Skip to main contentCambridge University Reporter

No 6248

Wednesday 7 December 2011

Vol cxlii No 13

pp. 304–325

Reports

Report of the Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine on the M.D. Degree

The Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine beg leave to report to the University as follows:

1. The M.D. Degree (Doctor of Medicine) is one of the oldest degrees of the University and takes a senior place among the higher doctorates. The M.D. Degree is, however, unusual among the higher doctorates in retaining two distinct routes to the degree: either the submission of a collection of research papers, which typically involves the submission of a substantial body of work, often representing an entire academic career, or the submission of a dissertation composed specially for the purpose. The work submitted for examination for the M.D. Degree for the ‘dissertation’ route is considerably less substantial, being comparable in volume and content to those submitted for postgraduate primary degrees of the University. However, the M.D. Degree attained by the ‘dissertation’ route retains the status of a higher doctorate because the regulations require candidates to be graduates of this University.

2. The impetus to reform the M.D. Degree arises from two developments:

2.1. The first is the recognition by the Faculty of the growing recognition of the M.D. Degree, as it is understood in the UK, as a key element in the academic training of clinicians. The M.D. Degree is offered by a number of UK universities, but in almost all cases it is viewed as a primary degree (in most cases the candidates have registered student status) and the only route offered is by dissertation. Only Cambridge and Oxford maintain two different routes to the M.D. Degree, which therefore introduces some uncertainty about the level of achievement represented by the degree.

2.2. Applications and enquiries for the Cambridge M.D. reflect a wider trend across the UK over the past ten years. The number of candidates by the ‘dissertation’ route has varied between 7 and 24 a year, with a sharp increase in the past two years so that there are currently 67 candidates registered for this route. In contrast, applications for the ‘publication’ route to the M.D. Degree have dwindled to a small minority (only three such degrees have been awarded since 1998).

2.3. There is a strong and growing demand for the M.D. Degree by dissertation among clinicians who are undertaking their clinical academic training in the University and its associated partner institutions, including a large number who are not graduates of this University. Under the current regulations for the M.D., these non-Cambridge clinicians are not eligible to apply for the M.D. Degree. While such candidates could apply to register for an M.Phil. or Ph.D., the M.D. Degree is now widely understood in the UK as carrying specific relevance in the research career of clinicians and is therefore strongly preferred.

2.4. The Faculty of Clinical Medicine are actively developing their clinical academic training programme and therefore strongly recommend that the eligibility for the M.D. Degree by dissertation should be extended to clinicians who do not already hold a degree of this University but who are employed in Cambridge in a post approved for the purpose by the Faculty Board. Such an arrangement has already been established for the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (Vet.M.D. Degree), for which suitably qualified employees of the Veterinary School may become candidates regardless of the university from which they have obtained their first degree. In the case of the M.D. Degree, the Faculty Board recommend that eligibility be limited to employees of Cambridge University Health Partners (CUHP)1 in the first instance; these candidates are resident in or near Cambridge, and would be carrying out their research projects in the University or in a member institution of the CUHP.

2.5. The second impetus for reform has come from the General Board’s review of teaching and learning in the School of Clinical Medicine (2008). Among the recommendations of this review, emphasis was placed on bringing the governance of the degree into line with that of other research degrees of the University. The M.D. Degree is unique among the higher doctorates in being overseen entirely by its own Committee (the ‘M.D. Committee’) without reference either to the Degree Committee for the Faculty or the Board of Graduate Studies. In these circumstances, it is difficult to maintain comparability in the standard of work required for the various research degrees offered by the Faculty, or to demonstrate evenness of quality of provision. The Faculty Board agree that the Degree Committee for the Faculty and the Board of Graduate Studies should become the deciding authorities on the award of the degrees. The M.D. Committee would provide advice of a specialist nature to the Degree Committee on the admission, supervision, and progress of candidates, and the appointment of examiners, and would continue to adjudicate on the award of prizes.

2.6. The General Board review also recommended that the arrangements for oversight of the work of candidates for the M.D. by dissertation should be reviewed. These candidates are not currently registered as students; indeed, they need not be resident in Cambridge and, although a person in their local institution is appointed informally to oversee their work, their research is not formally supervised or monitored by the University. Following extensive consultation with the M.D. Committee, the Faculty Board propose that the ‘dissertation’ route should be established as a primary degree of the University, for which candidates would be admitted as registered Graduate Students by the Board of Graduate Studies to undertake supervised research in Cambridge.

2.7. The Degree Committee and Board of Graduate Studies would become the responsible authorities for the supervision and examination of candidates for the M.D. by dissertation, and the degree would become more directly comparable to the Ph.D. Degree.

