Erasmus MC
Erasmus MC

PhD Journey

At Erasmus MC Graduate School we are committed to providing our PhD candidates with the support they need to make their PhD journey an inspiring and successful experience. 

To give you an idea of what our PhD trajectory may look like, we have established a series of steps that PhD candidates will experience while obtaining their PhD. From applying for admission to getting your degree.  

Watch the video or see the PhD Journey overview

PhD Journey video

PhD Journey overview

At Erasmus MC there are different ways to embark on your PhD journey. You can be employed as a PhD candidate or as an employee in a PhD track. Or your PhD is funded with a scholarship, by an external employer or by your own means. Depending on which type of PhD candidate you are, you are either employed by Erasmus MC or have a hospitality agreement. 

To be admitted as a PhD candidate you need to have a Master degree and meet our English language requirements. After your application, our Human Resource department will check all the required documents, such as your diplomas. Your supervisor can register you at Erasmus MC Graduate School. 

You will also be registered in Hora Finita. This is our registration service where all processes related to the PhD journey run through, from admission to preparation for your public defense. Registration in Hora Finita is also needed to sign up for courses and to apply for your defense. 

During your PhD trajectory you are accompanied by three important stakeholders. First, there is your supervisory team of at least two supervisors. These are the most important people for your research and will guide you in doing it. 

Second, you are part of a research group or department and work alongside other PhD candidates, researchers, or clinicians.

Third, you will be part of the Erasmus MC Graduate School, the hub for PhD programs and research masters to train and educate world-class biomedical academics. Erasmus MC Graduate school supports you throughout your entire journey. 

In the first three months of your PhD trajectory, you are obliged to fill in a Training and Supervision plan (TSP) together with your supervisory team and submit it to Hora Finita. The TSP serves as a guideline throughout your trajectory and helps to define mutual expectations of you and your supervisors. 

You will spend most of your days conducting research and writing papers. Some PhD candidates are working in the lab, collecting data or performing clinical work. As a PhD candidate, you can follow free courses organized by Erasmus MC Graduate School, attend conferences and seminars and be active in teaching, so you can develop yourself as an academic. 

After approximately 4 years, you are in the last phase of your PhD journey. All your hard work paid off­ and your thesis is complete. Your supervisors are responsible for assessing your final thesis.

After their approval, the assessment committee decides whether you can defend your thesis. This means you will give a 15-minute presentation, followed by a 45-minute discussion with the doctoral committee.

When starting a PhD position at Erasmus MC, there are some guidelines for your trajectory. You can find more information about the rules and regulations here.

The graduation process requires a PhD candidate to go through a number of steps, like starting the process, submitting the manuscript, submitting the title page, requesting a defense date. Please find more information and a brief overview of the timeline for the graduation process here. We also recommend viewing the Hora Finita manual for PhD candidates for a more comprehensive timeline with a description of the responsibilities of all those involved in the PhD track. Please consult the Hora Finita page.

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