PhD Scholarship – Development of a digital intervention to support women undergoing medical abortion
Job No.: 674530
Location: 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
Employment Type: Full-time
Duration: 3-year fixed-term appointment
Remuneration: The successful applicant will receive a tax-free stipend, at the current value of $36,063 per annum 2025 full-time rate, as per the Monash Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend www.monash.edu/study/fees-scholarships/scholarships/find-a-scholarship/research-training-program-scholarship#scholarship-details
- Be inspired, every day
- Drive your own learning at one of the world’s top 80 universities
- Take your career in exciting, rewarding directions
About the project
Medical abortion (using mifepristone and misoprostol to end a pregnancy) is a safe and effective method to end early pregnancies and a less invasive option than surgical abortion. This essential care can be provided by general practitioners either in person or via telehealth, which makes it a more accessible option for many women in Australia.
With the increasing use of medical abortion and the option of delivering this care via telehealth, there is a need to support women through this process, particularly after the procedure. This support may include answering common questions regarding the procedure (e.g. what to expect during the procedure, what happens after the procedure, follow-up appointments, and self-care at home).
Digital apps are increasingly being used by women for health support and may be a useful adjunct to the provision of medical abortion in primary care. This project will involve conducting a systematic review of current apps that support any stage of medical abortion. Qualitative interviews with women who have recently undergone a medical abortion will be conducted to identify common questions and concerns. The app will be co-designed with consumers, clinicians and stakeholders in medical abortion care delivery and piloted before wider dissemination.
SPHERE and Monash University
The successful candidate will be part of a multidisciplinary cohort of researchers and students based at the SPHERE NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health in Primary Care. SPHERE’s focus is on improving access to and the quality of women’s sexual and reproductive health care services particularly in the areas of preconception care, contraception, medical abortion services and endometriosis and pelvic pain diagnosis and management in primary care. For more information about the important work that SPHERE does, please visit the website.
SPHERE is located at the Department of General Practice at the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine and is part of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (MNHS) at Monash University.
Monash University is a member of Australia’s Group of Eight coalition, and is internationally recognized for excellence in research and teaching as one of the world's top 80 universities. Embedded in an ecosystem of health, academia and industry, it delivers the research outcomes, skilled workforce, technology and partnerships to improve human health locally and globally.
Supervisory team
The principal supervisor will be Professor Danielle Mazza AM FAHMS.
Professor Mazza is the Head of the Department of General Practice at Monash University and a nationally and internationally recognised leader in implementation research and knowledge translation in the general practice setting. She has made significant, sustained and ongoing contributions to advance general practice and primary health care in Australia in the field of women’s sexual and reproductive health and as a proponent of evidence-based quality improvement through guideline development and implementation. She leads the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Sexual and Reproductive Health for Women in Primary Care (SPHERE), which aims to improve the quality, safety, and capacity of primary health care services to achieve better outcomes in women’s sexual and reproductive health.
Eligibility Requirements
This opportunity is available to domestic students only. Candidates will need to fulfil the Monash University minimum requirements for admission to a PhD detailed here: www.monash.edu/admissions/entry-requirements/minimum.
How to apply
For general instructions on how to apply for roles at Monash, please refer to 'How to apply for Monash Jobs'.
To express your interest in this scholarship and PhD research opportunity, we request candidates provide:
- A cover letter describing your research interests and why you would like to undertake a PhD (maximum one page)
- A CV including qualifications, academic achievements, list of publications, work history and references
- A copy of your academic transcript(s)
Enquiries
Please email sphere-cre@monash.edu.
Applications Close: Sunday 2 March 2025, 11:55pm AEDT
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