2.8. Student candidates for the M.D. would normally conduct their research part-time alongside their continuing clinical commitments within the CUHP. The minimum requirement for the degree would be the equivalent of two years’ full-time research in Cambridge. A fee for the course comparable to that for the Ph.D. (at the staff rate) would be appropriate. Candidates would all be, or would become, matriculated members of Colleges. As mature professionals already based in or near Cambridge, it is expected that they would not require College accommodation, and would make minimal demands on College resources. The Graduate Tutors’ Committee has indicated support for the establishment of this student route to the M.D. Degree and a number of Colleges have expressed an interest in admitting such students.

2.9. The establishment of a primary degree route to the M.D. Degree would therefore address both the matter of extending eligibility to non-Cambridge graduates employed in the CUHP and would assure the quality of provision and examination through the normal routes for graduate students.

2.10. The General Board review also asked whether, and under what circumstances, it might be appropriate to continue the practice of allowing medically-qualified Cambridge graduates to work towards the degree away from Cambridge, without close supervisory oversight. The Faculty Board view this arrangement as being comparable to that for which Special Regulations exist to allow a Cambridge graduate to submit work for the Ph.D. Degree without undertaking a further course of directed research in Cambridge. It is therefore proposed that Special Regulations be established for the M.D. Degree for this category of candidates.

Proposal for two separate degrees

3. Having consulted the M.D. Committee, the Faculty Board conclude that the changes set out above would differentiate the ‘publication’ and ‘dissertation’ routes to the extent that the two should no longer lead to the same degree, but should be recognized as two separate degrees, reflecting different levels of achievement and fulfilling different purposes.

3.1. Because of the recognition the M.D. Degree has now achieved in the UK, as a research degree taken by clinicians in mid-career at a level comparable to the Ph.D., the Faculty Board propose that

(a)the primary degree should retain the title ‘Doctor of Medicine’ (M.D.) in recognition of the place the M.D. Degree occupies in the academic training of clinicians in the UK; this degree would be examined by dissertation, and would be comparable to the Ph.D. in status and academical dress;

(b)the higher doctorate should be renamed ‘Doctor of Medical Science’ (Med.Sc.D.), denoting comparability to the Sc.D. as a higher doctorate; the Med.Sc.D. should retain the seniority and academical dress appropriate to the historic M.D. Degree.

3.2. Proposed regulations for the M.D. Degree (primary degree); Special Regulations for the M.D. Degree; and the regulations for the Med.Sc.D. (higher doctorate) are set out in the Appendices to this Report as follows:

Appendices

1. DOCTOR of MEDICINE (M.D.)

2. DOCTOR of MEDICINE (M.D.): SPECIAL REGULATIONS

3. DOCTOR of MEDICAL SCIENCE (Med.Sc.D)

3.3. Subject to the approval of the proposals above, amendments will also be required to the General Regulations for admission as a Graduate Student (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 415), the regulations for review of the results of examinations for postgraduate qualifications (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 419), and the regulations for the review of the results of examinations for the degrees of Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 468).

4. The Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine accordingly recommend:

I. That, with effect from 1 March 2012, the regulations for the degree of Doctor of Medicine Statutes and Ordinances, p. 465) be replaced by regulations and special regulations for the degree as set out in Appendices 1 and 2 attached to this Report.

II. That, with effect from 1 March 2012, regulations for the degree of Doctor of Medical Science as set out in Appendix 3 attached to this Report be approved.

III. That, with effect from 1 March 2014, Schedule L Statutes and Ordinances, p. 93) be amended (a) to redesignate the degree of Doctor of Medicine as a primary degree of the University and (b) to insert the degree of Doctor of Medical Science in the list of degrees which are not primary degrees of the University.

IV. That, with effect from 1 March 2012, the regulations for University Composition Fees (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 158) be amended as follows:

Regulation 1.

By relettering sub-paragraph (b) as (c) and inserting a new sub-paragraph (b) so as to read:

(b) Students undertaking research leading to the M.D. Degree shall pay a fee for the course.

TABLE OF FEES

By inserting in Table 1B after the entry for the M.B.A. Degree an entry for the M.D. Degree so as to read:

(£)

M.D. Degree (fee for the course)

3,732

V. That, with effect from 1 March 2012, the General Regulations for admission as a Graduate Student (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 415), the regulations for review of the results of examinations for postgraduate qualifications (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 419), and the regulations for the review of the results of examinations for the degrees of Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 468) be amended as follows:

A. General Regulations for admission as a Graduate Student

Regulation 5.

By inserting in line 2 of 5(b) and 5(g) before the words ‘the Ph.D. Degree’ the words ‘the M.D. Degree, or’

Regulation 10(c).

