Conversation analysis of communication with the relatives of patients in a hospice

General description
The Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Department (UCL) is seeking an outstanding, highly motivated and enthusiastic candidate for this PhD scholarship. The successful candidate will undertake a PhD to understand how communication about end of life care (including prognosis) is communicated by ‘expert’ healthcare professionals to the relatives or friends of inpatients admitted to a specialist palliative care unit and identified as being near the very end of life. The findings will help develop guidelines, teaching materials and future interventions for inexperienced doctors to improve their communication skills with family members of patients in similar circumstances. The PhD will be supervised by Dr Bloch and academics in the Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Department (MCPCRD) at University College London.

Potential applicants should visit to read more about us and our research. For informal enquiries specifically about this post, please contact Dr Joe Low at [Email Address Removed].

Person Specification
Qualifications, experience and aptitude
Essential
• First or upper second class degree and a Master’s degree (or an MRes) in a relevant subject, (health related, sociology etc.)
• An interest in and knowledge of applied conversation analysis and health/medical interactions.
• Mature communication skills and sensitivity appropriate for working within a hospice environment
• Evidence of excellent organisational, problem-solving and analytical skills
• Data management skills
• Willingness to travel within and possibly beyond London for research purposes
• Ability to work independently as well as in a collaborative research team

Desirable
• Masters level training in conversation analytical methods
• Experience of conversation analytical transcription
• Experience of conversation analytical data sessions
• Experience of research in an academic environment
• Experience of working with/conducting research with health/social care service users
• Research experience in a field relevant to the PhD studentship
• Publications in peer-reviewed academic journals. Please briefly describe your contribution to any published work in your CV

Personal attributes

• A strong team player with good interpersonal skills able to build and sustain effective working relationships both within the academic team and externally, with health professionals and patient family members.
• A self-motivated researcher willing to develop their technical and analytical skills and to contribute to the overall aims of the research project in innovative ways.
• Strong organisational skills

The post-holder will be expected to contribute to the wider activities and life of the MCPCRD and the Department of Language and Cognition, and UCL.
Please support your application by detailing modules or courses undertaken during your studies, research internships or employment, and any peer-reviewed, academic publications.

Application procedure
Please submit applications in the following format:
• A CV, including full details of all University course grades to date.
• Contact details for two academic or professional referees.
• A personal statement (750 words maximum) outlining (i) your suitability for the project with reference to the criteria above, (ii) what you hope to achieve from the PhD and (iii) your research experience to-date.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Please send electronic applications to:
Contact name: Mrs Katalin Olahne Sapi
Contact details: [Email Address Removed]