Rīga Stradiņš University

PhD in Health Care (Sub-programmes: Medicine, Pharmacy, Psychology)

Compulsory research component

• Publications in internationally peer-reviewed scientific journals or confirmation of acceptance for publication,
• Publication in Latvian peer-reviewed scientific journal or confirmation of acceptance for publication,
• Peer-reviewed proceedings of international conferences and congresses (at least 3 pages),
• Oral report or presentation on the topic of the doctoral thesis at an international congress or conference,
• Oral report or presentation on the topic of the doctoral thesis at a local congress or conference,
• Abstracts for an international congress or seminar,
• Abstracts for a local congress or seminar,
• International patent,
• Latvian patent,
• Scientific monograph (authored),
• Section in a scientific monograph

By the end of the studies, you must have at least two publications on the topic of your doctoral thesis published in internationally peer-reviewed scientific journals, or one publication published in an internationally peer-reviewed scientific journal and one monograph indexed in SCOPUS, Web of Science or included in the ERIH + database.

Compulsory education component

• Pedagogy of Higher Education Institutions (the course title will change in the 2023/2024 academic year)
• Doctoral student seminar: Methodology and Methods of Writing the Doctoral Thesis
• Doctoral student seminar: Writing a Doctoral Thesis
• Pedagogical Work
• Doctoral Exam in a Foreign Language
• Doctoral Exam in the Field
• Health Care and Research Ethics
• Research Methodology
• Philosophy and Logic of Science
• Scientific Writing and Scientific Communication
• Dissemination of Knowledge

Restricted elective component

Students must select courses amounting to a total of 8-12 credit points.

Restricted elective courses can be substituted with elective courses amounting to no more than 4 credit points.

• Epidemiology I
• Epidemiology II
• Civil Defence and Environmental Protection
• Participation in Projects Related to Topic of Doctoral Thesis
• Participation in Projects Related to Topic of Doctoral Thesis II
• Information Literacy in Science
• Big Data in Biomedicine
• Qualitative Research Methods I
• Qualitative Research Methods II
• Methods of Mathematical Statistics in Health Sciences I
• Methods of Mathematical Statistics in Health Sciences II
• Methods of Mathematical Statistics in Health Sciences III
• Multivariate Statistics and Modelling in Psychology I
• Multivariate Statistics and Modelling in Psychology II
• Contemporary Trends in Psychology and Interdisciplinary Approach in the Context of Healthcare I
• Contemporary Trends in Psychology and Interdisciplinary Approach in the Context of Healthcare II
• Scientific English for Health Care Research

Elective component

Students must select courses amounting to a total of 0-4 credit points.

Elective courses can be substituted with restricted elective courses amounting to no more than 4 credit points

• Human Functioning, Disability and Health
• Human Rights and Labour Rights
• Achievements in Pharmacology
• Use of Laboratory Animals in Scientific Research
• Contemporary Cardiology
• Modelling of Rational Choice
• Language, Spatial Cognition and Communication
• Sociology of Health and Medicine
• Vertical Integration Project Psychological Help
• Guest Lecturer Course
• Visual Perception: Methodologies and Approaches
• Writing of Scientific Papers / Scientific Language and other level 8 courses

The Doctoral Degree (PhD) in Health Care (Sub-programmes: Medicine, Pharmacy, Psychology) typically requires a total of 176 credit points or 264 ECTS.

Skills and competences

• To analyse and explain current scientific theories and modern research methods,
• To integrate knowledge and competences from interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary education into the implementation of original scientific projects and academic work in a complementary way,
• To develop original research independently in the field using contemporary scientific methodology and digital technology,
• To critically assess and disseminate research results through presentations at conferences and via internationally cited scientific articles, thus contributing to solving human health issues, expanding the boundaries of knowledge, and providing new insights into existing knowledge and its application in practice,
• To carry out scientific communication in the national and international scientific sphere in the field of one’s scientific activity, involving organisations and consortia, as well as the general public, including academic work in the fields of medicine, pharmacy, and psychology in line with modern pedagogical developments, ensuring the integration of research and academic work,
• To improve scientific qualifications independently and carry out or manage research or development projects in companies, institutions, and organisations meeting the international criteria set in the field,
• To continuously improve communication, argumentation, collaboration, problem-solving, digital, and other widely used skills that are essential for the development of interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary research.