• PhD scholarship opportunity: SPHERE Centre of Research Excellence in Sexual and Reproductive Health for Women in Primary Care
• Location: Notting Hill
• Employment Type: Full-time
• Duration: 3 year fixed-term appointment
• Remuneration: $29,000 AUD per annum full-time rate (tax-free stipend for 3 years)

The Opportunity

An exciting opportunity exists for an exceptional and talented candidate who is interested in undertaking a PhD project in the field of women’s sexual and reproductive health at the NHMRC-funded SPHERE Centre of Research Excellence. Located within the Department of General Practice, SPHERE is focused on addressing evidence practice gaps in the delivery of preconception care, contraception and medical abortion in primary care and increasing women’s access to these services.

The PhD project attached to this scholarship will involve piloting and evaluating nurse-led models of care to increase access to medical abortion in Australian general practice, particularly in rural and regional areas. Broadening the scope of practice nurses to include the delivery of sexual and reproductive health services has been identified by the Australian government as a key priority in their National Women’s Health Strategy.

The nurse-led models of care will be developed and then piloted in general practices to determine feasibility in the Australian context. Interviews with general practitioners, nurses and patients will also be conducted, and the data will be used to refine the model to ensure uptake and scalability at a national level. Therefore, this project will involve both quantitative and qualitative methodologies and a strong evaluation component.

Candidate requirements

1. Successful applicants will have an excellent academic track record in women’s health, primary care, health promotion or public health, with an Honours or Master’s degree with H1 or equivalent.
2. A strong interest in women’s sexual and reproductive health and primary care, with experience in the Australian context.