First Year PhD Students

• Complete The University of Adelaide Post Graduate Student Induction
• Complete The School of Medicine Post Graduate Student Induction (usually held in late March)
• Complete OH&S Training. Please contact Betty Reinboth

To complete the Core Component in The School of Medicine you are required to:

• Attend the University and the School Postgraduate Student Induction sessions
• Complete OH&S Training
• Regularly attend The School of Medicine Seminar Series
• Present an introductory research seminar
• Submit your research proposal on the Faculty of Health Sciences Research Proforma
• Submit a GANTT Chart - GANTT Chart completed Example)
• Lodge the "Completion of the Core Component of the Structured Program" form and all other required documentation with the Graduate Centre
• You must submit a signed Student Project Participation Agreement (SPPA) form (more information is outlined below)

International students are required to complete the appropriate components of the Integrated Bridging Program (IBP) as part of the Core Component of the Structured Program.

• Complete a review of the literature to a standard satisfactory to your supervisors
• Complete a Major Review of Progress with the Candidature Confirmation Review Committee (CCRC) at 12 months candidature. This committee will comprise all supervisors, the School Postgraduate Coordinator and at least one discipline expert (usually the current Discipline Postgraduate Coordinator or additional experts if recommended)

School of Medicine Seminar Series

The School of Medicine conducts a seminar series on Mondays and Fridays at 1pm, with lunch available from 12.45pm. Seminars are held in a variety of rooms as indicated on the Seminar Series website. The seminar program provides the opportunity for students to meet other scientists and see them present their research on topics that cover a broad range of subjects. It is important that students in Medical Sciences are exposed to a broad range of research in areas different to their own in order to balance the very narrow focus of their own PhD research. Thus it is compulsory that you attend these seminars.

 

The Research Seminar

Students are required to give a research seminar within the first six months. The seminar must go for 25 minutes plus questions. The background to your research topic, hypothesis and aims, methodology and any preliminary results should be included.

 

Intellectual Property

In the absence of an employment relationship between yourself and the University, you own the intellectual property (IP) generated by your research. However, it is important to remember that any IP you generate will frequently be the product of a complex interaction between you, your supervisor(s) and third parties as part of a research team. For the protection of the rights of all participants, the University requires that you sign a Student Project Participation Agreement (SPPA) to assign your IP rights to the University if you are engaged in research where:

 

• the IP is likely to have or has commercial potential
• the project builds upon pre-existing University IP or
• the project is being carried out for, or in conjunction with, a third party (e.g. a CRC, company, funding body)

It is important to be aware that in most cases, if you choose not to assign your IP to the University, your research proposal will not be approved and you will be asked to choose another project in an area that is not commercially sensitive.

When you sign an SPPA, a twelve-month embargo will be placed on both the paper and electronic versions of your thesis from the time of submission. Where necessary, authorisation to extend the period of the embargos will be provided by the Research Education and Development Committee on the advice of Adelaide Research & Innovation (Pty Ltd).

Further information regarding intellectual property, including the University's policy and the relevant forms can be obtained here:

• Forms and Information: Intellectual Property

Review of the Literature

The literature review will usually be a comprehensive analysis of the research area of interest summarizing and critically analysing the relevant literature, identifying key issues and deficiencies in the research field, and establishing an adequate theoretical framework for the research topic. There should be no factual errors or incorrect interpretation of the literature. Where appropriate, the school strongly recommends that your literature review be submitted for publication and therefore should be written in a format that is suitable for publishing in a relevant journal in your research field. Students should consult with their supervisors and/or the Postgraduate Coordinators at an early stage to discuss whether or not their literature review may be suitable for publication. The general layout is as follows:

 

• Title page
• Index
• Introduction
• Body of Literature Review
• Conclusions, including hypothesis and aims of the research proposal
• References

The review should be free of typographical errors with the references appropriately cited in the text and the reference list. Author date or numbered citations are both acceptable. References should include the full title and appropriate journal abbreviation as used in Index Medicus or as per the instructions to authors for the journal you prepare your review for. While the length of the literature review varies depending on the topic and journal format required for publishing, most reviews would be between 20 and 50 pages (double spaced A4) with at least 100 references. The inclusion of diagrams or figures that are relevant to the literature review is encouraged.