Candidate of Medicine

Candidate of Medicine (Latin: candidatus medicinae (male), candidata medicinae (female), abbreviated cand.med.) is an academic degree awarded in Denmark, Iceland and Norway following a six-year medical school education.

The degree can also be written as candidatus/candidata medicinæ (Æ instead of AE). In Danish and Norwegian, the degree is, similar to other Latin degrees, generally not capitalized (i.e. it's written as candidatus/candidata medicinae and abbreviated cand.med.). The abbreviation of the Latin term is almost exclusively used, i.e. they are not translated.

The term candidate refers to those running for public office in Ancient Rome. Traditionally, many doctors (and lawyers) in Denmark and Norway would hold positions directly appointed by the King.

In Denmark and Norway, a research doctorate or a higher doctorate of medicine is known as dr.med. (doctor medicinae, literally, Doctor of Medicine). In order to be allowed to defend a dr.med. thesis, one must hold a cand.med. degree. In Denmark, there are currently two research doctorates that can be obtained in the field of medicine, the PhD (the smaller doctorate) and the dr.med. (the higher doctorate). Dr.med. was abolished in Norway in 2008 and replaced by the PhD.