By inserting in line 2 before the words ‘or Eng.D. Degree’ the words ‘or M.D.’.

Regulation 11(b)–(f).

By relettering sub-paragraphs (b)–(f) as (c)–(g), amending sub-paragraph (b) (relettered as (c)) by inserting in line 2 after the words ‘or M.Sc.’ the words ‘or M.D.’, and inserting a new sub-paragraph (b) so as to read:

(b) A Graduate Student who is registered as a candidate for the M.D. Degree shall pay the University Composition Fee as determined by Regulation 10 of the regulations for University Composition Fees for the course.

Regulation 14(b)

By replacing in line 2 of sub-paragraph (i) the words ‘Regulation 11(a) or (b)’ by the words ‘Regulation 11(a), (b), or (c)’ and amending the reference to Regulation 11(e) in lines 1 of sub-paragraphs (iii) and (iv) to Regulation 11(f).

B. Schedule to the regulations for review of the results of examinations for postgraduate qualifications

By inserting the M.D. Degree in the Schedule before the Vet.M.D. Degree.

C. Regulations for the review of the results of examinations for the degrees of Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery

By retitling these regulations as ‘Review of the results of examinations for the degree of Master of Surgery’ and deleting in the regulations references to the M.D. Committee, the degree of Doctor of Medicine, and the Assessor to the Regius Professor of Physic.

VI. That, with effect from 1 March 2014, the regulations for admission to degrees, the regulations for order of seniority of graduates, and the regulations for academical dress (Statutes and Ordinances, pp. 180, 186, and 187) be amended as follows:

A. Presentation and admission of candidates for degrees

Regulation 9.

By replacing in 9(c) the reference to M.D. by Med.Sc.D. and amending Regulation 9(f) so as to read:

(f)Candidates for the degrees of M.D. and Vet.M.D. shall be presented by the Chairman of the Degree Committee for the Faculties of Clinical Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, or by a Doctor of Medicine, Science, or Veterinary Medicine deputed by the Chairman.

B. Forms of presentation for degrees

By amending the heading of the paragraph relating to Doctor’s Degrees so as to read:

For the degree of Doctor of, Education, Engineering, Law, Letters, Medical Science, Medicine, Music, Philosophy, Science, Veterinary Medicine

C. The Schedule appended to the regulations for forms of presentation for degrees and forms of admission to degrees

By adding to the third group of degrees the following entry:

For the Med.Sc.D. Degree

Doctoris in Scientiis Medicinis

D. The regulations for the order of seniority of graduates

By appending a footnote to the entry for Doctors of Medicine so as to read ‘persons who proceeded to this degree before 1 March 2014’, inserting in the list after this entry ‘Doctors of Medical Science’, and inserting in the list after the entry for Bachelors of Divinity ‘Doctors of Medicine’ with a footnote appended to read ‘persons who proceeded to this degree after 1 March 2014’.

E. The regulations for academical dress

Black Gowns

By amending the reference to M.D. to read Med.Sc.D. and inserting, after the entry relating to the B.D. Degree, the following entry:

M.D.: the Ph.D. gown;

Hoods

By inserting in line 1 before ‘Vet.M.D.’ ‘M.D.,’ and by inserting, after the entry relating to the B.D. Degree, the following entry:

M.D.: the Ph.D. hood but with a part lining of mid-cherry silk four inches (10 cm) deep;

Festal Gowns

By amending the reference to M.D. to read Med.Sc.D. and inserting, after the entry relating to the Mus.D. Degree, the following entry:

M.D.: the Ph.D. festal gown;

Dress at Graduation

By inserting in line 1 before ‘Vet.M.D.’ ‘M.D.,’

Footnotes

  • 1Cambridge University Health Partners comprise the University of Cambridge, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, and Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.


28 November 2011

Patrick Sissons (Chairman)

Fiona J. Gilbert

Stephen O’Rahilly

Adrian Boyle

Ian M. Goodyer

B. A. J. Ponder

J. Andrew Bradley

Simon Gregory

Evis Sala

T. Adrian Carpenter

Peter B. Jones

J. Silverman

V. Peter Collins

John Latimer

Ken Smith

David B. Dunger

J. P. Luzio

J. Todd

John D. Firth

Gillian Murphy

Diana F. Wood

The Council and the General Board support the recommendations in this Report.

5 December 2011

L. K. Borysiewicz, Vice-Chancellor

Appendix 1

DOCTOR of MEDICINE

1. In order to qualify for the degree of Doctor of Medicine a candidate shall be required to give proof, in accordance with the provisions of these regulations, of a significant original contribution in the science, art, or history of medicine.

