Back to school
Classes started again on Tuesday for me. I can't tell you how awesome it is to not have to go through the "core course" this time. I no longer have class every day, I don't have to sit through boring lectures about stuff in which I am not interested. I have moved into the "grown up" world of graduate school. I get to pick the classes that really interest me and will further my success in the lab, and I get to set my own daily schedule for the most part.
I will take one course called Human Biology and Disease - should be very interesting. And the other is an independent study course with my mentor. We will do an overview of the field that I need to know about for my dissertation research in his lab. It is a fantastic opportunity - specialized, tailored to me, and with my mentor. And he's super excited about doing it. That's a big plus that not all students find in their mentors.
But, I can tell I don't want to study yet. Look at me. I'm sitting in my chair writing this when I should be reading. The desire to do so will come back to me soon enough. I just don't want my "summer" to end.
I headed to the library today. Haven't stepped foot in there in about 5 months! With everything available electronically these days, the libraries are slowly becoming study rooms rather than places one goes to find information. Unfortunately, the journal publishing companies take advantage of the online luxury and charge out the wazoo for electronic subscriptions. Therefore schools cannot afford to purchase licensces to all journals for all years. The further back you go in time, the more expensive it gets. So, I had to go to the library today to find the article I needed that was written in 1993.
In some ways this year will be harder than the last. Though frankly, that is hard for me to imagine, as trying as last year was. I will be done with all my classes by the end of this semester, and the Spring will be totally devoted to preparations for my qualifying exam. It's the nemesis for all graduate students, sort of like a life or death test. If you pass, you are officially considered a candidate for the PhD. If you fail, well they give you one more try before sending you out the door with a Master's. Our format requires us to write a grant proposal on a topic of interest, patterned after true scientific grant proposals written for the NIH. Then we have to present it to our committee and stand to defend that which we propose. Joy! I'm sure this will not be the last time you hear me talk about this.
I will take one course called Human Biology and Disease - should be very interesting. And the other is an independent study course with my mentor. We will do an overview of the field that I need to know about for my dissertation research in his lab. It is a fantastic opportunity - specialized, tailored to me, and with my mentor. And he's super excited about doing it. That's a big plus that not all students find in their mentors.
But, I can tell I don't want to study yet. Look at me. I'm sitting in my chair writing this when I should be reading. The desire to do so will come back to me soon enough. I just don't want my "summer" to end.
I headed to the library today. Haven't stepped foot in there in about 5 months! With everything available electronically these days, the libraries are slowly becoming study rooms rather than places one goes to find information. Unfortunately, the journal publishing companies take advantage of the online luxury and charge out the wazoo for electronic subscriptions. Therefore schools cannot afford to purchase licensces to all journals for all years. The further back you go in time, the more expensive it gets. So, I had to go to the library today to find the article I needed that was written in 1993.
In some ways this year will be harder than the last. Though frankly, that is hard for me to imagine, as trying as last year was. I will be done with all my classes by the end of this semester, and the Spring will be totally devoted to preparations for my qualifying exam. It's the nemesis for all graduate students, sort of like a life or death test. If you pass, you are officially considered a candidate for the PhD. If you fail, well they give you one more try before sending you out the door with a Master's. Our format requires us to write a grant proposal on a topic of interest, patterned after true scientific grant proposals written for the NIH. Then we have to present it to our committee and stand to defend that which we propose. Joy! I'm sure this will not be the last time you hear me talk about this.
posted by Karen at 8/24/2005 08:44:00 PM
3 Comments:
You can do it! You will do it! Gooooo Karen!
Wow, what a big deal. But I'm sure that you can handle it. Just think you already have a year under your belt.
Well at least you do not have to attend classes. I also thought school was a great deal except going to classes.
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