This doctoral programme integrates the knowledge of the molecular carcinogenesis, diagnosis of cancer and oncology therapies directed toward cancer research. Teachers - pathologists and their collaborators: clinicians, immunologists, molecular biologists and geneticists, histologists, biochemists, chemists and statisticians through various courses interdisciplinary illuminate the phenomenon of occurrence, diagnosis and the treatment of tumors. According to the agreement, the holder of a joint study is the School of Medicine in Split, and collaborating institutions are: the University of Split, Ruder Boskovic Institute, the University of Zadar and the University of Dubrovnik. In addition to teachers from Croatia, participating lecturers are from the UK, France, Germany and Switzerland. There are 7 obligatory and 38 elective courses.
Every year, around 10 students who have completed medical or any of the related graduate studies are enrolled. The study program lasts three years (180 ECTS). The teaching is organized in the first two years of the programme with the mandatory courses (first year) and elective courses (second year). There is also opportunity for online participation in the lectures for the students that are unable to physically participate in the courses. Each student has a tutor (could become a mentor) that helps with an advice in the selection of courses and research. On the first year of doctoral study the share of teaching and research loads are 30:30 ECTS points, and on the second is 15:45. During the second year students have opportunity to spent a part of their studies at foreign universities. So far our students had this opportunity at Harvard University, Johns Hopkins, Goethe University in Frankfurt, and Charles University in Pilsen. On the third year students are dedicated to the individual research topic with their mentors that will be the topic of doctoral dissertation. Their progress is evaluated on the basis of the student’s and mentor's report and published research papers. At least two original research papers with first authorship needs to be published in a journal with the impact factor >1, and indexed in the Web of Science databases or one original research paper published in a journal with the impact factor >4, and indexed in the Web of Science databases.
During the study programme, students independently carry out laboratory tasks and present them with the literature. Of extracurricular activities, any published article or active participation on scientific conferences are evaluated with additional ECTS. Study leaders are organizing interviews with all students every six months to help each student individually on the choice of topics and mentor and later follow-up of his/her progress.
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