2. Any person may apply in accordance with Regulation 6 of these regulations to become a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Medicine who

either

(a) holds a primary degree of the University,

or

(b) has been admitted

(i) to some office in the University or to a Headship or a Fellowship of a College, and

(ii) to the degree of Master of Arts under Statute B, III, 6 or to a degree of the University by incorporation,

or

(c) holds a medical appointment approved from time to time by the Faculty Board for Clinical Medicine for the purpose,

and also holds

either

a medical degree giving entitlement to provisional or full registration with the General Medical Council,

or

a degree recognized by that Council for the purpose of full registration,

or

a medical degree approved by the M.D. Committee for the purpose of candidature.

No person whose candidature has been approved under Regulation 6 shall submit a dissertation or any other work until four years have elapsed since he or she was admitted

either

to the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery,

or

to the degree of Bachelor of Surgery under Regulation 5 of the special regulations for the conferment of the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery,

or

to a medical degree of another university as defined above.

3. There shall be an M.D. Committee which shall consist of:

(a)the Regius Professor of Physic or a deputy appointed by the Regius Professor;

(b)the Assessor to the Regius Professor of Physic, appointed in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 4;

(c)eight members of the Faculty of Clinical Medicine;

(d)not more than six persons co-opted by the Committee.

Members in class (c) shall be appointed annually by the Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine in the Michaelmas Term to serve for one year from 1 January following their appointment. Members in class (d) shall serve until the end of the calendar year in which they are co-opted. The Committee shall elect annually one of their own number as Chairman. Six members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.

4. The Assessor to the Regius Professor of Physic, who must be a member of the Senate and a graduate in Medicine, shall be appointed not later than the division of the Michaelmas Term in each year by the General Board on the nomination of the Faculty Board to act for one year from 1 January following the date of appointment. The Assessor shall be Secretary of the Committee, for which duty the Faculty Board may, subject to the approval of the General Board, pay a stipend.

5. If either the Chairman of the M.D. Committee or the Assessor is prevented at any time by illness or other cause from performing any of the duties prescribed in these regulations, the General Board, on the nomination of the Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine, shall appoint a member of the Senate who is a graduate in Medicine to act as a deputy.

6. A person who wishes to become a candidate for the M.D. Degree shall submit an application to the M.D. Committee. The application shall specify:

(a)the applicant’s proposed subject of study or research, including a plan of the work to be undertaken and an account of the methods to be used;

(b)the place where the work is to be undertaken;

(c)the name of a member of the Faculty of Medicine who has agreed to act as the candidate’s Supervisor for the research project specified;

(d)the method of financing the work;

(e)a letter of support for the application from the intended Supervisor and Head of the Department;

(f)a fee in respect of an admissions charge as recommended by the Board of Graduate Studies for an application for admission as a Graduate Student.

The M.D. Committee shall make recommendations on the admission of the candidate to the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Clinical Medicine and the Board of Graduate Studies.

If the Degree Committee and the Board of Graduate Studies approve an applicant for admission to the programme, the applicant’s name shall be entered on the Register of Graduate Students.

The Degree Committee shall determine the conditions, if any, of an applicant’s registration and shall assign the term from which he or she is to be admitted.

7. A candidate whose application has been approved shall pay the University Composition Fee for the course.

8. The examination for the degree of M.D. shall consist of:

(a)the submission of a dissertation embodying the results of the candidate’s study or research, which shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Regulations 9 and 10;

(b)an oral examination (‘the Act’) on the subject of the dissertation and the general field of knowledge within which it falls.

By special permission of the Degree Committee, candidates may submit with the dissertation published work which they wish the Examiners to consider; such work may be considered by the Examiners at their discretion.

9. A candidate who has paid the relevant fee due under Regulation 7 shall submit to the Degree Committee, not earlier than the end of the second year after approval of the application under Regulation 6 and not later than six years after the date of such approval, unless given special permission by the Degree Committee to delay submission until a later date:

(a)three copies of the dissertation, in a form recommended by the M.D. Committee and approved by the Degree Committee;

(b)two copies of a summary of about 300 words in length;

(c)two copies of any published work which the candidate wishes to submit under Regulation 8.

10. In submitting their dissertations, candidates shall state, generally in a preface and specifically in notes or in a bibliography, the sources from which their information is derived, the extent to which they have availed themselves of the work of others, and the portions of the dissertation which are claimed as original. They shall also be required to declare that the dissertation submitted is not substantially the same as any that they may have submitted for another degree or for a diploma or similar qualification at this or any other university. A dissertation, apart from quotations, shall be written in English. The Degree Committee shall have power to specify a maximum length for dissertations, in consultation with the M.D. Committee.

