نظرة عامة على البرنامج

---

Doctoral Program in Medicine and Surgery

Description of the Program

The Official Doctoral Program in Medicine and Surgery is a continuation of the Doctoral Program in Medicine and Surgery (1393/2007), which was established by combining the research lines of various departments of the Faculty of Medicine, specifically the departments of Pathological Anatomy, Surgery, Nursing, Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry. These lines were previously included in earlier Doctoral Programs under the RD 778/1998 plan.

One of the fundamental requirements of healthcare for the development of high-quality clinical activity is the research training of its professionals, enabling them to respond to questions generated during their clinical practice. Similarly, the participation of nursing professionals in clinical research as a tool for care and development is highly relevant. Thus, the involvement of these groups in research becomes a guarantee of better patient care. In this sense, the study of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying diseases could be key to advancing the discovery of new therapies and their diagnostic and prognostic methodologies. Teaching, research, and care are, therefore, three interrelated key components of excellent clinical practice, whose final beneficiaries are patients and society.

The justification for the Doctoral Program in Medicine and Surgery is based on two fundamental aspects: (1) the need to train research personnel in various areas of healthcare, biomedicine, and nursing, and (2) the extensive research experience and training of research personnel by the faculty of the departments of Pathological Anatomy, Surgery, Nursing, Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry at UAM, which form the core of the Doctoral Program.

In addition to the other five doctoral programs included in the proposal for the map of doctoral degrees RD 99/2011 of the Faculty of Medicine at UAM, a program specifically designed to address the healthcare needs of medicine and nursing professionals is required. In fact, the student body enrolled in the Medicine and Surgery Program is very broad, being the largest of all the Doctoral Programs at the Faculty. The vast majority of those who enroll correspond to medicine and surgery professionals with healthcare activity, belonging to hospitals attached to the Faculty of Medicine at UAM, and a large majority are currently undergoing specialized training. The rest of the enrollments that access the Program are students from Nursing, Biology, Nutrition, and similar areas.

Basic Data of the Title

• Coordinating University: Universidad Aut¾noma de Madrid
• RUCT code:
• ISCED Codes: 721 Medicine; 720 Health
• Implementation academic course:
• New entry positions: 150
• Teaching languages: Spanish; English

Title Coordination

• Coordination: Lorenzo Gonzßlez, ėscar
• Composition of the Academic Commission: [Available for download]

Research Lines

Investigators of the Program

The program's investigators can be consulted [online] or in the downloads section at the end of this page.

Research Lines

1. Bases and mechanisms of disease or therapeutic response: Research in this line is based on understanding the main physiological and pathological bases and mechanisms involved in the development, course, and treatment of diseases.
2. Clinical evaluation, diagnosis, or prognosis of pathologies: This line encompasses research focused on developing techniques or therapies that contribute to improving prevention, diagnosis, and/or treatment of diseases.
3. Pathophysiological foundations of development: This line of work will consider theses related to research in Child and Adolescent Health.
4. Research in psychiatry, medical humanities, and medical psychology: Research in this line focuses on various areas such as medical humanities, healthy aging, suicidal behavior, well-being, social determinants and health inequalities, the application of interventions based on "mindfulness," and nursing care for mental health disorders (affective, psychotic, hyperactivity), among others.
5. Molecular pathology in Pathological Anatomy: This line primarily includes research focused on the etiopathogenesis of cancer and the cellular and molecular mechanisms of development, metastasis, and resistance to treatment.
6. Surgical research: Research in this line is based on understanding the main surgical techniques and procedures for the treatment or prevention of diseases.
7. Perinatal medicine: This line will include theses related to research in Maternal-Fetal Health, Nutrition, and neonatal diseases.

Access

Requirements for Access

This program does not have additional specific requirements.

Recommended Profile

• Have a university degree that, after obtaining a place in specialized health training, has passed at least two years of training in a program for obtaining an official title in one of the health science specialties.
• Students who have completed a degree in Nursing and an official master's degree.
• Students who have completed a degree in Physiotherapy, Biology, Biochemistry, Human Nutrition and Dietetics, or related areas, and have completed an official master's degree in the field of biomedicine.

In these profiles, the completion of adequate theoretical content and research orientation is contemplated, although they do not require additional training. An adequate level of English is also recommended, considering a minimum recommended level of B2.

Other access profiles will be considered by the Academic Commission of the Doctorate and will normally require additional training.

Admission

Admission Criteria

The Academic Commission of the Doctoral Program in Medicine and Surgery will analyze the applications of candidates who meet the access profile, evaluating the following aspects and merits for their selection according to the following criteria:

• Presentation of the Direction's Endorsement (requirement).
• Academic record of undergraduate and master's studies (70% of the total score).
• Level of English knowledge (15%).
• Other merits of the candidate (15%). Especially valued aspects include having completed research stays in Spanish or foreign centers, participation in scientific communications at national and international conferences, and authorship in scientific publications such as books or specialized journals.

Documentation to be Presented

• The application for admission will be made through the telematic platform SIGMA (consult instructions for application and procedure).
• Direction's Endorsement of the Thesis: As a specific requirement of the doctoral program, a brief justification of the proposed research study, as well as the research line to which it adheres and the designation of professors/investigators who will direct or collaborate in the proposal, and the involved centers, must be indicated. In the case of co-direction, at least one of the co-directors must be a PDI at UAM. The director/co-directors must sign this letter to guarantee their commitment to the work.
• Academic record of undergraduate and master's studies.
• Level of English knowledge. It will be positively valued to provide documentation accrediting the candidate's level. The maximum score in this section will be obtained with a C1 level duly accredited.
• Other merits of the candidate. Especially valued are research stays in Spanish or foreign centers, participation in national and international conferences, and authorship in scientific publications such as books or specialized journals.

