A neuroscientist, athletic trainer and physician walk into a room…

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 A neuroscientist, athletic trainer and physician walk into a room…

This sounds like the makings of a sad joke, doesn’t it? In my world, however, these professionals hold the key to the next-step of my academic career. In the next couple weeks, I’ll be meeting with this neuroscientist, athletic trainer and physician to review content for my upcoming preliminary exams. In preparing for prelims, I’ll be laying the groundwork for the research that will undergird my dissertation.

I’ll be exploring how meditation may (or may not) improve recovery rates from major knee injuries in youth athletes. This afternoon I shared this idea with colleagues at the Center for Healthy Minds, and received helpful feedback. It was heartening to hear people’s thoughtful reflections on what I was proposing, and I came away with several concrete ways to improve this study. To effectively pull off this original research, however, I will first need to demonstrate a depth of knowledge in my field.

This neuroscientist, athletic trainer and physician are assembling a list of readings they consider foundational for my proposed dissertation work. I will be expected to know them inside and out (backwards and forwards) at my preliminary exams. In some fields, these preliminary exams are legendary in their rigor, whereas in other fields, they sound more obligatory. I’m not yet sure where my exams will fall – I will know more once I meet with the aforementioned three. From what I’m hearing, though, I’m preparing for prelims more on the rigorous side of the continuum.

It’s been a winding road that’s led to this study of the meditation and athletics interface. This area has been a passion of mine for some time, and I’m eager to explore further. Next week, I’ll write a bit more about the specific knee injury I plan to research.

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