Doctral Course

General Information

Education at the Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences

Dramatic developments in life sciences research that began in the latter half of the  20th century such as gene analysis , life information sciences and bioinformatics have greatly transformed medicine and medical care and dentistry and dental health care in the 21st century. Initiatives for practical application such as the  development of new medicine fields, including gene therapy and regenerative medicine  based on the application of life sciences research and also the development of genome based drug discovery and biofunction assistive technology, are becoming a reality. For the development of medicine and dentistry studies collaboration and mergers with affiliated fields such as science, engineering and pharmacy are also being pursued.
The Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences fosters  individuals who have acquired knowledge and specialized techniques in medicine, dentistry and health care. The graduate school doctoral program comprises of two departments, the Specialization in Advanced Therapeutic Sciences that focuses on the promotion of advanced medical technology  and the Specialization in Health Science that focus on the promotion of disease prevention and management.

Educational Goals

The doctoral program aims to foster researchers, medical specialists, and educators who contribute to  the development of medicine and dentistry in local and international communities. Through the following research activities in each specialization students acquire the abilities to plan, implement and disseminate research of an international standard and additionally continue to question the social meaning of research from a broad perspective aiming to become individuals who possess a cooperative  attitude and ethical standards to promote collaborative research.
Specialization in Health Science: This specialization fosters preventive, diagnostic and treatment systems and technical systems through comprehensive etiology and pathology by integrating  clinical research and basic research focusing on disease prevention related to various problems in society and to the relationship between the environment and the population including population issues related to diseases (lifestyle etc.) based on a fundamental understanding of biological phenomena.
Specialization in Advanced Therapeutic Sciences: The department promotes the development of advanced medical technology and clinical applications through collaboration between basic medicine and clinical medicine in medical studies and dentistry, and by incorporating the rapidly advancing achievements in basic medicine as translational research in clinical medicine.
The specialization especially promotes the development of advanced medical treatment such as regenerative medicine, transplantation medicine, and gene therapy or personalized medical care and Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) by utilizing highly advanced technology such as the latest genetic engineering, bioengineering and nanotechnology.

Admission Policy

Profile of Candidates Sought

1. Individuals who aim to be excellent researchers  who are internationally active or specialists with expert knowledge and techniques  
2. Individuals who are motivated to acquire advanced  knowledge and techniques in each specialization and conduct research for the development of medicine, dentistry, and health care 
3. Individuals who can communicate actively as members of international communities and have an interest in different fields and cultures
4. Individuals who possess basic academic abilities and their respective specialized fields as are acquired to complete the six year course in medical, dentistry and veterinary science or the Master's course
5. Individuals interested in the various problems of local and international communities related to their specialized field and possess the attitude of learning independently
6. Individuals with a strong will to discover, explore and resolve problems on their own

Prerequisites for Admission

1. Basic academic abilities and knowledge and techniques in their specialized fields as are required to complete the six-year course in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science or the Master's course
2. Basic knowledge and techniques for conducting research or an understanding of advanced medical care and research development
3.  English language skills required for reading international academic papers in the specialized field and disseminating research results
4.  The attitude of learning independently and an interest in various issues of local and international communities related to their specialized fields
5. A strong will to discover, explore and resolve problems on their own

Basic Policy for Selection of New Entrants

 Candidates meeting the specified application requirements are evaluated based on Application documents and examination of academic achievement test (foreign language: English), results of interview for the basic academic abilities and basic research abilities that will allow them to successfully complete the six-year course in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary science and other Master's course

Curriculum Policy

1. The curriculum provides specialized subjects and integrated, interdisciplinary subjects to help students to acquire research abilities, advanced specialized knowledge, bioethics, research ethics, communication skills, that are required to become educators and highly specialized medical care professionals and research leaders in medicine and dentistry
2. The curriculum provides education to nurture advanced research abilities with the goal of exploring medicine and dentistry and developing health care  through the integration of basic research and planning and implementing research that utilizes highly advanced technologies
3. The curriculum provides subjects that enable the acquisition of broad knowledge and high expertise that contributes to the development of international community and revitalization of local communities and detailed research guidance in accordance with research and professional ethics
4. The curriculum provides research guidance that promotes collaborative research both within and outside the university and that nurtures broad international perspective

Diploma Policy

 The doctoral degree is awarded to individuals who have been enrolled for the specified period and obtained the required credits for completion, have acquired the following abilities and have passed the review conducted by this graduate school.
1. The ability to implement and plan new, original research directly linked to  prevention and treatment of disease in humans, conservation of environment and development of society
2. The ability to take on the role of leading advanced specialized fields by disseminating research findings and internationality
3. To possess a wide range of perspectives, high ethical standards and a sense of responsibility as well as the ability to contribute to the development of local and international communities by  conducting research in compliance with regulations and various guidelines
4. The ability to contribute to the promotion of pioneering medical care and  public health as advanced medical care professionals in the training course for advanced medical specialist of cancer therapy and care in remote islands and areas,the research course for chronic viral diseases, and the training course for advanced dental specialist

Outline of the Global Course (Doctoral Course) for Medical and Dental Sciences

Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences has made social contributions to various countries around the world with its laboratories and medical departments playing a central role in implementing numerous initiatives to conduct joint research and to accept international students. Taking full advantage of these experiences, Kagoshima University will establish the “Global PhD Course for Medical and Dental Sciences” as a regular course for international students starting in the 2019 school year. The most distinctive feature of this course is its all-English curriculum to earn a degree.

Objective

This course is designed to cultivate researchers, medical specialists, and educators who can contribute to the development of medical and dental sciences in the international community. Through research activities in each field listed below, the aim is for students to develop cooperative attitudes toward promoting joint research and moral values by acquiring the ability to plan, conduct, and present research that meets international standards, while continuously seeking to understand the social importance of research with broader perspectives.

Features of Educational Content

In this course, research guidance in each research field and common lecture subjects are generally conducted in English. In addition, for international students whose native language is other than English, many lecture courses such as Life Science English and Life Science Writing in English are offered to teach basic English language skills.

Contact Information

 Administration Office, Kagoshima University
Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences
Address: Sakuragaoka 8-35-1, Kagoshima City 890-8544, Japan
Telephone: +81-99-275-5120
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences Handbook

pdfKagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences Handbook