to: • Submit Petition for PhD Candidacy to OAA for approval by the Academic Standards Committee Includes • Dissertation project specific aims (1 page) • Exam proposal specific aims (1 page) • Proposed Examining Committee

After ASC approval of petition: • Six weeks total to prepare for the exam • Write a proposal in format of an NIH F31 fellowship “6 + 1” • Give proposal to exam committee two weeks before exam • At the exam, student gives a short presentation then answers questions from committee Some program policies vary, check with your program, GSBS website

Timeline for current second year PhD students  Submit PhD candidacy petition by August 31  Take the exam by the end of the Fall semester Now:  Talk with your Program Director to confirm your exam format and get exam specifics  If off-topic, pick exam subjects and begin writing abstracts  Schedule an Advisory Committee meeting – send calendar invitation

Timeline for current second year PhD students  Submit PhD candidacy petition by August 31  Take the exam by the end of the Fall semester By August:  Write specific aims  Select Exam Committee members, fill out form  Meet with your Advisory Committee to get approval for your petition (for off topic, discuss 3 abstracts, pick 1)  Schedule an exam date with proposed exam committee  Discuss work schedule with your advisor

Tips Your Exam Committee • Discuss with your advisor • Include expert • Experienced chair • Meet with the chair • Hand in your proposal on time • Remind your committee of time/location 2 days before

Tips Getting Ready for the Exam • Be ready to: • Critique and defend your own proposal • Discuss pitfalls • Describe alternative strategies • Provide critical interpretation of data • Describe the basis for methodology • Describe recent publications on the subject • Do a mock exam – don’t use your best friends

GSBS Website – Candidacy Exam Page Academics > PhD Milestones > PhD Candidacy Exam > Helpful Info Example Proposals Example Presentations Suggestions from Post-Candidacy GSBS Students This presentation

Thank you to our panelists: Faculty • Dr. Kimberly Schluns , Associate Professor, Immunology, MD Anderson Cancer Center • Dr. M. Neal Waxham , Professor, Neurobiology & Anatomy, McGovern Medical School Students • Kara Schoenemann , Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, McGovern Medical School • Smruthy Sivakumar , Biostatistics, Bioinformatics & Systems Biology, MDACC • Jena Tavormina , Cancer Biology, MDACC