Determining the subject of your doctoral thesis and appropriate supervision.

As a rule, you should determine the subject of your doctoral thesis with a university teaching staff member or a habilitated member of the University Medical Center Mainz who is responsible for teaching independently there, and you should work on it under his/her supervision.

Many institutes and departments publish possible doctoral dissertation subjects on their websites and by means of notices posted directly on site.

Most doctoral students (Dr. med and Dr. med. dent.) choose the subject of their doctoral thesis and supervisor through personal contact with their course lecturers. 

If you are interested in obtaining a doctorate in a particular field or research area and cannot find a matching subject on the website of the institution in question or in the posted notices, please contact the head of the institution directly (preferably by email via the appropriate secretary’s office) and ask about possible subjects for a doctoral dissertation.

Research issue

Some commissioned doctoral theses have a very clearly defined research problem from the outset. In such cases, as a doctoral candidate, you should ensure that you have a comprehensive grasp of this issue. You should have cleared up any ambiguities before the preliminary discussion with your supervisor.

If the research issue is unclearly formulated, you and your supervisor should discuss and jointly attempt to clarify uncertainties. Doctoral candidates, therefore, have the chance to participate in selecting the subject of their dissertation and precisely formulating its research  issue. At the latest at the beginning of the writing phase, the research issue and the objectives should have been formulated.

Development of a work plan and/or an exposé

Together with your supervisor, you should establish a work plan and/or an exposé detailing how you will write your doctoral thesis.

Supervision agreement 

A supervisor enters into a written supervision agreement with their doctoral candidate covering how the doctoral degree is to be structured as a process. This agreement specifies the tasks and duties of the supervisor as well as the tasks and duties of the doctoral candidate. The supervisory agreement must be accompanied by the work plan and/or an exposé.

To be admitted to the doctoral degree assessment procedure to obtain the academic titles “Dr. med.” or “Dr. med. dent.” candidates:must have passed the examination in medicine with an overall grade of at least “satisfactory” (to 3.0) or the examination in dentistry with an overall grade of at least “good”

• at a university in Germany. 

   

  In justified exceptional cases, if the applicant has demonstrated an outstanding academic performance and can submit two favorable assessments of their medical qualifications prepared by two teaching staff members or habilitated staff members at the University Medical Center Mainz, the Committee for the Advancement of Early-Career Researchers may waive the requirement for a particular grade. 

  The final grade is calculated by the Landesprüfungsamt für Studierende der Medizin und der Pharmazie [State Examination Board for Medical and Pharmaceutical Students]. 

• must have studied at least two semesters at the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in the degree course in medicine or dentistry as a regular student or must have been employed as a research associate at the University Medical Center Mainz for at least one year.

In such cases, proof is deemed established.

• if the applicant can demonstrate that they have worked as a researcher in a medical institution at the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz for at least 12 months after acquiring their university degree.
  As a rule, this needs to be substantiated by submission of the contract of employment or the job description as a research associate. 

• If the applicant can demonstrate that they have completed at least 12 months medical-related employment in an academic teaching hospital of the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz after completing their university degree.
  As a rule, this needs to be substantiated by submission of the contract of employment or the job description as a research associate. 

• The acquisition of professional medical experience may also be deemed substantiated if the applicant demonstrates that they have worked as a research associate after obtaining a research grant or on a research project financed by third-party funds at a medical unit of the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.

Recognition of educational qualifications from abroad 

The following additional admission requirements apply only to doctoral candidates who have neither obtained their university entrance qualification at a German-language institution nor a degree in a German-language degree course. In such cases, applicants:

• must provide proof of German language proficiency at the DSH-2 level, verifying “the language skills required for admission to or enrolment in all degree programs and courses at all universities” in accordance with the regulations for the German language examination for admission of foreign students (DSH) at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz; and 

• Must also demonstrate knowledge of German medical or dental specialist terminology in a profession-specific context that is consistent with linguistic skills at the C1 level. 

• This proof can be demonstrated either by the result of a relevant language test offered by a German medical or dental association or the result of a relevant patient communication test offered by a recognized language institute. This will also be deemed to have been demonstrated if the applicant has successfully passed an appropriate profession-specific language examination consistent with level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and submits proof of this to the relevant subcommittee of the Committee for the Advancement of Early-Career Researchers.

