Excellence in PhD dissertations in health professions education: Toward standards and expectations

Figures & data

Table 1. Criteria for PhD dissertations related to characteristics of PhD degrees.

	a	b	c	d	e	f
1. Size
2. Breadth or research skills exhibited	X	X
3. Coherence of studies	X	X	X			X
4. Relevance	X		X	X
5. Validity of conclusions		X		X
6. Style, communicative power and ethics		X			X	X
7. Impact			X		X	X

a. Systematic understanding of a field of study.

b. Ability to conceive, design, implement research with scholarly integrity.

c. Contributing knowledge through original work, meriting (inter)national publication.

d. Capable of critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis of new and complex ideas.

e. Communicating with their peers, the larger scholarly community and society in general about their areas of expertise.

f. Able to promote, within academic and professional contexts, technological, social or cultural advancement in a knowledge based society.