PhD Scholarship

Australian Institute of Health Innovation

FACULTY OF MEDICINE
Australian Institute of Health Innovation

ARC Linkage project LP100200586
Strengthening organisational performance through accreditation research: the ACCREDIT project

The Australian Institute of Health Innovation (AIHI) was established in December 2007 as a research institute of the UNSW Faculty of Medicine. Led by Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite, it brings together four well established and successful UNSW research Centres that work in the separate but related areas of clinical governance, health informatics, health systems and patient safety. These are respectively the Centre for Clinical Governance Research directed by Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite, the Centre for Health Informatics directed by Professor Enrico Coiera, the Simpson Centre directed by Professor Ken Hillman and the Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research directed by Professor Johanna Westbrook.

The study Strengthening organisational performance through accreditation research: the ACCREDIT project is a 5-year ARC Linkage Grant funded project and aims to execute the ACCREDIT (Accreditation Collaborative for the Conduct of Research, Evaluation and Designated Investigations through Teamwork) project. This is a partnership of the three major Australian health sector accreditation agencies (Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS), Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited (AGPAL), Aged Care and Standards Accreditation Agency (ACSAA)), the leading quality improvement policy bodies (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) and Clinical Excellence Commission (CEC), key Australian investigators (CI1 Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite and C12 Professor Johanna Westbrook) and international collaborators (Professors John Øvretveit, Rosa Suñol, Catherine Pope and Charles Shaw). The partners are dedicated to researching the impact of accreditation and to executing an extended research program, providing evidence and empirical models for ways accreditation can be improved.

A research opportunity exists for a PhD candidate within the area of health systems research. The successful candidate for the PhD scholarship will either undertake a quantitative or a qualitative research project aligned to the grant's projects. The scholarship is intended for students who are Australian citizens or with permanent residency.

The PhD candidate will be based at the Australian Institute of Health Innovation at the University of New South Wales. The scholarship provides an annual tax-exempt stipend of $27,651 for three years full time with the possibility of a six month extension and will be awarded on a competitive basis. The scholarships will commence in 2011.

MAIN DUTIES
Carry out high quality and innovative research which will contribute to the project's outcomes.
Report and document research methodology and findings appropriately.
Conduct comprehensive literature reviews.
Execute rigorous field research.
Prepare submissions to human research ethics committees, including applications, amendments and annual reports.
Present research findings and write manuscripts for publication in relevant journals.

SELECTION CRITERIA
Eligible for admission into a PhD program at UNSW (successful enrolment in a PhD at UNSW will be essential prior to commencing research. For more details please visit the following websites:
a. AIHI website - Postgraduate studies
http://www.aihi.unsw.edu.au/ihiweb.nsf/page/Postgraduate%20Studies
b. UNSW requirements
http://www.grs.unsw.edu.au/futurestudents/admission.html
c. Entry Requirements provided by the Faculty of Medicine, Higher Degree Committee
http://www.med.unsw.edu.au/medweb.nsf/page/Entry+Requirements

Excellent organisational skills and demonstrated capacity to meet tight deadlines and manage time effectively.
Demonstrable excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills, including the capacity to work as a team player as part of a project team.
Advanced computer skills in spreadsheets, research database applications, email protocols and internet interfaces.
Ability to understand and comply with the statutory privacy and ethical requirements for research.
Knowledge of OHS responsibilities and commitment to attending relevant OHS training.
Knowledge of equal opportunity principles.

APPLICATIONS
Applications must include the following:

Curriculum vitae with your qualifications, research experience and publications

A certified copy of academic transcripts

A summary of your research interests

Proof of citizenship or permanent residency

The names and contact details of at least two referees

Inquiries and applications should be e-mailed to Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite at j.braithwaite@unsw.edu.au
or
posted to:
Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite
Australian Institute of Health Innovation
Faculty of Medicine
Level 1 AGSM building
University of New South Wales
Sydney, NSW, 2052
Australia