11. Each dissertation shall be referred to two Examiners, appointed by the Degree Committee on the recommendation of the M.D. Committee. Each Examiner shall make an independent report to the Degree Committee on the dissertation. If the Examiners do not agree in their recommendations or if for any other reason the Degree Committee or the Board of Graduate Studies need a further opinion or opinions on the merit of the work submitted, the Degree Committee may appoint an additional Examiner or additional Examiners, provided that not more than one additional Examiner shall be appointed without leave of the Board of Graduate Studies. Each additional Examiner so appointed shall make an independent report on the dissertation to the Degree Committee. Each Examiner shall receive a fee and shall, if appropriate, be entitled to claim travelling expenses and a subsistence allowance as specified in the Schedule.

12. The Act shall be conducted by the two Examiners appointed under Regulation 11 and chaired by the Assessor, or her or his deputy. The Examiners shall jointly examine the candidate viva voce on questions connected with the work submitted as well as on other medical subjects and sign a joint certificate of the result. If the Examiners do not agree in their recommendations or if for any other reason the Degree Committee or the Board need a further opinion or opinions on the merit of the work submitted, the Degree Committee may appoint an additional Examiner or additional Examiners, provided that not more than one additional Examiner shall be appointed without leave of the Board. Each additional Examiner so appointed shall make an independent report on the dissertation to the Degree Committee.

13. If a candidate fails to satisfy the Examiners in the oral examination, the Degree Committee may permit the candidate to be re-examined by the same Examiners. Permission so given shall be communicated to the Secretary of the Board of Graduate Studies and shall not be given on more than one occasion. Each Examiner who takes part in an examination under this regulation shall be paid an additional fee as specified in the Schedule in addition to any fees to which he or she may be entitled under Regulation 11, and may also claim travelling expenses in accordance with the provisions of that regulation.

14. The Board of Graduate Studies shall be the deciding authority on all recommendations for the award of the degree. If, after considering the reports of the Examiners on a candidate’s dissertation and on her or his performance in the oral examination, the Degree Committee are satisfied that the candidate’s work is of the requisite standard for the degree, showing evidence of significant original contribution to the advancement of the science, art, or history of medicine, a resolution of the Committee to that effect, with the names of those present and voting on either side, shall be communicated to the Board of Graduate Studies, together with the reports of the Examiners. If the Board, after receiving such communication, at a meeting at which not less than five members of the Board are present, resolve that the candidate be approved for the degree, the Secretary of the Board shall publish a notice of the candidate’s approval for the award of the degree.

15. If, after considering the reports of the Examiners of a dissertation, the Degree Committee are of the opinion that a candidate’s dissertation is not of the requisite standard for the degree, they may recommend to the Board of Graduate Studies that the candidate be permitted to submit a revised dissertation. The communication conveying such a recommendation shall contain the names of those present and voting on either side, and shall be accompanied by the reports of the Examiners. The Board may permit a candidate to submit a revised dissertation on not more than one occasion.

16. If, after considering the reports of the Examiners, the Degree Committee are of the opinion that a candidate’s work is not of the requisite standard for the degree (and if they do not recommend that the candidate be allowed to submit a revised dissertation) their resolution to that effect, with the names of those present and voting on either side, shall be communicated to the Board of Graduate Studies, together with the reports of the Examiners. The Secretary of the Board shall communicate this decision to the candidate.

17. A candidate who is not approved for the M.D. degree under Regulation 16

(a)shall be eligible to submit a dissertation which is substantially the same in candidature for the M.Sc. Degree; or

(b)providing the candidate meets the eligibility requirements, may apply to be a candidate for the M.D. degree by the Special Regulations; such application may be made on not more than one occasion, after a period of not less than five years from the date of the applicant’s original examination for the Degree.

18. Before being admitted to the degree, a successful candidate examined by dissertation shall deposit with the Secretary of the M.D. Committee two copies of the dissertation and of the summary, both the dissertation and the summary being in a form approved by the M.D. Committee. The Secretary of the M.D. Committee shall deposit copies of the dissertation and the summary in the University Library and in the Medical Library, where they shall be available for consultation and for making copies for interlibrary loan purposes.

19. All the dissertations submitted by candidates under these regulations who have been approved for the M.D. Degree in each academical year shall be considered by the M.D. Committee for any Prize, Medal, or other emolument that is awarded for work done by a candidate for the degree; the Committee may be advised by the Assessor in this matter.

Temporary Regulation

20. These regulations shall apply for candidates whose registration as a candidate for the degree commences on or after <date of approval of these regulations>.

SCHEDULE

Payments to Examiners

To an Examiner for examining and reporting on a dissertation and for taking part in the conduct of an oral examination: £135.

To an additional Examiner not participating in an oral examination: £100.

To the Assessor: £45.

