Postgraduate Opportunities: New mHealth Technologies to Strengthen the Management of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis

Postgraduate opportunities
New mHealth Technologies to Strengthen the Management of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis

Background

The VSMART Trial is a clinical trial evaluating the effectiveness of a digital health intervention to improve patient outcomes for the treatment of drug-resistant TB. This is a 4-year study between June 2019 and June 2023. The trial is underway in 7 provinces, including Hanoi, Thanh Hoa, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Tien Giang, Can Tho and An Giang. Its intervention is ongoing and we have recruited 300 patients for a sample of 902 participants. The trial offers opportunities for outstanding research students to work alongside leading researchers in the fields of tuberculosis, respiratory diseases, digital health and health economics on projects that directly translate to improved patients outcomes.

The trial is being undertaken between researchers at the Vietnam Programmatic Management of Drug-resistant Tuberculosis (PMDT) program. The project is co-funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), the University of Sydney and the Vietnam National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED). We are seeking up to two high quality postgraduate students (one Masters and one PhD student) to undertake sub-studies within the larger randomized trial.

Potential research to be undertaken by postgraduate students include the following sub-studies:

• A prospective cohort study characterising the diagnosis and management of adverse events within a cohort of 902 patients with multidrug-resistant TB
• A cohort study evaluating the effect of HIV infection upon treatment outcomes among patients with drug-resistant TB
• Patient and healthcare costs associated with treatment for drug-resistant TB
• Changes in the quality of life of patients with drug-resistant TB during their treatment

We will support selected students with:

• Co-supervision by Vietnamese and international researchers
• Opportunities to participate in implementation of the research
• Use the study data in your MSc/PhD theses
• Support with data collection and data analysis
• Participation in multidisciplinary workshop, seminars and meetings
• Potential support to attend national conferences, and in some cases international conferences, to present research findings
• Access to office space with research staff

Achievable Outcomes

• Support to conduct research for a Master/PhD degree in December 2023
• Submission of a scientific paper in an international journal in December 2023
• Experience with at least 01 oral/written presentation at national or international conferences during the course of your study programs
• A broad professional network including clinical and health services specialists.

Requirements

• Accepted for a Master degree/PhD program at a Vietnamese university
• Able to communicate and read research literature effectively in English
• Able to demonstrate past academic achievement in the field(s) of medicine, pharmacy, information technology and the potential for scholastic success.
• A background or knowledge of digital health is highly desirable.

Potential Supervisor/s:

Professor Gregory James Fox (University of Sydney)
Associate Professor Nguyen Viet Nhung (Director, National Lung Hospital)
Associate Profesor Nguyen Binh Hoa (Deputy Director, National Lung Hospital)
Associate Professor Nguyen Hoang Anh (Director, National DI&ADR Centre)
Dr Vu Dinh Hoa (Hanoi University of Pharmacy)

Selection process

Applications will be selected on a competitive basis taking into account previous academic and publication record, honours, awards and employment history. The applicants should be prepared to provide detailed academic resume, complete academic records (including GPA scores/grades and grading scale details), and an example of any academic writing. The selection panel includes potential supervisors and investigators involving in the VSMART project.

Funding:

We will support high quality domestic applicants in their nomination to any scholarships if available. We do not provide any financial supports (allowance, incentives, bonus, salary, publication charges) to the students during their completion of the degree. Additional part-time employment opportunities may be available.

Due date

Interested candidates are invited to send their application via email to Dr Tho Dang at [email protected] by April 30, 2022. Selection and interviews may be conducted on a rolling basis and candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

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