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

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.

What is the rationale for the PhD candidacy examination?

• The candidacy examination should focus on the background knowledge of the student in their discipline, as well as their preparedness to conduct research of high quality in their particular fields of study.

Format of the exam: Faculty of Medicine Graduate

Programs

• The exam has two parts:

– Written component

– Oral examination

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) 

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

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

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.

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

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:  

1. The knowledge of the theoretical and technical matters of the research proposal

2. General knowledge of the research field (the scope of which has been previously determined by the students candidacy examining committee)

Topic Level of Understanding1. Textbook Current review

articlesCurrent Literature

Suggested key references/textbooks:2. Textbook Current review

articlesCurrent Literature

Suggested key references/textbooks:3. Textbook Current review

articlesCurrent Literature

Suggested key references/textbooks:4. Textbook Current review

articlesCurrent Literature

Suggested key references/textbooks:5. Textbook Current review

articlesCurrent Literature

Suggested key references/textbooks:

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)?

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

After the examination

• Student and supervisor leave the room

• Examining committee discusses written answers and oral examination

• Voting– Oral:acceptable/unacceptable– Written: acceptable/unacceptable

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

 

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

3 months prior to the examination

• The Student is required to 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

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

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)

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

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?

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

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.

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.

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

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.

Summarize key points

• Be prepared: – Read widely– Know what to expect

• Practice:– standing up and speaking– answering questions using white

board