StudyQA — PhD: Medical Science

Description Contents Requirements Funding

The aim of the Medical Science Graduate Program is to provide students from all over the world with opportunities to pursue study in the state-of-the-art medical sciences. Students will experience an exciting environment of scientific discovery as well as exceptional intellectual and technological resources designed to help them achieve their highest scientific goals. We hope that each student takes a first step towards becoming an established medical scientist through our program. We expect that students disclose hidden scenarios of our human body to answer how we humans are made of at the molecular, biochemical and biophysical levels; how devastating diseases are developed; and how such diseases can be prevented and regulated by cutting-edge medical technologies. Biomedical scientists need to acquire a broad spectrum of knowledge and expertise as well as an in-depth understanding of their primary area of research interest. Our curriculum include special lectures "Tokuron" hosted by leading scientists all over the world. These are held about 160 times a year and also provide basic and advanced hands-on training courses, which are held about 60 times a year. The lectures and training courses are integral components of our program that provide the intellectual foundation necessary for independent scientists. Students also have a chance to attend weekly scientific seminars at each department. The department seminars are focused on specific subjects of specific medical science fields that students will be actively engaged in. Our program is a four-year course. Upon graduation, our program offers a Ph.D. degree in biomedical sciences depending on students scientific achievements during the course. With excellent research and results, our Faculty meeting considers the right to allow students graduate and obtain a Ph.D. degree in three years. We have accepted application forms in English and thesis-defense presentations in English for more than a decade for the convenience of foreign students. Our new program is designed to follow this path.
Unlike other programs designed for Japanese students, the program starts every October so that foreign students can continue their research carrier without interruption. To be enrolled in our program, students are required to be educated for 18 years or more (the final specialization must be within medicine, dentistry or a 6-years course of veterinary medicine) in principle.

There are following four programs of doctoral course; Health and Community Medicine, Cell Information Medicine, Integrated Molecular Medicine, and Function Construction Medicine.

Tokuron(Special Lecture)

We annually invite more than 150 leading scientists from Japan or worldwide, and host special lectures on medical sciences, abbreviated as Tokurons in Japanese. The lecturers present the cutting-edge research achievements covering a wide range of research topics. Most graduate students will find the Tokurons stimulating, and may come across a novel research idea. In addition, the lecturer possibly becomes a future mentor or an advisor of the attendee. In this way, the Tokurons potentially serve as a special platform for the research exchange. Most lectures are unfortunately given in Japanese, which provokes a language barrier for foreign students. Most lecturers, however, are able to communicate in English. It is stipulated that graduate students should attend more than 10 Tokurons before graduation. We encourage all the graduate students to expand their research knowledge by attending as many Tourons as possible and by enthusiastically participating in the question and answer sessions.

(1) Requirements to earn doctorate

To examine a doctoral dissertation, the medical special committee of the graduate school committee will examine graduates of doctor's course and doctors approved by thesis respectively, for dissertation submitted by those who satisfy the required research career criteria, and confer doctorates on those who have passed the examination successfully.
The requirements for a graduate of doctor's course application: those who registered for more than four years on a doctoral course at our graduate school and has acquired 30 units; and completed a preliminary examination at the graduate school meeting for reading research papers, a dissertation published in English journals with referee practice (English dissertation of primary work) or paper being published.
Requirements for application for paper doctor: Those who satisfy the research career requirements as defined based on their final educational background, who passed the foreign language examination, a main dissertation published in English journals with referee practice (English dissertation of primary work) or paper being published, and has more than one other paper.
Requirements for application of doctoral thesis by recommendation of professor of our university: Those who has passed foreign language examination set by our graduate school regardless of academic and research background, and has a main dissertation published in English journals with referee practice (English dissertation of primary works) or more than five theses being planned for publication, and more than five other English theses. The point of this requirement is that it is intended to open the door to excellent researchers from outside academe who do not have a sufficiently academic career.

(2) Methods of examination

Candidates submit and present the dissertation to the medical special committee of the graduate school committee. When the candidates pass the examination of their dissertation and oral examination made by three commissioners, then the medical special committee of the graduate school committee judge acceptance or rejection of candidates.

(3) Short-term completion (completion in the middle of 3rd year or 4th year)

Requirement for application: Those who registered at the doctoral course of our graduate school for more than three years and achieved excellent research results and completed more than 30 units, and recommended by the advising professor and passed the short-term completion examination, and also passed research papers preliminary examination committee at the graduate school meeting for reading research papers, can apply for examination of graduates of doctor's course. The main dissertation shall be one published in English journals with referee practice (English dissertation of primary work) or paper publication of which is being planned, and the quality of the paper shall be high in academic value. Publication in major English journals as main papers, in principle, shall be more than two papers. However, in the case of especially high-level paper, it will be treated exceptionally. "Especially high-level paper" means those published in any of journals stipulated by the medical special committee of the graduate school committee. The system is intended to allow short-term graduation of students with excellent performance, to support their jump to the next step, such as studying abroad or becoming a teacher.

TOEFL: minimum score of 80 iBT; 550 PBT
IELTS: minimum band score of 6
Application fee: JPY 5,000
Payment of the registration fee (JPY 282,000)
Application Form
Application Form 2 and Curriculum Vitae
Statement of Reasons for Application
Certificate of (prospective) Graduation/Completion
Academic Transcript
Photograph
Two (2) Letters of Reference/Evaluation
Summary of Master's Thesis
List of Publications (with up to three reprints/offprints of major publications)
Documents Showing Other Strengths
Document Validating Your Nationality and Residence Status