Doctoral student in Health Care Sciences - Hospital-at-Home: Experiences in Prosthetic Infection

Om jobbet

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Doctoral positionin Health Care Sciences

Project title: JOINTCARE@Home-IVAB

The Department of Learning and Leadership for Health Care Professionals is located at the Institute of Health and Care Sciences at the Faculty of Medicine at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg.

General information about being a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg can be found on the university's doctoral student pages https://www.gu.se/en/doctoral-studies

Duties

Doctoral education in Health Care Sciences comprises carrying out a scientific project and completing at least 30 credits of courses at third-cycle level. The doctoral student must also write a scientific compilation thesis or monograph corresponding to at least 120 credits. For more information about third-cycle studies at Sahlgrenska Academy, see https://www.gu.se/en/sahlgrenska-akademin/doctoral-studies

Project: Experiencing a prosthetic joint-related infection after hip, knee, or spinal surgery is a serious complication that requires prolonged hospital care and intravenous antibiotic treatment. This affects the patient's physical and psychological health and results in high healthcare costs. International research shows that Hospital-at-Home (HaH) can be a safe and cost-effective alternative. In Sweden, this care model is not yet established for patients with prosthetic joint infections, and important knowledge is lacking regarding feasibility, effectiveness, and patients' own experiences.

The doctoral project aims to develop, implement, and evaluate a new care model in which patients with prosthetic joint infections can receive hospital-level care in their homes. The goal is to investigate patients' experiences, compare clinical and health-economic outcomes between HaH and traditional in-hospital care, and identify strategies that support safe, secure, and person-centred hospital care at home. The project aims to contribute to the development of future sustainable models of care within orthopaedic infection management.

The project includes several studies and follows the Medical Research Council (MRC) framework for complex interventions. First, barriers and facilitators for implementing HaH will be identified through interviews with patients and healthcare professionals at the micro, meso, and macro levels. Thereafter, a pilot intervention study will be conducted comparing patients receiving in-hospital care with those receiving hospital-at-home care. Finally, patients' experiences will be followed over time to understand their strategies and recovery. As a doctoral student, you will be part of an interdisciplinary research group consisting of multiple professions and specialist competencies at the University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska Academy, and in close collaboration with the Department of Orthopaedics at Sahlgrenska University Hospital. As a doctoral student, you have the opportunity to become part of the research school SHIFT CARE, which focuses on the transition to integrated care www.shiftcare.se

It would be desirable if you have experience from healthcare or clinical research environment, particularly in relation to complex interventions, patient pathways, or infection-related care. Competence in qualitative and quantitative research methods, such as interviewing, thematic analysis, or working with clinical and patient-reported data, is beneficial, as is familiarity with implementation science, digital health solutions, or health-economic evaluation. The ability to collaborate in interdisciplinary teams and to engage with patients, clinicians, and stakeholders at different organisational levels would further support success in this project. Very good skills in Swedish and English, both spoken and written, is essential. You need to master the Swedish language for conducting interviews and working closely in the clinical setting with patients and staff, and English because the research language, scientific publications, and international collaborations are conducted in English.

Doctoral studies comprises four years of full-time study, and leads to a doctoral degree. As part of your employment as a doctoral student, you may have departmental duties corresponding to up to 20 % of full-time employment, distributed throughout your study period, and result in a corresponding extension of the studies. Departmental duties usually consist of teaching at first- and second-cycle levels, but may also include research and administration.

Eligibility

Doctoral education requires general eligibility and, where appropriate, specific eligibility as set out in the general syllabus for the subject.

The general eligibility requirements for doctoral studies are:

1. having completed a degree at second-cycle level, or
2. the fulfilment of course requirements totalling at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits must be at second-cycle level, or
3. the acquisition of equivalent knowledge in some other way, either in Sweden or abroad.

Specific entry requirements for this subject, according to the general syllabus, are:

having successfully completed the English B/6 course or is considered to have acquired equivalent knowledge through previous studies.

Assessment criteria

The selection of applicants who meet the basic and specific eligibility requirements will be based on the ability to assimilate the doctoral studies. The assessment shall attach particular importance to documented qualifications for:

- specific knowledge and skills within the subject area and related research fields
- experience of scientific theory and relevant research methodology
- scientific analysis and presentation verified through an academic paper, degree project, scientific
journals or the like.

Admission and employment

Once you have been admitted to doctoral studies, you will be employed as a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg. The provisions for employment as a doctoral student can be found in ordinance SFS 1993:100. Initial employment as a doctoral student may apply for a maximum of one year, and may be renewed by a maximum of two years at a time. A doctoral student may be employed as a doctoral student for a maximum of eight years, but the total period of employment may not be longer than the equivalent of full-time education at doctoral level for four years.

Location: Sahlgrenska Academy, Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Department of Learning and Leadership for Health Care Professionals. Extent: 100%. First day of employment: as agreed.

The University applies a local agreement on salaries for doctoral students.

Please note, doctoral studies at the Institute of Health and Care Sciences requires physical presence to conduct the studies. If the admitted applicant needs a residence permit for higher education to pursue studies in Sweden, the Institute of Health and Care Sciences has the right to revoke the admission decision if the applicant cannot present a valid residence permit no later than at the start of the studies.

Contact information

For more information about the project please contact principal supervisor,
Linda Åhlström, Associate Professor, Institute of Health and Care Sciences,
phone: +46705784636, e-mail: linda.ahlstrom@gu.se

Unions

Union representatives at the University of Gothenburg can be found here:
https://www.gu.se/om-universitetet/jobba-hos-oss/hjalp-for-sokande

Application

You can apply to be admitted to doctoral education via the University of Gothenburg's recruitment portal. It is your responsibility to ensure that the application is complete as per this notice, and that the University receives it by the final application deadline.

You must include the following, in pdf format

• Personal letter
• CV
• Diploma and transcripts showing that you meet with the general entry requirement
• Proof of completion of English 6 course or the acquired equivalent knowledge through previous studies

If your degree is from a university outside of Sweden, make sure that you attach a diploma and full transcripts that makes assessing your degree easier.

If your degree has not been verified by a Swedish authority you need to provide contact details to the issuing university, registrar or similar, that can verify the degree at our request.

For information on what you need to submit in order to fulfill the English language requirement see https://www.universityadmissions.se/en/entry-requirements/english-language-requirements/

Applications must be received by:2025-12-18

Information for International Applicants

Choosing a career in a foreign country is a big step. Thus, to give you a general idea of what we and Gothenburg have to offer in terms of benefits and life in general for you and your family/spouse/partner please visit:

https://www.gu.se/en/about-the-university/welcome-services
https://www.movetogothenburg.com/

The University works actively to achieve a working environment with equal conditions, and values the qualities that diversity brings to its operations.

Salaries are set individually at the University.

In accordance with the National Archives of Sweden's regulations, the University must archive application documents for two years after the appointment is filled. If you request that your documents are returned, they will be returned to you once the two years have passed. Otherwise, they will be destroyed.

In connection to this recruitment, we have already decided which recruitment channels we should use. We therefore decline further contact with vendors, recruitment and staffing companies.