To an Examiner conducting an additional oral examination (Regulation 13): £42.

Each External Examiner shall receive in addition travelling expenses, in accordance with Regulation 12 of the regulations for the Ph.D., M.Sc., and M.Litt. Degrees.

Appendix 2

DOCTOR of MEDICINE (M.D.): SPECIAL REGULATIONS

1. In order to qualify for the degree of Doctor of Medicine a candidate shall be required to give proof, in accordance with the provisions of these regulations, of a significant original contribution in the science, art, or history of medicine.

2. Any person may apply in accordance with Regulation 5 of these regulations to become a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Medicine who

either

(a) holds a primary degree of the University,

or

(b) has been admitted to

(i) some office in the University or to a Headship or a Fellowship of a College, and

(ii) to the degree of Master of Arts under Statute B, III, 6 or to a degree of the University by incorporation,

and also holds

either

a medical degree giving entitlement to provisional or full registration with the General Medical Council,

or

a degree recognized by that Council for the purpose of full registration,

or

a medical degree approved by the M.D. Committee for the purpose of candidature.

No person whose candidature has been approved under Regulation 5 shall submit a dissertation or any other work until four years have elapsed since he or she was admitted

either

to the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery,

or

to the degree of Bachelor of Surgery under Regulation 5 of the special regulations for the conferment of the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery,

or

to a medical degree of another university as defined above.

3. A person shall not be eligible to proceed to the M.D. Degree under these regulations if he or she has been approved for the M.D. Degree under the regulations requiring registration as a Graduate Student.

4. A graduate of the University who has been examined for the M.D. Degree under the regulations requiring registration as a Graduate Student, but has not been approved for the M.D. Degree, may become a candidate under these regulations after a period of not less than five years from the date of submitting a dissertation or a revised dissertation, as the case may be, for the M.D. Degree.

5. A person who wishes to become a candidate for the M.D. Degree under these regulations shall submit an application to the M.D. Committee. The application shall specify:

(a)the applicant’s proposed subject of study or research, including a plan of the work to be undertaken and an account of the methods to be used;

(b)the place where the work is to be undertaken;

(c)the name of a member of the Faculty in which the research is to be carried out who has agreed to advise the candidate on the research project specified;

(d)the method of financing the work;

(e)a letter of support for the application from the intended adviser and Head of her or his Department;

(f)an application fee as specified in the Schedule to these regulations.

6. The M.D. Committee may refer the proposal to one or more referees for their opinion before deciding to approve, reject, or suggest some modification to the applicant’s proposal. A referee appointed for this purpose will receive a fee as set out in the Schedule. The Assessor shall communicate the decision of the M.D. Committee to the applicant. If the proposal is rejected, all but £500 of the application fee shall be returned to the candidate.

7. The examination for the degree of M.D. under the Special Regulations shall consist of:

(a)the submission of a dissertation embodying the results of the candidate’s study or research, which shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Regulations 8 and 9;

(b)an oral examination (‘the Act’) on the subject of the dissertation and the general field of knowledge within which it falls.

By special permission of the M.D. Committee, candidates may submit with the dissertation published work which they wish the Examiners to consider; such work may be considered by the Examiners at their discretion.

8. A candidate shall submit to the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Clinical Medicine, not later than six years after the date of such approval under Regulation 6, unless given special permission by the Degree Committee to delay submission until a later date:

(a)three copies of the dissertation, in a form recommended by the M.D. Committee and approved by the Degree Committee;

( b ) two copies of a summary of about 300 words in length;

(c)two copies of any published work which the candidate wishes to submit under Regulation 7.

9. In submitting their dissertations, candidates shall state, generally in a preface and specifically in notes or in a bibliography, the sources from which their information is derived, the extent to which they have availed themselves of the work of others, and the portions of the dissertation which are claimed as original. They shall also be required to declare that the dissertation submitted is not substantially the same as any that they may have submitted for another degree or for a diploma or similar qualification at this or any other university. A dissertation, apart from quotations, shall be written in English. The Degree Committee shall have power to specify a maximum length for dissertations, in consultation with the M.D. Committee.

10. The Degree Committee shall refer each application to the M.D. Committee, who may refer it to one or more referees for their opinion and advice before deciding that the dissertation constitutes prima facie a qualification for the degree. A referee so appointed shall receive a fee as specified in the Schedule to these regulations. If such a person is subsequently appointed an Examiner, the fee shall form part of the fee due to her or him as an Examiner.

11. If the Degree Committee, having been advised by the M.D. Committee, decide that the work submitted does not constitute prima facie a qualification for the degree, and no Examiners are to be appointed, a resolution of the Committee to that effect, with the names of those present and voting on either side, shall be communicated to the Secretary of the Board of Graduate Studies, who shall communicate the decision to the candidate. In such a case all but £600 out of the fee paid by the applicant under Regulation 5 shall be returned.

