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Physics and Biology in Medicine Graduate Program
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Student Resources

Schedules & Calendars

Forms and Publications

  • Study List Form
    Form must be submitted at the start of each quarter along with Independent Study Contract, if applicable.
    Please see the Student Affair Officer for contract.
  • Written Qualifying Exam
    • Instructions
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      1. Who chooses the topic of the written qualifying exam proposal?
        The topic is chosen by the student in consultation with their advisor. The advisor must approve the topic before the student proceeds on the written proposal.
      2. Can the topic be related to something I am currently working on?
        No, the proposal is supposed to be in an area that the student has **not** been working on with their research lab. The purpose of the exam is to evaluate the student's ability to independently research a topic and formulate a proposal; therefore the topic must be an area that is not something the student has been working on in their current research lab.
      3. Can the topic be related to something I may work on in the future?
        Yes, this is allowed provided that the topic is sufficiently different from the student's current research. Again, the purpose of the exam is to evaluate independent research skills so as long as the topic is sufficiently different from the student's current work, then this should be acceptable.
      4. Can the student consult with their advisor after the topic is agreed on?
        Once the topic is agreed on, the student should not be consulting with their advisor on developing the proposal. This is to ensure that the proposal reflects the students thinking and ability to formulate the proposal.
      5. Can the student consult with ANYONE after the topic is chosen?
        Yes. The student is **encouraged** to consult with others when developing their proposal - this includes other faculty members (NOT your advisor), other students, etc. Rehearsing the presentation with other students (especially more senior students who have already taken and passed the written qualifying exam as well as first oral proposals).

References