Doctoral student in Medical Science - Can Sustained Weight Loss from Midlife Improve Well-being in t

Om jobbet

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Doctoral positionin Medical Science

Project title: Can Sustained Weight Loss from Midlife Improve Well-being in the Elderly?

The Section for Care in long-term conditions 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 Medical Science 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: The project investigates whether substantial and sustained weight loss initiated in midlife can improve everyday functioning and well-being among individuals with obesity as they age. Many of the adverse effects of obesity on quality of life overlap with age-related changes, suggesting that older adults with obesity may be particularly vulnerable. However, it remains unclear to what extent these negative effects can be mitigated through long-term weight loss. The project therefore aims to examine how weight loss initiated in midlife affects older individuals with regard to for example quality of life, independence, mobility, physical activity, and risk of dementia.

The doctoral student will analyse data from the world-leading Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) study, a long-term clinical intervention study originally designed to investigate the effects of weight loss on mortality, but which also includes extensive measures of functioning and well-being. The SOS study comprises a total of 2,010 patients who underwent bariatric surgery and 2,037 matched control participants, with more than 20 years of follow-up. Within the framework of the present project, the SOS70+ cohort has been established, consisting of participants who reached the age of 70 years or older during the follow-up period. Within this cohort, individuals who underwent bariatric surgery in midlife and achieved sustained weight loss (n = 250) will be compared with individuals who received conventional treatment without corresponding weight loss (n = 247).

The doctoral student will be part of a dynamic research environment and will work in close collaboration with experienced researchers at the Institute of Health Care Sciences and the Institute of Medicine. The supervisors' complementary expertise and extensive experience in doctoral education ensure favourable conditions for achieving the project's educational and scientific objectives.

It would be desirable if the applicant has experience in research, particularly within areas related to obesity or ageing and health. Experience of working with data from large-scale, longitudinal intervention studies, as well as strong skills in data processing and statistical analysis using R, are considered meritorious. Excellent proficiency in both Swedish and English, written and spoken, is a requirement. Swedish is necessary for working with data and for interactions within the national research context, while English is required as the language of research, scientific publications, and international collaboration.

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, Section for Care in long-term conditions. 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 Per-Arne Svensson, Professor, Institute of Health and Care Sciences
phone: +46 733-82 838 6, e-mail: per-arne.svensson@gu.se

Assistant supervisor My Engström, Institute of Health and Care Sciences
e-mail: my.engstrom@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:2026-02-23

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.