Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University
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Doctoral Program


The 3 courses in the Doctoral Program are outlined as follows.

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Doctoral Program

Course Outline

Based on the “Educational Goals” of the Graduate School of Medicine, the Doctoral Program aims to train students to be specialists like: (i) international recognized researchers in universities or research institutions worldwide, (ii) clinicians and medical scientists in medical institutions excelling in clinical techniques and research competence, and (iii) highly specialized professionals engaged in health services administration and public health in administrative organizations and companies, fully equipped with advanced knowledge and skills to play active roles in their respective fields.

We offer an interdisciplinary education crossing the boundaries of existing academic disciplines, aiming at the acquisition of basic knowledge and technology of mutually related fields. In addition, to nurture talented individuals responding to the diversified social needs, we introduce three types of coursework to study systematically through multiple subjects. Students choose the course that is best suited to their career needs.

Basic Medicine Course Clinical Medicine Course Social Medicine Course
This course aims to train researchers and educators in medical and life science field. This course aims to train clinicians who excel in clinical techniques and research competence. This course aims to train professionals who undertake the task of improvement of health and safety at the regional and international levels.
Details Details Details

Obtainable degrees

Doctor of Philosophy

Standard Duration for Completion: 4 Years

Short-Term Completion:
A doctoral student who publishes at least 2 basic research papers in English-language journals as the first author and who meets other requirements can complete the Doctoral Program as much as 1 year before the end of the course term.
Long-Term Study Program:
Working students may take up to 6 years, paying tuition for 4 years. Details
Long-Term Study Program

Interim Evaluation

Students have to undergo an interim evaluation at the beginning of the 3rd year, where examiners will check the progress of the work.

Completion Requirements

  • ① Submission of a degree thesis (Dissertation).
  • ② One main research paper accepted or published in an English-language journal with impact factor (the applicant must be the first author).
  • ③ Completion of the required number of credits (30 or more credits). (Students who enrolled before April of 2016 must earn at least 40 credits.)

* Information for students who enrolled in April of 2017

Doctoral Program Completion Plan

(As of April 2019)

Doctoral Program Completion Plan
  • *1 Students are not allowed to engage in medical practice related work unless they have completed Initial Clinical Training (Article 16 of the Medical Practitioners Act).
  • *2 Example of the training of medical specialist under the new medical specialist system (started in April 2018)
    The period and details of training vary depending on the training program of medical specialist established for each of the basic fields (19 fields including internal medicine and surgery). Those wishing to be medical specialists are required to complete the training of medical specialist.

★ Example of doctoral program started in the final year of the training of medical specialist

Course Guidance

The following 3 subjects are offered in the Doctoral (PhD) Program in Medicine.

Required Core Subjects

Subjects Subject Credit
Basic Medicine Course
Clinical Medicine Course
Social Medicine Course
Introduction to Medical Research 1
Experimental Methods and Research Designs 1
Medical Ethics 1
Scientific Presentation and Communication 1
Presentation Skills I 1
Presentation Skills II 2
Introduction to Translational Research 1

Required Subjects

Subjects Subjects Credit
Basic Medicine Course Research Methods in Medical Sciences I 1
Research Methods in Medical Sciences II 1
Dissertation Research in Medical Sciences 10
Clinical Medicine Course Research Methods in Clinical Medical I 1
Research Methods in Clinical Medicine II 1
Dissertation Research in Clinical Medicine 10
Social Medicine Course Research Methods in Social Medicine I 1
Research Methods in Social Medicine II 1
Dissertation Research in Social Medicine 10

Take one of these 3 courses and enroll all the subjects offered by that course.

Elective Subjects

Subject Subject Credit
Basic Medicine Course
Clinical Medicine Course
Social Medicine Course
Required Subjects from Other Courses  

Take 10 credits or more including 2 credits of Principles of Medicine offered by belonging laboratory.

*As for the subject which credit number is indicated as [number], students can take multiple choices as far as the chosen subjects belong to different subject titles.

*Please note that there are some differences in classification of subjects and subjects available for students who enrolled before April of 2016. Refer to the syllabus you received at the admission for detailed information.