Phd Scholarship

**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
- **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**

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**

**How to apply**
- 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**

**Applications Close**: Sunday 2 March 2025, 11:55pm AEDT

**Supporting a diverse workforce