PhD opportunity in General Practice
Exciting research opportunities exist with a newly funded NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence: The National Centre for Antimicrobial Stewardship (NCAS). The NCAS will take a “One Health” approach to examining antimicrobial use in animal and human health. The research streams span all human healthcare sectors: general practice; rural/regional, public tertiary and private hospitals; and the aged care sector. The research will take a translational approach using mixed methods. A key focus will be to examine the use of antibiotics in the community and in general practice and to identify and understand the factors that influence their prescription.
The Centre is based in the new Peter Doherty Institute, Carlton, Victoria and will partner with members of the Institute including the Melbourne Health Antimicrobial Research Group, Guidance, VICNISS and MDU; the Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Melbourne; Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University; Department of General Practice, Monash University; and the NSW Centre for Clinical Excellence. We will work closely with the National Prescribing Service and the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in HealthCare.
As part of the research program involving the examination of antibiotic prescribing in the community and in general practice, we are offering a PhD scholarship to be administered by Monash University. The scholarship is on a full-time basis for three years. It is for a candidate to complete a PhD examining antibiotic prescribing practices within the general practice setting. The doctoral program will use a mixed methods approach that will include quantitative analysis of general practice data and qualitative interviews with GPs, with the aim of examining the patterns of antibiotic use and adherence to guidelines in general practice and improving our understanding of the factors that influence antibiotic prescribing in this setting. The ultimate aim is to inform the development of an intervention to guide GP decision-making at the point of care and to provide general education. The successful candidate will be a member of NCAS and will work in a multidisciplinary environment involving consumers, doctors, pharmacists and nurses.
All interested applicants will be required to submit a CV with 2 – 3 referees and transcripts of academic records. Those interested will need to have the appropriate background in healthcare or health services such as medicine, pharmacy, primary health care, allied health, and health sciences, and must be familiar with the Australian healthcare system. Closing date for applications is Friday, 16th October 2015. Applicants will be short-listed for an interview to occur around September / October, with an offer made to the successful candidate shortly thereafter.
For further information about this position or to find out about other research opportunities in general practice, please contact:
Professor Danielle Mazza
Head of Department of General Practice, Monash University
Phone: 03 99024496
Email: danielle.mazza@monash.edu