PhD and Postgraduate Opportunities

 

Introduction
The NMAHP Research Unit is a vibrant, multi-disciplinary environment in which to undertake your PhD.   The Unit is hosted across two Universities, Glasgow Caledonian University and University of Stirling, offering students a choice of two strong institutions in which to base themselves.   PhD by research and professional doctorate programmes are offered at each.   Both universities were top in Scotland for their respective areas of research (NMAHP and nursing) in the recent Research Assessment Exercise.

Topics
The topic for your PhD would need to connect with one or more of the current programmes of work within the Unit.  Given the breadth of current Unit work (stroke, urogenital disorders, mental health and decision making), many areas of study can easily be accommodated.

Student Requirements
Unit PhD students would already have a first degree in a relevant health or methodological area.  Evidence of ability to work at doctoral level will be required, for example, undertaking, or making a major contribution to, a significant piece of research to completion.   Evidence of commitment, enthusiasm and intellectual understanding relating to the chosen topic should be provided.  Alternatively, students may decide to register for a Masters by research.

Supervision
Currently 10 members of Unit staff are doctorally qualified and are able to supervise PhD students, providing a large pool of potential supervision team members.  In addition, we are keen for teams to include both external and clinical supervisors as required to give the student the best support possible.

Funding
There are three main ways in which to get funding for your PhD:

• Doctoral Fellowship Funding (e.g. as offered by Chief Scientist Office)   Many funding bodies and professional organisations offer support for doctoral studies.   It is useful for potential students to investigate what funding is available relevant to their profession and area of research interest.  We can work with you to prepare an application to seek support for your PhD.
• Self Funding  Students can choose to fund their studies themselves, and we can provide information about the level of fees for each university.
• Project Grant Funding  Project grants awarded often contain funding for a research assistant or fellow.   The appointed member of staff may consider the option of registering for a PhD based on the work being undertaken within the project.

Current Students
Below a selection of our current PhD and MPhil students share their experiences of studying in the Unit.   

“I am a midwife in Liverpool and have recently joined the NMAHP Research Unit in Stirling. I feel very lucky to have joined the unit, after an unsuccessful application for a research secondment led to me receiving an offer of academic funding and research fees to undertake a part-time PhD in Midwifery research!

I have been a practising midwife for over 6 years, working mostly in intrapartum care. In recent years I have held a part-time secondment to the midwifery research department at Liverpool Women’s Hospital, where I have undertaken several midwifery-focussed projects. This sparked my interest in midwifery research and I subsequently completed an MA in Midwifery Studies, graduating in January 2008.

It is with great delight that I have joined the NMAHP Research Unit as a part-time student. I am keen to undertake research examining the public health role of the midwife or exploring midwives’ clinical practice in relation to place of birth. I have a number of ambitions for my career, both clinically and academically and now feel I can work towards my academic goals, whilst continuing with my clinical practice and broadening my professional knowledge and network.”  Angela Kerrigan

 

“I started as a full-time PhD student with the NMAHP Research Unit in January 2009.  I have been very fortunate to receive a three year studentship from my professional body, the Royal College of Midwives, to carry out research in relation to promoting normal childbirth.

Before joining the NMAHP Research Unit I was working in clinical practice as Consultant Midwife for NHS Borders and was also seconded to the practice development unit at NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, where I was involved in the development of the Scottish Woman-Held Maternity Record.  Before moving to live and work in Scotland I worked as a midwife in London for ten years.  My particular interest areas in midwifery practice have been the promotion of normal birth, home birth practice and perinatal mental health.

Under the supervision of Kate Niven and Helen Cheyne, I feel that the NMAHP Research Unit will be the right environment for me to become a skilled clinical researcher.”  Mary Ross-Davie

 

"I joined the Scottish Ambulance service in 1993 as a part-time Ambulance Care Assistant in Edinburgh, where I completed ambulance technician and paramedic training and worked as a Team Leader.  After qualifying in Minor Injuries and Acute Illness at Queen Margaret University in 2004, I worked as a Scottish Ambulance Service Paramedic Practitioner in Minor Injuries Clinics and Primary care Out of Hours. 

Following this I completed a two year secondment with my colleague David Fitzpatrick at the Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit [NMAHPRU].  As a ‘non-academic’ this was a fantastic opportunity, working under the supervision of Professors Catherine Niven and Len Dalgleish; with the aim of developing research activities within the Scottish Ambulance Service.  We completed a study examining the use of Treat and Refer guidelines in the Scottish Ambulance Service, the results of which have been presented in poster format at AMBEX 2007 and the JRCALC Conference 2007. 

I ‘left’ the NMAHPRU in January 2007 to take on a further secondment as a Special Operations Manager with the Scottish Ambulance Service.  However, I was delighted to be given the opportunity to progress my studies and enrol into an Mphil, developing part of the work I had completed with David Fitzpatrick.   At present I am working part-time on completing a literature review of evidence surround decision making and the pre-hospital treatment of ‘minor’ injuries and illnesses."  Keith Colver  September 2009.

"I am a state registered Paramedic employed by the Scottish Ambulance Service, now beginning year 5 of a secondment/attachment to the NMAHP Research Unit, University of Stirling.

After joining the SAS in 1996 my career in the Accident and Emergency tier began in 2007 as an ambulance Technician working on front-line Accident and Emergency Ambulances within the Lanarkshire Division.  In 2001 I completed my Paramedic training and began, what became a four year secondment, on a single crewed Paramedic Response Unit.

I became interested in research after completing various courses and modules relating to emergency/pre-hospital care and so when the seconded post was advertised submitted an application.  Fortunately I was successful (along with a colleague Keith Colver) and since then much effort has been put into developing the Pre-hospital Emergency Care “arm” of the NMAHP RU.  There has been a specific focus on research into “see and treat” conditions and recently work around pre-hospital thrombolysis and equipment safety, however our main focus is on pre-hospital post-hypoglycaemic care in patients with diabetes; this will form the basis of my Masters in Philosophy.  I continue to work clinically around 25% of my time. 

The wealth of experience within the NMAHP RU and fantastic support which has been provided enables this unique collaboration to ulitmately improve the quality of pre-hospital care research in Scotland, whilst assisting the Scottish Ambulance Service to continue to provide high quality, evidence based patient care. " David Fitzpatrick

 

Who to Contact
If you are interested in considering post-graduate research within the Unit, please contact one of the Programme Directors to discuss your ideas.