Expression of Interest for a PhD/MPhil scholarship 2027
Brief description: The ASSET (AcceSS and Equity in best Treatment for people with kidney disease) program is inviting expressions of interest for a prospective PhD candidate.
ASSET is funded by the Human Research Council of New Zealand Health Delivery Research Project Grant, which has provision for support of a higher degree by research student (PhD or MPhil or similar)
ASSET is an enduring data platform, linking national health and administrative databases (hospitalisations, emergency and outpatient care, cancer, mental health service use, medications and mortality) to examine equity in access to health services for New Zealanders with kidney failure. For more information on ASSET please visit: https://assetkidneyresearch.org/
Our research team: ASSET is co-led by Associate Professor Rachael Walker (PhD, NP, MN, RN, BN) at the University of Auckland, and Dr Nick Cross (MBChB, MM, PhD, FRACP) at New Zealand Clinical Research. The multi-disciplinary investigator team includes specialists in nephrology as well as senior researchers with expertise in public health, health economics, epidemiology and biostatistics, based across Aotearoa New Zealand and Sydney.
Funding: A stipend of $NZD30,000 per annum is available to support the successful candidate for their candidacy (typically up to 3 years full-time equivalent for PhD, 18 months for MPhil). Study maybe full time or part time. This stipend will not cover fees.
Suitable for: A candidate passionate about quantitative methods, kidney disease, health services research and/or health equity. A relevant clinical and/or methodological background is preferred. Relevant clinical background includes nephrology, nursing, or allied health. This is a quantitative project, so relevant methods include epidemiology, biostatistics, or health economic evaluation. This project is based in Aotearoa New Zealand, and therefore the candidate must enrol at the University of Auckland, ideally to begin in 2027.
Prerequisites: Applicants must be eligible for or have secured admission to a higher degree by research at the University of Auckland, and permanent residency or citizenship of New Zealand. View the entry requirements for the University of Auckland here. No prior data-linkage experience is required, however, experience with coding language/s (Stata, R) is beneficial. Medical background is desirable.
The project undertaken can be flexible alongside clinical commitments and does not require face-to-face attendance.
Potential PhD topics: There is some flexibility in research topics, but these must align with the HRC funded research program. Broadly this may include: investigating access and use of health services by people with kidney failure including location of care; evaluating how coexisting conditions (including mental illness, cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes) affect access to kidney treatment and allied health services; describing the uptake of primary and secondary prevention for those with kidney failure; geospatial and health economic modelling to increase fairness of health services and improve patient outcomes
Register your interest by 31 October 2026: Please send a copy of your CV, academic transcripts and a cover letter explaining your motivation to Associate Professor Rachael Walker [email:rachael.walker@auckland.ac.nz] or Professor Angela Webster [email: angela.webster@sydney.edu.au].
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