Journal Reflection #4: What I wish I would have known before starting grad school!

What do you wish you would have known about other people’s research (or anything else for that matter) before starting graduate school?

Although I have witnessed all the aspects of my mom’s career as a professor and how much time she spent working a week, I didn’t realize how heavy and hectic her schedule was, until today when I looked at the Qualifying Exam Policy online—especially the portfolio.  In the portfolio, you also keep track of scholarship, teaching, and service.  It is also amazing all the training she did for her Ph.D. program.

She would exceed her 40-hour workweek schedule by answering all students’ emails, even on weekends.  She would go to Methodist Hospital Dallas every week to visit her students—to see if they are meeting their learning objectives, how much they’re learning, their workload, the fairness of assignments, meeting preceptors to get feedback on how students are doing, and listening to any grievances.

Dr. Dutton told us that publishing journal articles is crucial to success and tenure and that you are required to do it, but you don’t get paid for writing the articles.  I feel like with publications I can leave my name and legacy to the whole world.  An old Korean saying that my grandfather used to say was, “Just as the tiger leaves its skin, you should leave your name in memory.”  I think that by publishing articles, in essence, that is what I want to do.  With my research, I can tell a story.

When I looked at all the requirements of a Ph.D. student in the “Qualifying Exam Policy” online, I became overwhelmed that the rigor was piling up and that we are expected to practice as junior professors.  I am glad that I am learning this early on (1st semester) in my Ph.D. program.

Even though it may seem daunting for the 30-day duration for the Qualifying Exam, I think that the Family Science Portfolio is much harder.  I am still pondering which one I will do.  The portfolio appears to be a mini tenure and promotion package!  The sections of the portfolio are Research, Scholarship, and Teaching.  Some of the requirements are as follows:

·       [Research] Students must have 2 publications (from the mentioned options).

·       [Research] Students must have 2 presentations (from the mentioned options).

·       [Research] Students must have completed one of the funding and grant writing options.

·       [Teaching] Students must have had at least 2 teaching experiences, which includes being a teacher of record (GTA) for one university class or assist for one university class, either as a graduate assistant or a teaching internship.

·       [Service] You must have 2 professional memberships (from the mentioned options).

 

This Ph.D. process requires a lot of passion, energy, and financial investment.  I am also realizing that Ph.D. programs don’t have hard deadlines, but more unstructured time (Calarco, Ch. 5).  You are given full responsibility as a Ph.D. student.

 

Finally, I liked our discussion today about alternate careers instead of academia.  It is a topic that I know nothing about but would like a lot of information about!  I welcome more discussion from my classmates.