On Wednesday I passed my qualifying exams! It was a pretty intense experience, and I'm not sure how to describe it yet. I need more time to ruminate. But. It's done and it was helpful.
In the PhD process, I see four major hurdles: admission, qualifying exams, dissertation proposal defense, and the dissertation defense. I'm through two of them, but I don't think that I'm really "half-way" yet. I haven't started doing my dissertation work and writing yet!
For some of my classmates, the qualifying exam felt more like a hoop, and they weren't particularly nervous. For me, it really felt like a hurdle, and I am so glad to have it behind me.
I had planned to almost immediately start working on another grant application, but after talking with a close friend of mine and fellow-PhD student, I've decided to take a break until the New Year. I'm going to work on getting through the *giant* stack of books next to my bed and organizing my cabinets.
I hope everyone has a lovely holiday break, and I'm going to leave you with a bit of humor from another blogger:
http://karenzgoda.org/2012/06/03/graduate-student-barbie/
See you in the New Year!
Congratulations, I'm sure it was not an easy feat! :)
ReplyDeleteNursing buddy from PA
Congrats on passing! Are you still taking classes or working solely on your dissertation?
ReplyDeleteKatie
Congratulations on passing your exam! And Thank You so much for writing this blog over the course of your studies. It has been extremely helpful for me as I am starting work on a nursing Phd in fall 2013. I am pretty sure it is the same school that you attend.
ReplyDeleteYour blog has been helpful in answering numerous questions that I have about the experience of perusing a Phd in nursing. I have been wondering about a couple of challenges that I haven't been able to find information on. 1) Is it possible to balance the demands of the program with raising a family, and 2) How to manage commuting from a South Bay City.
I have 2 children (7 yrs & 13 yrs). Having just finished a masters degree, I am used to going to school full time and caring for my family. My masters program was 15 to 16 units per semester, so the work load may be comparable. One big difference is that my masters program was in San Jose, about 25 min from my home. The Phd program is over an hour away and in a parking challenged neighborhood in SF. I was surprised to learn that the school doesn't even offer a student parking permit. Parking is $28 per day! I have tried public transportation and it took almost 3 times as long as driving.
Do you know any mothers of school age children that have gone through the program? Also, do you have any suggestions for managing a commute from the south bay?
Thanks
future Dr. Mom RN
For new grad student, there are always a lot of tasks to do. And sometimes, they can be overwhelming for them to do. I think it would be a good idea to just manage your time properly so that you would easily finish your PhD dissertation. Anyway, I wish you all the luck to complete you tasks. How’s the progress now?
ReplyDeleteI am so glad to have found this blog as I am currently in the middle of a difficult decision about which school to attend. But so sad that it looks like you have stopped blogging! Will you be coming back??
ReplyDelete