12. Each dissertation judged under Regulation 10 to constitute prima facie a qualification for the degree shall be referred to two Examiners, appointed by the Degree Committee on the recommendation of the M.D. Committee. Each Examiner shall make an independent report to the Degree Committee on the dissertation. If the Examiners do not agree in their recommendations or if for any other reason the Degree Committee or the Board of Graduate Studies need a further opinion or opinions on the merit of the work submitted, the Degree Committee may appoint an additional Examiner or additional Examiners, provided that not more than one additional Examiner shall be appointed without leave of the Board of Graduate Studies. Each additional Examiner so appointed shall make an independent report on the dissertation to the Degree Committee. Each Examiner shall receive a fee and shall, if appropriate, be entitled to claim travelling expenses and a subsistence allowance as specified in the Schedule.

13. The Act shall be conducted by the two Examiners appointed under Regulation 12 and chaired by the Assessor, or her or his deputy. The Examiners shall jointly examine the candidate viva voce on questions connected with the work submitted as well as on other medical subjects and sign a joint certificate of the result. If the Examiners do not agree in their recommendations or if for any other reason the Degree Committee or the Board need a further opinion or opinions on the merit of the work submitted, the Degree Committee may appoint an additional Examiner or additional Examiners, provided that not more than one additional Examiner shall be appointed without leave of the Board. Each additional Examiner so appointed shall make an independent report on the dissertation to the Degree Committee.

14. If a candidate fails to satisfy the Examiners in the oral examination, the Degree Committee may permit the candidate to be re-examined by the same Examiners. Permission so given shall be communicated to the Secretary of the Board of Graduate Studies and shall not be given on more than one occasion. Each Examiner who takes part in an examination under this regulation shall be paid an additional fee as specified in the Schedule in addition to any fees to which he or she may be entitled under Regulation 12, and may also claim travelling expenses in accordance with the provisions of that regulation.

15. The Board of Graduate Studies shall be the deciding authority on all recommendations for the award of the degree. If, after considering the reports of the Examiners on a candidate’s dissertation and on her or his performance in the oral examination, the Degree Committee are satisfied that the work submitted by the candidate and her or his performance in the Act are of the requisite standard for the degree, a resolution of the Committee to that effect, with the names of those present and voting on either side, shall be communicated to the Board of Graduate Studies, together with the reports of the Examiners. If the Board, after receiving such communication, at a meeting at which not less than five members of the Board are present, resolve that the candidate be approved for the degree, the Secretary of the Board shall publish a notice of the candidate’s approval for the award of the degree.

16. If, after considering the reports of the Examiners of a dissertation, the Degree Committee are of the opinion that a candidate’s dissertation is not of the requisite standard for the degree, they may recommend to the Board of Graduate Studies that the candidate be permitted to submit a revised dissertation. The communication conveying such a recommendation shall contain the names of those present and voting on either side, and shall be accompanied by the reports of the Examiners. The Board may permit a candidate to submit a revised dissertation on not more than one occasion.

17. If, after considering the reports of the Examiners, the Degree Committee are of the opinion that a candidate’s work is not of the requisite standard for the degree (and if they do not recommend that the candidate be allowed to submit a revised dissertation) their resolution to that effect, with the names of those present and voting on either side, shall be communicated to the Board of Graduate Studies, together with the reports of the Examiners. The Secretary of the Board shall communicate this decision to the candidate.

18. If a candidate’s application for the degree under these regulations fails, he or she may reapply on one occasion only, after a period of not less than five years from the date of the original application.

19. A candidate whose application for the M.D. Degree under these regulations is not approved shall not be eligible to be approved for the M.Sc. Degree.

20. No candidate for the degree shall be present at the deliberations either of the Degree Committee or of the Board of Graduate Studies in respect of her or his own candidature.

21. No fee shall be payable on admission to the degree.

22. All the dissertations submitted by candidates under these regulations who have been approved for the M.D. Degree in each academical year shall be considered by the M.D. Committee for any Prize, Medal, or other emolument that is awarded for work done by a candidate for the degree; the Committee may be advised by the Assessor in this matter.

Temporary Regulation

23. These regulations shall apply to all candidates whose proposal is submitted as a candidate for the degree on or after <date of approval of these regulations>.

SCHEDULE

Payments to Examiners

To a referee whose opinion is sought on the proposal (Regulation 6) or on a dissertation (Regulation 10): £45.

To an Examiner for examining and reporting on a dissertation and for taking part in the conduct of an oral examination (Regulation 12): £135.