Planification

Specific Activities

From their enrollment, the doctoral student must register all activities performed in an individualized document generated in the UAM's academic management system SIGMA (Document of Doctoral Student Activities/DAD). This DAD will be evaluated annually by the Academic Commission of the Doctoral Program.

Formatives Activities of the Doctoral Program in Medicine and Surgery

TUTELA TC	TUTELA TP	FORMATIVA ACTIVITY	CHARACTER	HOURS
All	All	Clinical and research seminars, organized by Departments, Clinical Services, and Health Research Institutes	Optional*	Variable
All	All	Attendance at conferences, meetings, and training courses	Optional*	Variable
All	All	Presentation of works at national or international scientific conferences	Optional*	Variable
All	All	Presentation of formal seminars	Optional*	Variable
All	All	Preparation of scientific articles	Optional*	Variable
All	All	Research stays in national and foreign centers	Optional*	Variable

*The realization of these activities is optional on an individual basis, but in conjunction, they are obligatory.

Thesis Doctoral

Thesis Doctoral

Following the RD 576/2023 regulation, before the final thesis deposit date, the doctoral student must upload the required documentation to the Sigma platform (online thesis deposit):

• The final version of the thesis in PDF format.
• The article(s) published where the doctoral student appears as the preferred author (first or last place, or corresponding author). The doctoral student must be the main author of at least one original article published in journals of at least quartile 4 in the area of work (listed in JCR or SJR), related to the thesis topic, with a date after enrollment in the Program, and in which their director/co-directors appear in the authorship. It is also considered accepted if the acceptance email from the journal is provided. The minimum quality requirements (number of publications and/or journal classification quartile) may be periodically modified to improve the Program's quality indicators. The student must adjust to these requirements at the time of thesis deposit, regardless of their enrollment date.
• The proposal for the tribunal, taking into account the following indications: The tribunal will consist of 5 full members and 2 alternates. No more than two members of the same public or private institution may be part of it. In any case, the tribunal will be formed by a majority of members external to the Universidad Aut¾noma de Madrid and the institutions collaborating in the Program. The director/co-directors of the thesis may not be part of the tribunal, nor may the tutor, except in cases of theses presented under bilateral co-tutelage agreements with foreign universities that provide for this. It is required in all cases that the secretary be a member of the Universidad Aut¾noma de Madrid, who will assume responsibility for documentary management with the Doctoral School. At least one of the alternate members must be a professor who carries out their activity in the Community of Madrid. For all members of the tribunal, it is necessary to include a document of suitability, highlighting research experience and relation to the thesis through a selection of publications.
• The Report of the Thesis Director (in the case of a director and co-director, two reports or one signed by both will be sent).

The thesis and article will undergo an external review process by two external experts to UAM, who will issue a report (favorable or unfavorable) within a maximum period of 30 working days. If they are favorable, the coordinator of the Academic Commission of the Doctoral Program in Medicine and Surgery will review the proposal for the tribunal and the director's/co-directors' report to draft a final conclusive report to request corrections from the doctoral student or for the thesis deposit.

Quality Assurance

Quality Commission

Members of the Quality Assurance Commission

Position	Institution	Name	Line
President. Coordinator PhD	UAM	Lorenzo Gonzßlez, ėscar	Medicine
Secretary	UAM	Gonzßlez Peramato, Pilar	Pathological Anatomy
Vocal	UAM	Bartha Rasero, Josķ Luis	Obstetrics and Gynecology
Vocal	UAM	Cabello Salmer¾n, MarĒa (delegate of Marta Miret)	Psychiatry
Vocal	UAM	Calzada GarcĒa, M¬ Josķ	Medicine
Vocal	UAM	Frago Fernßndez, Laura M¬	Pediatrics
Vocal	UAM	MartĒn Pķrez, Elena	Surgery
Vocal	UAM	Rubio Campal, Josķ Manuel (delegate of M¬ Luisa GarcĒa)	Medicine
Vocal	UAM	Serrano Gallardo, Pilar	Nursing
Vocal	UAM	Fernßndez Allen, Josķ Antonio	Surgery
Representative of doctoral students	UAM	Mariscal, Pablo	Medicine
Representative of doctoral students	UAM	Madrid, Paloma	Nursing
Representative of doctoral students	UAM	Blanco Teres, Lara	Surgery
Representative of PTGAS	UAM	Sßnchez GarcĒa, Alicia

Internal Operation Regulations of the Academic Commission and Quality Assurance Commission

Improvement Actions

SUMMARY OF THE MAIN IMPROVEMENT ACTIONS AFTER INTERNAL FOLLOW-UP OF THE COURSE

Criterion	Improvement Action	Responsible	Implementation
Organization and Functioning	Include the endorsement of a researcher as a possible director of the doctoral thesis in the admission process of future doctoral students, in accordance with the consolidated text of RD 99/2011	CA	Course
Information and Transparency	Include a chronogram or flowchart of the doctoral process in the Program on the web	CA and EDUAM	Course
Internal Quality Assurance System	Programming of annual informative sessions/videos on the evaluation process for the three figures participating in the doctorate; doctoral student, director, and tutor	CA and EDUAM	Course

CA: Academic Commission

EDUAM: Doctoral School of the Autonomous University of Madrid