Originally, the dissertation was intended as preparation for the oral examination (disputatio). In the 19th century, its importance in several European countries increasingly shifted to the written work. The guidelines for dissertations varied and still vary according to university tradition and legal framework.

Medical dissertations have a long history. For centuries there have been debates about the relationship between theory and practice in medical education. A doctorate promised better career opportunities and a higher income for doctors, but there has also been criticism of "diploma mills" with low requirements. For example, the European Research Council (ERC) does not recognise the German medical doctorate (Dr. med.) as proof of independent research. Plagiarism, authorship and good scientific practice continue to be controversial topics.

The conference aims to examine medical dissertations in a historical context, for example their origins, development and reception in Europe. Questions of expertise, research ethics and influence in medicine will also be discussed.

The Scientific Committee cordially invites you to submit abstracts of research work in connection with dissertations. The following topics, for example, are of interest:

• Careers in medicine
• Inequality
• Authorship
• Plagiarism/scientific fraud
• networks
• digital humanities
• Policies, practices and rituals
• Trends over time
• Language change in science
• university history
• academic styles
• gender
• social/scientific influence of dissertations
• politics
• the public image of dissertations
• links between the history of medicine and related disciplines

Information at a glance

• What: XX Biannual Conference of the German-Polish Society for the History of Medicine
• Where: Schloss Mickeln, Düsseldorf
• When: 4 and 5 September 2025
• Submissions - deadline 15 February 2025
• More information