PhD Program Schools of Veterinary Medicine

Schools of Veterinary Medicine

The Vetsuisse School emerged from the fusion of the two departments of veterinary medicine of Bern and Zurich on 1 September 2006.

The merger serves quality assurance in research, instruction and service as well as Switzerland’s international competitive capability in veterinary medicine.

The Schools of Veterinary Medicine offers a four-year postgraduate course leading to a PhD degree. The course is intended for veterinary graduates interested in a career in biomedical research. The program includes practical training, lectures and a research project in any of the nonclinical areas represented at the Veterinary Faculties of the Universities of Berne and Zurich. These include biochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology, bacteriology, virology, immunology, pathology, parasitology and genetics. Research projects may also be carried out at outside institutions, such as the Institute of Virology and Immunoprophylaxis located at Mittelhäusern near Bern.

Formal training will take approximately 20% of the time, thus enabling the participants to carry out an internationally competitive research project in the remaining time. The research project will be supervised by two independent supervisors and the participants will be evaluated annually by the PhD committee.

Contact your prospective supervisor and inquire about open positions. Admission to the program is based on submission of a CV and an outline of the planned research project. Your CV should include proof of graduation, with the grades achieved during the undergraduate years, and a letter of recommendation from one of the supervisors directly responsible for directing your research project. Supervisors are requested to provide proof of financial support for the research project and the PhD student. The financial support for participants should equal the level for doctoral students as proscribed by the Swiss National Science Foundation.

Applications should be sent to the President of the PhD Committee

Prof. Dr. A. Zurbriggen

Institute of Animal Neurology

University of Bern

Bremgartenstr. 109a

3012 Bern

Switzerland

+41-31-631-25-09