Faculty Development Workshop Best Practices in Graduate Supervision

McGill University Department of Family Medicine

Learning Objectives To discuss challenges that supervisors face in enriching the student’s learning experience To propose solutions to address supervisory challenges To identify structures and formats that create a rich learning experience for students

Quiz 1 I pay my MSc student $17,500 per year as a stipend from one of my grants. This means: a. I can ask the student to do any work as long as it is related to the project they are paid from. b. The money is to support the student to complete their studies so I cannot ask them to do anything not related to their pay. c. The money is to support the student to complete their studies but I can ask them to help on the project if it gives them more experience that is important for skills development or relates to their thesis.

Quiz 1 Answer I pay my MSc student $17,500 per year as a stipend from one of my grants. This means: c. The money is to support the student to complete their studies but I can ask them to help on the project if it gives them more experience or relates to their thesis. Stipends are fellowships not work for pay.

Quiz 2 I pay one of my MSc student $17,500 per year as a stipend from one of my grants. However, this is an international student with high fees and I just found out that s/he is also working part time as a research assistant. This is: a. OK as long as it is not more than 12 hours a week – anything else would be too big a commitment. b. Totally not OK – they are being paid from my grant so the student does not have the right to work elsewhere. c. OK as long as it does not interfere with their thesis work – it is tough making ends meet as an international student.

Quiz 2 Answer I pay one of my MSc student $22,000 per year as a stipend from one of my grants. However, this is an international student with high fees and I just found out that s/he is also working part time as a research assistant. This is: a. OK as long as it is not more than 12 hours a week – anything else would be too big a commitment. But they really should have checked with you first and it cannot be off campus if they are international since they do not have a work permit.

Quiz 3 It is the end of grant season and I am exhausted. I just took on a new MSc student and they are bugging me about scholarship applications. My best response is: a. “Prepare all the materials and I will review them just before submission.” b. “It is way too early in the degree to be thinking about this – we don’t even have your project description.” c. “Let’s put together your one page project description and review the materials together even though your thesis project may change.” d. “I do not think you should apply as you do not have any undergrad publications so may not be competitive.”

Quiz 3 Answer It is the end of grant season and I am fried. I just took on a new MSc student and they are bugging me about scholarship applications. My best response is: c. “Let’s put together your one page project description and review the materials together even though your thesis project may change.” Many MSc students have to apply for CIHR and FRSQ early in October as they are not eligible in the second year. Also, the project descriptions and training environment are expected to be prepared WITH the help of the supervisor.

Quiz 4 Jamie has told me (repeatedly) that my student needs to form a thesis committee before the end of the first year. I am thinking of the following people. The eligible one(s) are: a. Another Faculty member in the academic department. b. A family physician who is a member of the department but does not teach or supervise in the grad program. c. An experienced research associate hired at the MUHC. d. A university faculty member from another province or country. e. A health professional who does not hold a university position or have a graduate degree such as MSc or PhD.

Quiz 4 Answer Jamie has told me (repeatedly) that my student needs to form a thesis committee before the end of the first year. I am thinking of the following people. The eligible one(s) are: All of the above! There are no restrictions on maximize committee size (although more than five gets cumbersome) or qualification of the members. The minimum is three members and they are there to provide needed expertise. We recommend a family physician be one of the members to provide relevance for family medicine.

Quiz 5 My student is in the process of writing up their MSc thesis. S/he is asking what type of reference format to use, how many pages are allowed and if it should be a manuscript. The correct response is: a. APA reference style, about 75 pages, and definitely by manuscript. b. Reference style according to the field convention, about 75 pages, traditional or manuscript style. c. Reference style according to the field convention, about 50 pages, traditional or manuscript style. d. APA reference style, about 125 pages, traditional or manuscript style.

Quiz 5 Answer My student is in the process of writing up their MSc thesis. S/he is asking what type of reference format to use, how many pages are allowed and if it should be a manuscript. The correct response is: b. Reference style according to the field convention, about 75 pages, traditional or manuscript style. Reference style will depend on the methods and which journal the student is considering for submission of their work. A thesis has no minimum page number but our departmental recommendation is for 75 pages. By McGill policy, it cannot exceed 100 pages. The choice of traditional versus manuscript is up to the supervisor and thesis committee.

Quiz 6 I have survived the MSc thesis process (and correctly answered the last five questions). My student is now ready to submit but I need to find an external examiner. I know that I (not my student) have to contact the person to determine if they are willing to be an examiner. The person I should contact is: a. a respected expert in the field who has worked with one of the thesis committee members but not with me or my student. b. a member of the department as long as I have not worked with them and they have not taught or worked with my student. c. a researcher I met at conference and I am thinking of collaborating with but we have not yet worked together and they do not know my student. d. a faculty member from another department who I have met but have not worked with and who has not worked with my student.

Quiz 6 Answer I have survived the MSc thesis process (and correctly answered the last five questions). My student is now ready to submit but I need to find an external examiner. I know that I have to contact the person to determine if they are willing to be an examiner. The person I should contact is: All of the above! The person has to have an arm’s length relationship with you and with the student but can be anyone who is an expert in the field and who you would consider able to judge a MSc thesis. You are responsible for contacting them to determine their willingness and ability to review the thesis in a timely manner. There is a series of questions on the thesis submission form about conflict of interest that you should know the answers to. After the examiner agrees, McGill is notified and you cannot contact them again about the thesis.

GROUP DISCUSSIONS The questions with no easy answers…..

Case 1 An MSc student is completing the first year of their course work. They are fully supported by a stipend from their supervisor. The student received several B’s and the progress reports are satisfactory but not stellar. When developing the thesis protocol, the student seemed to lack focus. There is some indication that there might be a mental health issue. When the student meets with the GPD, he is advised to see the Student Advisor about both personal and program concerns. When pressured to complete their thesis protocol, the student reacts very aggressively and takes criticisms as a form of personal persecution. The student does not meet with the Student Advisor. At this point, the student is a risk of not being able to complete the program and the supervisor is not certain that they can continue to work with the student.

Case 1 Discussion Points The student has not produced any work to-date - can the supervisor stop the funding? Can the student be asked to withdraw from the program? What are the next steps that need to be considered?

Case 2 It is a poorly kept secret that one professor in the department who has several graduate students is particularly negligent of his/her supervisory duties. S/he meets with his/her students irregularly and does not give timely feedback on their written work. In addition, s/he is expecting a level of independence from his/her MSc students that is more typical of PhD or Postdoctoral Fellows. The students are at risk of not progressing on their thesis or even of dropping out of the program. As the students tend to be a bit quiet and reserved, they have not made an official complaint although the problems have been mentioned in confidence to the GPD.

Case 2 Discussion Points What, if anything, should be done and by whom? What level of supervision is appropriate for MSc students vs PhD or Postdoctoral?