Medical Sciences, Ph.D

Requirements

A candidate for the Ph.D. degree must comply with the School of Graduate Studies Regulations for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy, including the completion of the equivalent of one and one-half full graduate courses beyond the B.Sc. or one additional half course in Medical Sciences beyond those required for the Master’s degree. The three half courses beyond the B.Sc. must include at least one full 700-level graduate course in Medical Sciences, but may include one 600-level half course in Medical Sciences or one 700-level half course normally in the Faculty of Science or Faculty of Engineering. When appropriate, a maximum of one Health Research Methodology or Nursing half course may be taken from the B.Sc. to the level of Ph.D.

Candidates must also:

1. Obtain at least B- standing in course work.
2. Pass a Comprehensive Examination before the end of the twenty- first month following the start of their doctoral studies at McMaster. The examination, which consists of a written and oral part, gives students an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to acquire information about major issues in biomedical sciences and to evaluate critically such information. The written component of the Comprehensive Examination is a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)-style grant proposal. In the oral component of the Comprehensive Examination, the student is expected to provide reasoned arguments in support of his/her interpretation of the scientific area under study, to demonstrate his/her ability to use the information acquired to formulate a hypothesis, and develop an experimental plan that addresses the hypothesis, to rationalize weaknesses and strengths of the experimental approach. The student and supervisory committee will agree on a topic that is of interest and value to the student and merit independent study. Further information regarding the comprehensive examination is contained in the Medical Sciences Graduate Program Comprehensive Examination, Purpose and Procedure booklet, which is available in the Medical Sciences Program Office, MDCL 2235.
3. Present a thesis on an approved topic and defend the thesis at a final oral examination.

All graduate students in Medical Sciences are expected to present at least ONE research seminar during their M.Sc. and their Ph.D. studentships at McMaster.