Postgraduate Doctoral Study “Health Sciences”
Study Objectives
Postgraduate doctoral studies are organized with the aim of enriching own scientific potential by creating highly educated teaching staff at the highest academic level. The result of the postgraduate study is the acquirement of the academic degree that provides health care professionals to be equal to their colleagues from other faculties who complete postgraduate doctoral studies. The most important objective of the PhD program is to qualify students for scientific and clinical research, prepare them to work at faculty and for a career of a university professor with the ability to design contemporary and innovative concepts and approaches aimed at improving the quality of life of individuals, organizations and society. A doctoral degree in the field of health sciences is necessary for the academic career of teachers at faculties of health studies.
Postgraduate Study Curriculum
Postgraduate doctoral studies in health sciences (third level) are organized and conducted according to the curriculum, they last for at least three years (six semesters). Since the work required to complete one academic year is 60 ECTS points, the three-year study is awarded with 180 ECTS credits, and this includes:
a) organized classes (mandatory and elective);
b) work with mentor and writing of doctoral dissertation,
compulsory and optional extracurricular activities.
Competences acquired during doctoral study
A general list of competences would include:
a) contribution to the health profession through independent scientific research and generation of new knowledge
b) identification of problems, analysing and solving problems by finding, understanding and evaluating evidence-based information,
c) planning and conducting original scientific research in the field of health studies by using the evidence-based results of healthcare practice in a form suitable for publication in an internationally recognized journal,
d) understanding, assessment and application of contemporary scientific analytical research methods, together with improvement of health care practice and adoption of attitudes as a response to the constant changes in health care and increasingly more complex forms of health care,
e) the ability to identify and promote the ethical and legal principles in health care research,
f) the ability of theoretical, methodological, analytical and critical approach to the testing of scientific discoveries in health care practice through debates, conference presentations and research workshops,
g) the ability to evaluate clinical practice through scientific research,
h) the use of research results in clinical decision-making,
i) the ability of continuous clinical reasoning, evaluation and self-evaluation in order to ensure quality and excellence,
j) communication through various techniques of information, education, motivation and improvement of the quality of life of individuals, patients, families and the larger population,
k) the ability to establish compliance towards patients, their families and colleagues,
l) involvement in the work of interdisciplinary research teams and their management,
m) promotion of health of vulnerable and multicultural population,
n) understanding the “philosophy” of health sciences.