PhD Studentship in Psychology: The Role of Patient-Reported Quality of Life and Clinician Experience: Exploring the Benefits of Enhanced Rapid Urinary Tract Infection Testing

Supervisors:

Dr Katherine Finlay, Psychology (Lead)

Collaboration Partners:

Dr Cici Muldoon, The Veritie Group

Dr Ian Smith, The Veritie Group

Dr Chris Blick, Department of Urology, Royal Berkshire Hospital

Dr Bob Yang, Department of Urology, Royal Berkshire Hospital

Project Overview:

Accurate and rapid diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTIs) is problematic: up to 58% of UTIs are missed by standard tests and there is a need to develop new testing methods which can be used ‘on the day’, within a clinic, supplemented by patient reported outcome measures including quality of life and patient experience(s) of symptoms (Brubaker et al., 2023; Harding et al., 2022).

Therefore, specific aims are as follows:

1. To facilitate a major clinical trial of UTI samples through different testing modalities, with results benchmarked against the patient reported outcome measures (see the RUTISS and RUTIIQ measures developed by our team).
2. To investigate patient attitudes towards UTI testing and analysis and the impact of testing processes on patient wellbeing and quality of life.
3. To develop a urology-focused clinical resource/decision tree that provides recommendations on how to test, manage and stratify people living with UTI and their symptoms.
4. To create, pilot and assess a continuing professional development (CPD) training module specific to UTI detection and treatment for healthcare professionals.

Applicants will be based at the Veritie Group offices in Oxford and the University of Reading

Eligibility: 

• Applicants should hold or expect to gain a minimum of an MSc in Psychology or equivalent in a related field. Candidates performing at Merit or Distinction level at MSc will be preferred.
• Applicants should have strong qualitative and quantitative research skills and willingness to develop expertise in urinary tract infection research and clinical trials management. Candidates without pre-existing clinical trials management experience, demonstrating effective research or project management skills, will be considered.
• Qualified candidates returning to education will be welcomed (e.g. after working in healthcare settings).
• Applicants should have strong interpersonal abilities, such that they can work closely with people with UTI, clinicians, and stakeholders.
• Due to funding restrictions, this studentship is only open to UK-based/home students.

Funding Details:

• Starts October 2024
• Three-year award
• Funding covers full tuition fees plus UKRI stipend and £500 per annum research costs.

How to apply:

To apply click the 'Apply' button, above, to create your account and use the link sent by email to start the application process. During the application process please select the PhD in Psychology.

*Important notes*

1. Please quote the reference ‘DRC24-009-rUTI’ in the ‘Scholarships applied for’ box which appears within the Funding Section of your on-line application.
2. When you are prompted by the online application system, please upload a description of how your background/training relates to work in Health, Psychology, Urinary Tract Infection and/or clinical trials management.

Application Deadline: Friday 12^th April, 2024

Further Enquiries:

Please note that, where a candidate is successful in being awarded funding, this will be confirmed via a formal studentship award letter; this will be provided separately from any Offer of Admission and will be subject to standard checks for eligibility and other criteria. 

For further details please contact Dr Katherine Finlay.

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