Details
- Close date
- Thursday, 1 January 2026
- Academic background
- Health Sciences
- Host campus
- Dunedin
- Qualification
- Master's, PhD
- Supervisor
- Associate Professor Katharina Blattner, Dr Rory Miller, Dr Lynne Clay
Overview
Background
In NZ, people living in rural areas have worse health outcomes than those living in urban areas, and this is accentuated for Māori. The overarching aim of rural-targeted training pathways, in providing a robust pathway to a rural-based employment, is the provision of health services to rural areas. The RNZCGP-DRHMNZ has a responsibility to reduce chronic health access inequities for all rural and remote communities.
Previous findings indicate (and anecdotal evidence suggests) that many rural health services, including some serving communities with the greatest health-access inequities (particularly Māori communities), are not benefiting from the rural PG vocational training programmes.
Research topic examples
Where are NZs vocational rural medical training programme (GP and RHM) graduates training and practicing?
How do trainees navigate the various training pathways across NZ’s regions?
What factors influence trainee and graduate choices of training and work location?
Methods
Mixed methods approach including:
- A literature review
- Quantitative component
- Qualitative - semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis
Timeline
Commence from 2025.
Supervision
Centre for Rural Health, Department of GP and Rural Health, DSM.
Eligibility
Applicants must be eligible for admission to the MHealSc programme at the University of Otago. A Master’s degree could be done part time over 2-3 years from anywhere in NZ, a PhD over 3-8 years.
Contact
- Contact name
- Lynne Clay
- rhrn@otago.ac.nz