PhD Research Opportunity - The Economics of Preventing Future Health Inequalities

PhD Research on The Economics of Preventing Future Health Inequalities

Location: Caulfield campus, Monash University, Australia

Duration: 3.5-year fixed-term appointment

Employment type: Full-time

Remuneration: You will receive a generous scholarship covering all tuition fees and a tax-free stipend at current value of up to AU$50,291 per annum

Additional financial support is available through research and teaching assistance work. 

The opportunity

The PhD research opportunity will commence in February 2025 and aims to evaluate the impact preventative health policies on current and future health inequalities. The PhD candidate will be based at the Centre for Health Economics, Monash University but will also work jointly with researchers based at Lund University, Sweden.

Preventative health interventions can affect inequality because baseline risks, uptake, intervention effects and adherence vary across groups. Interventions of interest include, but are not limited to: screening programs, vaccination, life-style interventions, and preventative medication. Analysis will utilise best practice in health inequalities measurement, modern econometric techniques, behavioural experiments, and modelling. This research opportunity will produce policy-relevant, causal estimates of the effects of health preventative interventions on health inequalities. 

Depending on the student’s interest, potential projects may include: the evaluation of an existing health prevention program, development of measurement of health inequalities, behavioural experiments to assess how preventative interventions can improve uptake and adherence, modelling of future health inequalities by building tools for distributional cost effectiveness analysis. 

The Person

The project would suit someone with a strong quantitative background (e.g. econometrics, statistics), and with an interest in applying these skills to research at the intersection of inequalities, health and policy evaluation. Applicants must have an excellent academic track record with a first-class honours degree or master’s degree (with research component) in a relevant quantitative field (e.g. economics, econometrics, statistics).

Details

Under the supervision of Prof Dennis Petrie, Monash University and Dr Gawain Heckley (Lund University, Sweden), the project will provide a greater understanding of the role of preventative health interventions in the formation of later-life health inequalities. 

As part of the CHE PhD program, the candidate will undergo rigorous training in advanced health economics and related studies. There are further opportunities for domestic and international conference travel and the potential for a research visit to Lund University as well as our other international partner institutions.

PhD entry requirements and scholarship eligibility

Applicants should have a 4-year bachelor degree or 2-year master's degree in economics, econometrics or a related quantitative discipline, with demonstrated research experience, and strong academic results. 

Apply for a scholarship

First, please submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). If successful, you will be invited to submit a full application.

Important: Please make sure you select “Health Economics” as your area of interest in the online EOI form otherwise we will not receive your EOI.

EOI closing dates:

• International Students: 24 July 2024
• Domestic Students (Australian and New Zealand citizens, and permanent residents of Australia): 23 September 2024

You will be asked to include the following information (after the data privacy page):

• Your CV, including details of two referees
• A copy of your academic transcripts and details of grading scales
• Evidence of English language proficiency according to these guidelines
• A 1-2 page cover letter outlining your research skills, experience, research topics of interest and why this specific PhD opportunity interests you. 

About Monash and the Centre for Health Economics, Australia

The Centre for Health Economics is one of the world’s leading research groups in the economic analysis of health and health care. We have the highest concentration of economists working in health in the Asia-Pacific region and the largest Health Economics PhD program in Australia, reflecting the reputation of our researchers and the quality of their mentorship.

Monash is one of the top 50 universities in the world, ranked top in health economics in the Asia-Pacific region. As a PhD student of the Centre, you will be part of a team of researchers at the cutting edge of impactful international research across research themes including: disadvantage and health; global and environmental health economics; economic behaviour, incentives and preferences in health; and, economic modelling of health policies and technologies. 

About Lund University, Sweden

The current research opportunity is part of a collaboration between the Centre for Health Economics, Monash University and Lund University, Sweden. The PhD includes the opportunity and financial support to visit collaborators at Lund University, Sweden. Health economics at Lund University is ranked foremost in Scandinavia and ninth in Europe within its field. Health economic research is conducted at the School of Economics and at the Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Faculty of Medicine. The health economics research group at the Faculty of Medicine at Lund University primarily focuses on five areas: 1) Public health issues; 2) Incentives and organization within healthcare; 3) Design of healthcare systems in terms of efficiency and distribution; 4) Economic evaluations of health interventions and programs; 5) Socioeconomic inequality in health and welfare. The activity is located at Forum Medicon in Lund. You can read more about Lund's exciting research here:https://portal.research.lu.se/en/organisations/health-economics

Employment prospects

PhD graduates from the Centre for Health Economics typically find employment as researchers in leading universities and consulting firms around the world. For instance, our previous graduates have been successful in gaining positions at the London School of Economics, the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, the University of York, the University of Melbourne, Ernst & Young, the World Bank and government health departments.

Enquiries

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please email dennis.petrie@monash.edu

Supporting a diverse workforce

Monash University recognises that its Australian campuses are located on the unceded lands of the people of the Kulin nations, and pays its respects to their elders, past and present.