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Doctor of Medical Science

(DMedSc) KA003 or DRHMEDSCI1000

1 What is the Doctor of Medical Science (DMedSc) degree at the University of Sydney?

The Doctor of Medical Science (DMedSc) is a higher doctorate, introduced to replace the previous higher doctorate, the Doctor of Medicine (MD), when the MD replaced the MBBS as the primary medical degree effective from 2014.

The DMedSc is awarded for published work that, in the opinion of the examiners constitutes a distinguished contribution to knowledge or creative achievement and is recognized by scholars in the relevant field as constituting a distinguished contribution to knowledge or creative achievement in that filed.

The DMedSc, unlike the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, is not a research training degree. It may be described as an award that one would receive when one's career is well established, rather than at the beginning, for an outstanding contribution to knowledge through a substantial body of research.

2 How is a distinguished contribution to knowledge assessed?

The published work may be regarded as a distinguished contribution to knowledge if:

  • it represents a significant advance in knowledge in the relevant field;
  • it has caused, or become a major part of, a significant debate among scholars in the relevant field (including in books and journals); or
  • it has caused significant changes in the direction of research or in the practice of recognised scholars in the relevant field.
3 How many publications are needed for a Doctor of Medical Science?

There is no set number of publications a candidate must have to be awarded the degree. The Prima Facie Committee (see section 6 below) and the examiners will be asked to judge the work on its quality and based on the criteria above, rather than on the quantity of the papers. As a guide, it would be unusual for the Prima Facie Committee to find that a case for examination exists where there were less than 20 peer-reviewed publications in ERA-eligible journals. Furthermore, the applicant should be able to demonstrate that the body of research has contributed to a chosen field in the way(s) described above. Most commonly this would be through measures of impact including citations by scholars in the field.

As the contribution of a body of research may not become fully apparent until many years after publication, the DMedSc is usually awarded to researchers with an established career. In general, the body of the work submitted for consideration should have been undertaken after the award of a research training degree.

4 Eligibility for admission to candidature

(1) To be eligible for admission to candidature for a higher doctorate, an
applicant must:

  • hold a degree from the University that was conferred five or more years prior to the application date; or
  • hold a degree from another university or institution that was conferred five or more years prior to the application date; or
  • have qualifications that were conferred five or more years prior to the application date and standing that are determined by the Faculty and by the Graduate Studies Committee of the Academic Board to be equivalent to holding a degree from the University; and
  • for the Doctor of Medical Science, hold or have completed all the academic requirements for the Bachelor of Medicine.

(2) To be eligible for admission to candidature, an applicant who does not meet
the requirements of paragraph (1), must

  • have been a full-time member of the academic staff of the University for at least three years (or pro rata part-time); or
  • be recognized by the Academic Board, on the recommendation of the Dean, to have been involved in the teaching and research of the University to an equivalent level.

(3) To be eligible for admission to candidature, an applicant for admission to
the Doctor of Medical Science who does not meet the requirements of
paragraph (1) must be recognized by the Faculty and the Graduate Studies
Committee of Academic Bord to have equivalent academic standing.

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5 How to apply

Prospective candidates are strongly encouraged to discuss their intention to apply with either the head of the relevant discipline or the Associate Dean (HDR) of Sydney Medical School.

The following will need to be submitted as part of the application:

  1. An "Application For Admission" form is available from Sydney Medical School Application for Admission to the Doctor of Medical Science This includes details of the applicant's academic qualifications and their association with the University;
  2. A list of the published works that the candidate proposes to submit for examination;
  3. A description of the themes of the published work; and
  4. Where there are a large number of publications whose dates range over a period of time and cover a range of subjects, a statement of how these publications are related to one another and to the theme;
  5. Where jointly authored publications are to be submitted, a statement of the applicant's role in the initiation, conduct or direction of such conjoint research must be included.


Applications are continuously open. If you are admitted to candidature you must enrol as a candidate for the DMedSc in the first available Research Period following receipt of your offer of admission.

6 Preliminary assessment of application for admission

(1) The Dean will appoint a committee to consider and determine whether

  • the applicant is eligible for admission to candidature;
  • the published work is in a field appropriate to the nominated degree;
  • the Faculty is competent to examine the published work at the required level; and
  • whether the applicant should be admitted to candidature.


(2) The committee may not determine that the applicant should be admitted to
candidature unless the requirements of each of paragraphs (1) are met.


(3) If the committee determines that the applicant should be admitted to
candidature, the committee will recommend to the Dean that he or she
recommend to the Academic Board:

  • that the applicant be admitted to candidature; and
  • the appointment of at least three named examiners, of whom at least two will be external examiners.


(4) The assessment committee will comprise:

  • the Dean;
  • the Head of Discipline most closely associated with the relevant field of work;
  • the academic staff member most closely associated with the relevant field of work; and
  • other persons appointed by the Dean.
7 Submission of work for examination

(1) The candidate must submit to the Dean five copies of the published work.

(2) The work submitted must include:

  • a description of the theme of the published work;
  • a record of original research undertaken by the candidate;
  • a statement by the candidate of:

(i) the sources from which the information in the work was derived;
(ii) the extent to which the work draws on the work of others; and
(iii) the portion of the work that the candidate claims as original.


(3) If the work submitted contains research that was carried out conjointly,
a statement by the candidate of the extent to which the candidate was
responsible for the initiation, conduct or direction of the research; and

(4) If the principal publications, as distinct from any supporting papers,
incorporate work previously submitted for a degree or diploma at the
University or at any other univesity or institution, a statement by the
candidate of those parts of the publications that have previously been
submitted.

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8 Fees

The Doctor of Medical Science (DMedSc) is a full-fee paying course and applicants are required to enrol for one research period.

9 The examination process

The thesis will be sent to at least three examiners. Each examiner shall make a separate and independent report on whether the published work meets the requirements for the award of the degree.

The examination process usually takes 6-9 months.

10 Outcomes of the examination

(1) When all examiners have reported, the assessment committee will
reconvene and will recommend to the Dean that:

  • the degree be awarded;
  • the degree not be awarded.

(2) After considering the recommendation of the assessment committee, the
Dean:
(a) will provide to the Academic Board:
(i) the names and qualifications of the examiners; and
(ii) the substance of the examiners' reports; and

(b) will recommend to the Academic Board that:
(i) the degree be awarded;
(ii) the degree not be awarded; or
(iii) the Academic Board appoint a further examiner or examiners.

(3) The Academic Board will determine the result of the examination.


Please note that there is no provision for amendments or for "revise and resubmit". The same body of work cannot be submitted for re-examination if the degree is not awarded.

Following notification of the award of the degree the candidate will submit one bound copy of the published work (printed on acid-free archival paper) and conforming to the conditions outlined in section 8 above, to Student Services for lodgment with the University Library.

11 Graduation

At graduation ceremonies, higher doctorates are generally awarded before other degrees. In awarding the higher doctorate, it is customary for the speaker of the ceremony, usually the Dean, to deliver a citation extolling to achievements of the graduand.

12 Further reading

Please read this document in conjunction with the University of Sydney (Higher Degree By Research) Rule 2011

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