The Dreaded Prelims

Progress as a PhD student includes many benchmarks: deciding on an advisor/University/program, research topic, committee members, dissertation research objectives/methods, and the list of courses to include in your program of study. Presenting your proposed research. Writing your dissertation research proposal. Finishing required classes. Passing your preliminary exams. Writing-up and publishing dissertation research. Defending. Finding a post-doc or real job. Graduating.

So...where am I? I begin the written portion of my preliminary exams (prelims) this Tuesday. And I have been dreading this part of the PhD process more than any other.

Prelims for the Program in Ecology begin with a week of written questions from your 5+ member committee.  The written part is open-book, and I'm actually(!!!) looking forward to it.  I think I am a decent writer, and I enjoy reviewing and synthesizing material to answer "think big" questions.

Two or more weeks after finishing your written questions, you will meet with your committee for your oral exam.  Your oral exam questions will not be limited to your research area or your written questions - they are in part used to confirm that you know (and can think) enough to be a PhD Candidate in Ecology, so the range of possible topics is daunting.  The point seems to be to take you to the edge of your abilities.  And, like many PhD students, I fear that this "edge" won't be on a deep enough ledge to satisfy my committee.

Your committee members will vote on whether you have passed your prelims immediately after your oral exam.  If you pass, you get to 1) celebrate, 2) sleep, 3) call yourself a "PhD Candidate", and 4) carry on with all of the research you have neglected while preparing for and completing your prelims!

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READING: Biology, physiology, chemistry, biophysics, ecology, biogeochemistry, statistics, limnology....

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