FAQ: Qualifying Exams

Throughout the years, MBGSA was held an annual qualifying exam panel where students who haven't gone through their qualifying exam may ask any questions to a panel of students who have already passed their qualifying exams. Here, we have amassed some of the most frequently asked questions about quals and their answers. Please take a look and if there are any other questions, do not hesitate to contact us!

GOOD LUCK!

What kinds of “content” is discussed in the Quals?

Written tests are competed during the first year of the program in the required course for MCB. The qualifying exam includes an NIH F31 grant proposal that is given to all members of the qualifying exam committee. A presentation is then given to the committee members based on this proposal.

How long is the exam usually for?

Prepare for a 45 minute presentation and then also include backup slides in case you need to reference them later. Also about 15 minutes for questions during or after the presentation. Schedule a room for one and a half hours, but don’t expect to finish.

Who are the committee members?

Five members of the committee are required including your main advisor, 3 internal to the department and one external. Pick individuals that will be able to ask good questions for your work, guide your future research. and encourage good ideas. A good place to start is to have a discussion with your advisor along with others in your lab that are aware of your research area. These members do not need to be ones that you have a close relationship with and the committee can change in the future.Make sure to send a thank you email afterwards! (you may need special approval for PIs outside of the school)

What is the scope of the questions that my committee might ask me?

Should I expect pointed questions like why I used a particular buffer for a particular purification step? Or should I expect more broad questions along the line of what I’m hoping to accomplish or what the significance of a particular experiment is in the scope of the project (or if I should expect to get both kinds of questions)?

It really depends on your committee. Your committee should be reasonable. Some committee members might ask more basic biology questions. If you don’t just know, say that you don’t know, but try to think about how you might answer that question.
Critical thinking is very important for this whole process.

When should we reach out to our committee members?

The summer before the 5th semester (about 3 months before your exam), you have to give your qualifying exam. Some people have taken less time than that.

Will I need to do research on topics outside of my proposal? If so will I get a list of topics they could ask me about or will it be general molecular biology knowledge?

The best way to identify necessary references and lacking knowledge is by writing your proposal to identify necessary references including making a detailed outline earlier in the process. Alongside this, the practice talks can aid you in identifying areas of knowledge that you may need to research more.

Am I allowed to being notes with me or will my slides be my only reference material?

On zoom, you can have clear notes or clear bullet points off to the side due to the nature of the system. In person, you can print out notes, but they can be difficult to reference or look through when presenting. However, you can bring notes with you to help make you more comfortable.

Is the qual more of a just proposal of a project, or do I need to have a set of data to show that this project will likely work? Or both?

Preliminary data is not absolutely necessary, but they definitely aid in adding strength to your specific aims alongside help with strengthening the proposal. Data should directly relate to the proposed topic, do not add unnecessary data that may not relate. If you don’t have preliminary data make sure you have a clear and strong plan to address the specific aims, alongside alternative techniques to address possible problems/pitfalls that may occur. Do not present alternative options in oral exams unless specifically asked for them. If you collected with others identify ideas you came up with independently along with indicating on slides who it was specifically collected by.

How long should the presentation be and how long should the PowerPoint slide should be?

It is a little dependent on your PI. On average your presentation should be about 45 minutes long. There will be a lot of time wasted with questions from the committee. It is okay if you don’t finish your entire presentation.
Schedule a room for 1 hour and a half. It gives plenty of time to start and finish the whole qualifying exam.

Looking back at your quals exam, what parts of your preparation were your most helpful?

Dieu An Nguyen - “The writing… when you are in it you are able to learn a lot, etc.” “The better your proposal the easier it will be to make a PowerPoint.”
Kelly Deweese - “The presentation practices… I ended up removing and changing an entire aim”
Dylan Wallis - “The writing/outlining process… bullet point papers for each point that you are trying to make”
Hans Bell - “The writing/outlining process… start it sooner rather than later. Don’t just blindly research papers. Have a specific outline to better guide you”
Nicole Stuhr - “Write the research strategies before the whole quals paper.”

Last minute advice:

Ask for help!
Reach out to people because we have all been through it!
START WRITING!