Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Graduate Program Graduate Skills Workshop October 20, 2010

1. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Graduate Program Graduate Skills Workshop October 20, 2010 The PhD Candidacy Examination: Preparing for Success Tara Beattie and Susan Lees-Miller

2. What is the candidacy exam? • The candidacy examination is an official examination required by the Faculty of Graduate Studies. • It must take place within 24 months of entry into the program for students who are admitted directly to the PhD program and within 30 months for students who began in the MSc program and transferred to the PhD program.

3. What is the rationale for the PhD candidacy examination? • The candidacy examination should focus on thebackground knowledge of the student in their discipline, as well as theirpreparedness to conduct research of high qualityin their particular fields of study.

4. Format of the exam: Faculty of Medicine Graduate Programs • The exam has two parts: • Written component • Oral examination

5. Written component • The written component of the exam will be the doctoral research proposal written by the student • The research proposal will consist of a minimum of 13 pages and a maximum of 17 pages, single-spaced document (excluding figures, tables and references). The proposal should include: • Introduction (approximately 4-5 pages – should contain an appropriate literature review of the field and the project) • Relevant Preliminary Data (approximately 3-4 pages) • Hypothesis and Experimental Rationale (approximately 1 pages) • Specific Aims (approximately 4-5 pages) • Significance (1-2 pages)

6. Timelines – For those students admitted directly to the PhD program • Submit a draft research proposal 12 months after initial registration • Final version of proposal will be submitted 3 months prior to the exam • 3 months prior to the candidacy exam have a special “pre-candidacy meeting” to obtain topics from the supervisory committee to be covered during the exam • Notice of the exam – 4 weeks before • Distribute topics and final research proposal to the examination committee 2 weeks before the exam

7. Timelines – For those students admitted to the MSc program and transferring to PhD • Submit a draft research proposal 12 months after initial registration • At 18 months discuss transfer of programs • Transfer must be completed by 24 months after initial registration • Candidacy exam must be completed within 30 months of initial registration • Final version of proposal will be submitted 3 months prior to the exam • 3 months prior to the candidacy exam have a special “pre-candidacy meeting” to obtain topics from the supervisory committee to be covered during the exam • Notice of the exam – 4 weeks before • Distribute topics and final research proposal to the examination committee 2 weeks before the exam

8. Composition of the Candidacy examination committee • Neutral Chair • Supervisory Committee Members • Two examiners that are external to the committee • The supervisor attends the candidacy examination as a non-voting observer. The supervisor is not permitted to ask questions and will leave the room during the voting and deliberations.

9. Oral component • 15 minute presentation • 2-hour examination • Usually 2 rounds of question – first round will be approximately 12-15 minutes, and the second round approximately 8 minutes

10. Oral Component • During the oral examination, the student is expected to display a comprehensive understanding of the research project and background information, practical and technical understanding of the proposed research project, originality and critical thinking of the proposal and any related areas. The Candidacy Examination Committee will question the candidate on: • The knowledge of the theoretical and technical matters of the research proposal • General knowledge of the research field (the scope of which has been previously determined by the students candidacy examining committee)

11. What will be the areas of study for the Candidacy Exam? Please be as helpful as possible (for example, noting textbooks, chapters in textbooks, authors, etc that the student should be familiar with). The chart below may be used as a guide. Additional rows may be added as necessary. • Will a mock exam be provided for the student (Yes/No)?

12. Oral Component • Assessment of the candidacy examination using the following two criteria: • The project • Is it sufficient to form the basis of a doctoral thesis; is it realistic • If the project is high risk – are their alternatives – either approaches or experiments • Understanding of the proposed area of research • The specifics of the experiments being proposed – both the rationale and the technical aspects • Broader understanding of the field and the context and relevance of the proposed research

13. After the examination • Student and supervisor leave the room • Examining committee discusses written answers and oral examination • Voting • Oral: acceptable/unacceptable • Written: acceptable/unacceptable

14. Unfavourable outcomes • Failure of the candidacy exam will result in one of the following outcomes • That the student be allowed a retake the candidacy oral examination • That the student changes to the Master program • That the student withdraws from the graduate program

15. How to prepare for the candidacy examination • Throughout your graduate program: • Attend research seminars, journal club presentation, work in progress presentations offered by your Department, research group or institute • Talk to other students, lab members about their projects • Read widely: not just in your immediate area of research • Get used to speaking in public/answering questions: lab meetings, journal club/work in progress presentations, if possible at local/national/international meetings

16. 3 months prior to the examination • The Student is requiredto meet with supervisory committee at least 3 months prior to the examination. • Set which areas the student needs to study • Pick 2 additional examination members

17. Meet with each of your committee members: • Ask them specifically what they expect you to know • Find out what their research interests are and talk to them about their research background • Ask them what sort of questions you might expect to get from them

18. Between three and one month prior to your exam • Begin study of “areas of expected competency” Where to study? • Student office space-if one is assigned • Graduate coordinator may be able to provide a quite study area if office space is not available • Health sciences library • Home (check with supervisor)

19. You may wish to start part- time studying 2-3 months before the exam • One students in the program started off by working in the lab Monday to Thursday and studying on Fridays, then ramped up to 2 days per week studying etc. • It all depends on what works best for you

20. How to prepare • Read up on basic biochemistry/molecular biology/other competency areas: • Undergraduate level knowledge: up to date course work, text books (based on topics from the pre-candidacy meeting) • Know common techniques: • Be able to explain how they work, be able to draw out steps and rationale on whiteboard, what are the caveats to a particular technique, what are the alternative approaches?

21. How to prepare • Read “Nature Reviews”- type articles in the assigned research areas • Read up on research areas of examining committee • Look up hot topics: new techniques/recent Nobel prizes in medicine/molecule of the year etc

22. Practice examination • Ask your supervisor to set up a mock exam where he/she/other lab members/students in the program ask questions based on written answer and test your background knowledge.

23. Other ways to practice • You could also ask your supervisor or lab members to set you areas of study and then test you in a few days. • Make sure you get plenty of practice of answering questions using a white board.

24. What to do in the week before the exam • Re-read your research proposal • Begin thinking “what sort of questions might I expect given the interests of my examination committee?” • Practice answering questions using a whiteboard

25. Final thoughts • Think of the candidacy examination as an opportunity to learn and expand your research experience; do not think of it as a threat! • In the oral exam: its OK to say • “Please can you repeat the question” • “I’m not quite sure what you are asking; please can you clarify what you mean by…..” • and even “I’m sorry, I don’t know the answer to that” • The candidacy examination requires a lot of work but most students agree that they are better researchers after it.

26. Summarize key points • Be prepared: • Read widely • Know what to expect • Practice: • standing up and speaking • answering questions using white board