Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Medicine without Doctors)

Fixed-term: 60 months (January 2026 - 31^st December 2030)

The Opportunity:

You will join the Wellcome-funded research project, ‘Medicine without Doctors: Reimagining Care and Voice through Play’, which examines the changing landscape of medical authority, voice and care.  You will be responsible for developing your own 5-year project on the Physician Associate case study, aligning with the Medicine without Doctors wider vision and combining methodological approaches from medical sociology, medical anthropology, STS, and history, to study the emergence and standardisation of the role of the Physician Associate in the UK national health service.

Medicine without Doctors is a six-year Wellcome-funded project exploring the changing authority of medical practices in the UK through four case studies: LGBTQ+ health, Autonomous Systems, abortion care, and the physician associate. The project is underpinned by two theoretical pillars: the sociology of care and the philosophy of voice. It brings together a multidisciplinary and sector-spanning team of investigators, from philosophy, socio-legal studies, STS, history, sociology and design, with the aim of creating new, interdisciplinary knowledge. In this project, we are excited to develop and draw on play methodologies collaboratively. Through play we seek to advance all aspects of the project creatively and will engage entrenched issues with new perspectives and approaches. 

This full time (35 hours per week) post is fixed term for 60 months from January 2026 to 31 December 2030, and is based on-campus. 

Your skills and attributes for success:

• A PhD awarded in a relevant discipline e.g. social sciences, history, science and technology studies, anthropology, or other discipline with a strong background in conducting qualitative research and engaging with law and policy
• Knowledge and understanding of current issues in medicine and health systems
• Experience of designing and conducting empirical research including organising, conducting, collecting, managing and analysing data from interviews, focus groups, surveys, or other forms of data collection.
• Experience of working independently and collaboratively with others to deliver projects
• Ability to work in a compassionate and socially responsible manner

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