To an additional Examiner not participating in an oral examination (Regulation 13 or 16): £100.

To the Assessor: £45.

To an Examiner conducting an additional oral examination (Regulation 14): £42.

Each External Examiner shall receive in addition travelling expenses, in accordance with Regulation 12 of the regulations for the Ph.D., M.Sc., and M.Litt. Degrees.

Application fee (Regulation 5): £1,866.

Appendix 3

DOCTOR of MEDICAL SCIENCE (Med.Sc.D.)

1. In order to qualify for the degree of Doctor of Medical Science a candidate shall be required to give proof, in accordance with the provisions of these regulations, of distinction in the science, art, or history of medicine.

2. Any person may apply in accordance with Regulation 6 of these regulations to become a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Medical Science who

either

(a) is of not less than eight years’ standing from admission to her or his first degree of the University,

or

(b) is of not less than eight years’ standing from admission to her or his first degree of some other university and has been admitted

(i) to some office in the University or to a Headship or a Fellowship of a College, and

(ii) to the degree of Master of Arts under Statute B, III, 6 or to a degree of the University by incorporation,

and also holds

either

a medical degree giving entitlement to provisional or full registration with the General Medical Council,

or

a degree recognized by that Council for the purpose of full registration,

or

a medical degree approved by the M.D. Committee for the purpose of candidature.

No person whose candidature has been approved under Regulations 3–6 shall submit any work until five years have elapsed since he or she was admitted

either

to the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery,

or

to the degree of Bachelor of Surgery under Regulation 5 of the special regulations for the conferment of the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery,

or

to a medical degree of another university as defined above.

3. A candidate for the degree by publication shall apply in writing to the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Clinical Medicine, specifying the published works on which her or his claim to the degree is based. He or she shall also submit:

(a) a summary in not more than 500 words of the field of research covered by these works;

(b) an application fee, as specified in the Schedule to these regulations;

(c) a statement that the work to be submitted is not substantially the same as any work that the candidate may have submitted for a degree, diploma, or other qualification at this or any other university.

4. The Degree Committee shall refer each application to the M.D. Committee, who may refer it to one or more assessor for their opinion and advice before deciding that the published work is of outstanding quality and constitutes prima facie evidence of distinction through a substantial and original contribution to the advancement of the science, art, or history of medicine. An assessor so appointed shall receive a fee as specified in the Schedule to these regulations.

5. If the Degree Committee, having been advised by the M.D. Committee, decide that the works submitted do not constitute prima facie a qualification for the degree, a resolution of the Committee to that effect, with the names of those present and voting on either side, shall be communicated to the Secretary of the Board of Graduate Studies, who shall communicate the decision to the candidate. In such a case, £510 out of the fee paid by the candidate under Regulation 3 shall be returned.

6. A candidate whose work has been judged to constitute prima facie a qualification for the degree, shall submit to the Degree Committee, not later than six years after the date of such approval, unless given special permission by the Committee to delay submission until a later date, two copies of the published works on which her or his claim to the degree is based.

7. The Degree Committee shall, on the recommendation of the M.D. Committee, appoint not less than two persons to act as Referees. Each Referee shall submit an independent written report on the works specified in the candidate’s application; these reports shall be treated as confidential documents. Each Referee shall receive a fee, as specified in the Schedule.

8. If after considering the reports of the Referees the Degree Committee are satisfied that the candidate’s work is of the requisite standard for the degree, a resolution of the Committee to that effect, with the names of those present and voting on either side, shall be communicated to the Board of Graduate Studies together with the reports of the Referees.

9. The Board of Graduate Studies shall be the deciding authority on all recommendations for the award of the degree. If the Board of Graduate Studies after receiving such a communication resolve that the degree should be conferred, the Secretary of the Board of Graduate Studies shall publish the name of the candidate as approved for the degree of Doctor of Medical Science. Such a resolution shall not be valid unless passed with the concurrence of the votes, cast at a meeting, of five members of the Board.

10. If after considering the reports of the Referees the Degree Committee are of the opinion that the candidate’s work is not of the requisite standard for the degree, a resolution of the Committee to that effect, with the names of those present and voting on either side, shall be communicated to the Board of Graduate Studies together with the reports of the Referees. The Secretary of the Board shall communicate this decision to the candidate.

11. No candidate for a degree shall be present at the deliberations of the Degree Committee, the M.D. Committee or the Board of Graduate Studies respecting her or his own case.

SCHEDULE

Payments to Examiners

To an assessor (Regulation 4): £42.

To a Referee (Regulation 7): £175.

The Board of Graduate Studies may approve the payment of reasonable expenses incurred by Referees in the execution of their duties.

Application fee (Regulation 3(b)): £582.