If the doctoral thesis is to be written in English and the applicant has not earned a university entrance qualification at an English-language institution or a degree in an English-language degree course, additional requirements apply.

• Proof of English language proficiency. Applicants must submit a certificate confirming that they have passed the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT Test) with a score of at least 60 points. 

To be admitted to the doctoral degree assessment procedure for the doctoral degree in physiological sciences “Dr. rer. physiol.”, the applicant:

• must have completed a course of study at a university in Germany concluded by a state examination (not in medicine or dentistry) or a university diploma course, or a course of study in Germany resulting in the award of a Master’s degree at a state or state-recognized university that can serve as the basis for medical research in the fields represented at the University Medical Center Mainz.

• The qualification must entitle the applicant to pursue doctoral studies in the relevant subject in which the applicant took the final examination.

• The applicant must have passed the final examination with a grade of at least “good” (2.5). Applicants who have passed their examinations outside the Federal Republic of Germany must, similarly, provide appropriate proof that they have achieved the minimum grade.

• In the case of a Master’s degree, at least 300 ECTS credits must have been earned, taking into account the preceding consecutive degree course through to the first professionally qualifying degree.

• must have completed at least 12 years of scientific research at the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (either in a medical institution or in an academic teaching hospital of the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz) after graduation (for details, see Section 4 para. 2 b).

• must have successfully participated in and received a certificate for the course “Practical Knowledge of Medical Terminology” at the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz or in a course at another university in Germany that does not differ significantly from the course in Mainz. The course may have been repeated once if not passed the first time. Applicants can enroll for this course by applying to the Institute for History, Theory, and Ethics of Medicine.

• Must submit an exposé of the planned doctoral thesis, which is a suitable basis for scientific research in the fields represented at the University Medical Center Mainz (detailed regulations are set out in PromO Section 4 para. 2 d).

• must provide proof of sufficient language skills as per PromO Section 4 para. 1 c). 

The procedure to assess suitability for admission to the doctoral degree assessment procedure for the doctorate in physiological sciences (Dr. rer. physiol.) for exceptionally qualified graduates of a diploma program at a university of applied sciences or of a Bachelor’s degree program.

Exceptional qualifications of this kind are assessed to determine candidate suitability.  The requirements for admission to the procedure to assess candidate suitability are specified in Section 4 para. 3 of the currently valid doctoral degree regulations of the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.

If you have any questions about this procedure, please make an appointment with us for a personal meeting.

Yes, Section 34 of the Rhineland-Palatinate Higher Education Act stipulates that doctoral candidates at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz are required to register, regardless of whether they wish to be enrolled as doctoral students or not.

By the time you have started the theoretical and practical work for your doctorate, the subject of your doctoral thesis must have been registered. Doctoral candidates for the degree “Dr. rer. physiol.” can register their doctoral dissertation in JOGU-StINe once all admission requirements have been met.   

You must register online using JOGU-StINe.

No, you do not need to be matriculated to register your doctorate in JOGU-StINe.

As a rule, you should have completed your doctorate within five years of notification of the subject of your dissertation. 

The Committee for the Advancement of Early-Career Researchers may authorize an extension of this deadline, particularly in cases of particular personal hardship, upon written application by the applicant.

Yes, you must have registered your doctoral project in JOGU-StINe and submitted the application for registration to the Department of Research and Teaching/Staff Unit for the Promotion of Early-Career Researchers  before you can be enrolled by the Student Service Center on a doctoral program.  

You do not need to be matriculated to complete your doctorate. Hence, if your status as a student has ended, this will have no effect on the doctoral degree assessment procedure.

The doctoral studies office is responsible for providing

• information and advice on the topic of doctoral studies at the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

• Information and advice for supervisors of doctoral candidates

• Assistance in filling out forms in JOGU-StINe and information on the documents that need to be submitted during the doctoral degree assessment procedure

• Implementation of the doctoral degree regulations

• Formal conduct of the doctoral degree assessment procedure on behalf of the Committee for the Advancement of Early-Career Researchers

• Admission to doctoral studies on the authority of the Committee for the Advancement of Early-Career Researchers

   Mr. Fatos Berisha               
   Department of Research and Teaching        
   Building 907 1. UPPER FLOOR             
   Tel.:  +49 (0)6131 17-9691                       
   Fax: +49 (0)6131 17-9669                                

    Email    

You can access the homepage of the docotral candidate representation via the following link