On 14. February 2002 the new graduation order of the Faculty of Medicine was issued which came into force on 1. April 2002. Since then the complete graduation procedure has been taken over by the Faculty of Medicine.

For the correct operational sequence of the graduation procedures the graduation committee of the Faculty of Medicine respectively the chairman of the Faculty (the dean) is responsible.

The contact persons for the doctoral candidates during the graduation procedure are the co-workers of the graduation office who are assigned by the dean.

Note:
With starting a thesis, which will contain biometrical study, the graduate is well advised to consult Professor Hilgers, head of the Institute for medical statistics.
In the course of the preparative procedures, i.e. before completing the doctoral thesis a "report about subject and status-quo of the thesis" should be received by he Deanery.
This so-called "theme protection" has to be signed by the tutor. The appropriate form is available at the Deanery. 

The individual steps of the procedure are fixed in the graduation order of the Faculty of Medicine (14 February 2002 ,§ § 10-16). One can describe the procedure in summary as following:

1. Submitting an application for admission to graduation
After consultation with the tutor and completion of the thesis you address an application for admission to graduation to the dean of the Faculty of Medicine of the RWTH Aachen. A leaflet (available also at the Deanery) informs you about the application mode and the demanded attachments.

2. Opening of the graduation procedure
If your application is available at the Deanery completely with all documents, your graduation procedure will be opened officially. You receive a notice in writing about the opening of the procedure, in which your two experts are nominated. At the same time your two experts are written in by the Deanery with the request to furnish a marked opinion. The experts have to work out this appraisal within a period of three months.

3. Displaying of the thesis to the Faculty of Medicine
After the requested appraisals are received by the Deanery your thesis has to be displayed for 2 weeks (during the lecture time) respectively for 4 weeks (during the lecture-free time) at the Faculty. (The display to the Faculty is organised only once a month for all received applications because of the large number of graduation procedures). After the display period is completed the oral examination can take place.
If your thesis is displayed to the faculty you receive a notice in writing about the expiration of the time limit for appeal in your case. After expiration of the time limit for appeal you can make an appointment with your experts for the oral examination. Closer details about the procedure of scheduling you will get with the notification about the display of the thesis to the faculty. Please communicate the agreement upon an examination date to the graduation office in writing at least 4 weeks before the day of examination. The date with the chairman of the examination will be appointed by the graduation office. The fixed date will be communicated to you at least 10 days before in writing.

4. Oral examination
The day of your oral examination you will receive all needed documents of examination as well as practical notes about preparation and publication of your thesis.

5. The doctors document
If the obligated printouts which are delivered to the Deanery and the University Library correspond to the requirements of the Faculty of Medicine your doctors document will be executed. With the receipt of that document the graduation procedure is completed.

Graduation celebration
An official graduation celebration is organised by the Faculty of Medicine in the autumn yearly, to which the graduates of the previous year receive a written invitation.

• Deanery of the Faculty of Medicine
  Pauwelsstrasse 30
  52074 Aachen

• Contact person: 
  Andrea Meister
  University Hospital, 2. floor, corridor A, room 36
  Tel.: +49 241 80-89168
  Fax: +49 241 80- 82470
  Email: ameister@ukaachen.de

• Consultation-hour, generally 
  Tuesday and Thursday: 14.00 - 15.30 h

• Consultation-hour to submit the application for admission to graduation
  Wednesday: 14.00 -16.00 h