The time has come for me to take the preliminary examination to get promoted from graduate student to PhD candidacy. Preliminary examination should test the graduate students limits of knowledge on the topics relevant to their research and studies. The committee decides if the knowledge base was wide enough or if more classes need to be taken and examination re-taken. Needless to say this is a big deal and a source of stress.
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The examination in my case started with 4 days of written exams, one day for each of my committee member. The committee is a collection of people with PhD under their belt, meant to help me in my research and degree. I have one expert in proteomics, department head of dairy science, and two immunologists. This all culminates in an oral examination by the committee. Never have I been so out of my depth. The cross-examination was very challenging and remembering even most basic things was a struggle due to the extreme stress. At least I recalled my own name. Apparently some people knot themselves up so completely, this simple question baffles them. Luckily I passed.
After preliminary examination the yearly CRWAD (Conference for Research Workers in Animal Disease) meeting preparations begun and before Christmas we headed to Chicago for three days. I absolutely loved it. I got to see some people I met last year and hung out with new people between talks. Sadly the boss could not be there this year. Luckily her old PhD adviser took us under her wing. Like an academic grand adviser. This year the poster competition 1st place was mine! And I did not even faint on anyone. According to the lab tradition, after winning 1st place you are no longer allowed to have posters for meetings. Next year I will have to give a talk, which will be a whole new bad off stress. But I am actually looking forward to it.
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