Pre-Doctoral Examination (until 30.09.2018)

For every doctoral procedure leading to a doctorate in human biology, candidates need to complete a pre-doctoral examination (§ 13 Paragraph 1 Sentence 1 Examination Regulations). During this examination, the candidate is to demonstrate his/her scientific relationship to medicine. (§ 13, paragraph 1, Examination Regulations).

I. Admission requirements

I.1. Qualifying degree

Admission criteria are that the applicant can show

• a diploma or a diploma equivalent degree (i.e. Master’s) based on studies carried out at a university within the area of application of the German constitution, or
• a certificate of having passed the veterinary examination, the first state legal examination, the first state examination for food chemists or the pharmaceutical examination (§ 2, paragraph 1, number 12, Examination Regulations)

Candidates who did not earn their diploma, Master’s degree or carry out the state examination in the area of application of the German constitution, must additionally prove that they have passed equivalent examinations (§ 2, paragraph 2, Examination Regulations). The doctoral committee decides whether this examination is equivalent to the respective degree obtained within the area of application of the German constitution (§ 2 paragraph 2, Examination Regulations).

I.2.

Furthermore, the candidate must provide confirmation of having worked at a scientific or clinical institution at the Medical Faculty for a 2-year period, under supervision of a habilitated member (§ 2, paragraph 1, number 13, Examination Regulations). When applying for admission to the predoctoral examination, the candidate must already have started working at the institution. When applying for admission to the final doctoral examination – after successful completion of the predoctoral examination – the 2-year period of working at an institution of the Medical Faculty must be completed.

Teaching hospitals do not belong to the scientific or clinical institutions of the Medical Faculty.

II. Application Procedure for the Pre-Doctoral Exam

The application for admission to the pre-doctoral examination must include the following documents:

• Curriculum vitae in tabular form
• A certified copy of your degree (§ 2, paragraph 1, number 12 and § 2 Paragraph 14, Examination Regulations)
• An official translation of the degree, in case the degree was obtained abroad (§ 2, paragraph 2, Examination Regulations)
• Confirmation of commencement/end of the required 2-year working period (§ 2, paragraph 1, number 13, Examination Regulations)

III. Further Procedure for the Pre-Doctoral Exam

III.1. Appointment of main and co-examiners

The doctoral committee appoints the main examiner and two co-examiners (§ 13, paragraph 1, Examination Regulations).

III.2. Examination / Examination topics

The pre-doctoral examination takes place as before a panel of examiners. The examiners will inform the candidate on the topics of the examination at least 8 weeks before the examination. (§ 13, paragraph 2, Examination Regulations).

When invited to the examination, the candidate is informed that he/she can inquire about the topics the latest 8 weeks before commencement of the examination.

The three examiners decide on whether the candidate can be admitted to the doctoral procedure immediately after the pre-doctoral examination (§ 13 Paragraph 3, Examination Regulations).