Research Assistant

Background Alcohol is a major cause of public health harm, with alcohol-related deaths in the UK reaching a record high in 2023. The MCA is a charity with a central mission to support health professionals to manage alcohol-related health harm in their patients, including through the education of medical students. A network of MCA Regional Advisors (RAs) in UK Medical Schools promotes this mission. However, the landscape of UK Medical Schools is undergoing a rapid expansion and curricula are always under pressure to include competing priorities.

Aim To collect data on how education for medical undergraduates addresses alcohol-related health harm, with a view to informing subsequent approaches and the provision of materials.

Outline

Phase 1 - Data collection

A review of Medical School teaching on alcohol and health harm. There are no recent systematic data available on this. Notable past projects include the 2011 Substance Misuse in the Undergraduate Curriculum Toolkit and the 2012 Alcohol and Other Drugs core medical competencies (for post graduate doctors). Two principal sources of data are anticipated. The existing RA network, though incomplete, will be contacted and surveyed about alcohol teaching in their Medical Schools. Alongside this, all Medical Schools will be surveyed through the Medical Schools Council Education Leads Advisory Group which supports the distribution of questionnaires to Medical Schools. The data collection will also include an element to capture the student experience. It is proposed to employ a Research Assistant for the development of survey instruments, implementation and data analysis.

Phase 2 - Strategy development

Once the data are collected and analysed, the aim is to develop a framework for alcohol teaching in Medical Schools including core competencies and teaching resources. It is anticipated that the MCA RAs will play a key role in this phase alongside the MCA project steering group and the project Research Assistant.

Role

Phase 1

Initial review of existing and previous data, development of links with key stakeholders especially Medical Schools, RAs and Medical School Council, design, piloting and implementation of data collection, analysis and report-writing and presentation.

Phase 2

Working with internal and external parties to develop a strategy and supporting materials for the teaching of alcohol-related health harm in the medical undergraduate curriculum.

Person Specification

Experience at least at Masters preferably working to PhD level is required in quantitative and/or qualitative survey work including survey design, piloting, implementation and data analysis. Skills and abilities should include high level computer literacy, data collection and analysis, organisation and time management skills, management of stakeholder relationships, writing and editing skills and ability to complete on a time-limited project

Contract

A 12-month fixed term initially with a possible extension for a further 6 months, part-time flexibly 0.2-0.4 wte depending on availability and project requirements, which could be suitable for someone already undertaking research for a PhD or other work. This would suit a secondment arrangement for instance for a PhD student.

Deadline CVs and one page cover letter are required by 7 January 2026 with a view to holding interviews remotely on 21 January 2026

For informal discussions please contact dominique.florin@m-c-a.org.uk

To apply and for the full project and person spec, please click the ‘Apply’ button above.

Advert information