I took my oral comprehensive examination today. This exam covers my dissertation proposal, plus the three field statements I submitted: one grant proposal, one article for publication in a national journal, and one really long paper on classical genetic markers among the Basques. If I haven’t mentioned it before, the Basques are one of the most studied human populations on the planet. A quick PubMed search turns up 530 articles related to Basques (and many of the older studies on blood groups are not cataloged in PubMed).
It’s a nerve-wracking process. A 45 minute presentation on the focus of your dissertation, followed by 60-90 minutes of questions from your committee. Fortunately for me, my committee was cordial. I’ve heard horror stories from other grad students (failing the comps, leaving in tears, or being asked questions that while they are technically in your field, are so far outside the scope of your research that even your advisor would have to look up the answer). My comps went well, and were the last big hurdle before writing my dissertation. I am now ABD (All But Dissertation) and an official PhD Candidate!
