Timing: Students are expected to pass this examination by the end of their second year.
Format: The exam consists of two parts: a written proposal and an oral defense of that proposal before an Examination Committee.
Qualifying Examination Committee: The Examination Committee will consist of the student’s thesis advisor and two or three additional faculty, one of whom must have a primary appointment in the Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics. The student will consult with the thesis advisor and the Co-Directors of Graduate Studies in establishing an Examination Committee.
Research Proposal: The research proposal is in the style of an NIH fellowship proposal (≤7 pages, not including references). The subject may be in any area but must be approved by the Co-Directors of Graduate Studies, and can be directly related to the student’s thesis research. The Qualifying Exam document should be written and arranged into the following sections: Specific Aims, Significance, Approach, References. The research proposal must be distributed to all members of the Examination Committee at least one week prior to the oral exam. Failure to do so results in an automatic fail with one opportunity to re-schedule (counting as a final re-take) within 3 months.
Oral Defense: The student will deliver a 15-20 minute presentation of the written proposal to the Examination Committee. An open panel discussion and question period will follow. Though questions by the Examination Committee may initially focus on the proposal itself, this is a comprehensive examination where the student is expected to demonstrate an appropriate background in Physiology and an understanding of underlying principles.
Outcome: The Examination Committee may pass the student, fail the student, or request a second examination consisting of an oral defense of the original proposal, an amended proposal, or a new proposal. Should a student fail the initial or the re-examination, the matter will be referred to the Graduate Studies Committee, which will determine whether or not the student is to continue in the doctoral program.
PhD Program in Cellular and Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
The Program in Cellular and Molecular Physiology & Biophysics provides training in modern physiology, from biophysics and structure of proteins, to cellular metabolism, to organ system function.