PhD Scholarship: Injuries from cosmetic application of non-ionising radiation

Location: Monash University Clayton campus (Melbourne, Australia)

Employment Type: Full-time

Duration: 3-year fixed-term appointment

Remuneration: Research Training Program (RTP) stipend of up to *$39,500 p.a. 2021 full-time rate (tax-free stipend) – annually indexed plus allowances as per the stipend conditions.

*Please note this is the total amount of the scholarship. Students are required to apply for Monash Research Training Program funding ($29,500), and if successful, will receive ARPANZA top-up funding to the value of $10,000.

The Opportunity:

A unique, exciting opportunity exists for an exceptionally talented candidate interested in undertaking a PhD at the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC). MUARC is Australia’s largest and most respected accident and injury prevention research organisation. MUARC’s research, consultancy, training and scientific expertise include safety in all modes of transport, in the workplace, in the community and in the home. MUARC’s goal is simple but profound: to prevent injury, save lives, and build futures.

The Project: Injuries resulting from cosmetic application of non-ionising radiation.

Non-ionising radiation (NIR) can be applied for cosmetic purposes, such as the use of laser to remove tattoos or to improve the appearance of wrinkles, lines and acne scars. In Australia, there is limited and inconsistent regulation around the use of NIR for non-medical, cosmetic purposes. There is anecdotal evidence that cosmetic application of NIR frequently results in unintentional injuries, but to date there is no systematic collection of the injury data. Comprehensive NIR cosmetic injury data collection and analysis are required for Australian states and territories to be able to pursue the development of regulation for these applications.

The purpose of this PhD programme is to determine the burden of injury in Australia resulting from NIR treatment applied to the skin for cosmetic purposes.

The PhD programme of work will encompass:

A review of the international scientific literature on injuries resulting from cosmetic use of NIR, followed by a media review of Australian case reports in news outlets in the last ten years
A review of regulatory arrangements, health care complaints and legal cases relating to NIR treatment injury
Patient data analysis of NIR injuries, based on: (a) hospital admissions data and emergency department presentations data; and (b) GP clinical data files where these can be accessed through one or more Primary Health Networks
Design and implementation of a survey of patients who underwent NIR treatment, recruited through cosmetic treatment centres
Discussion of the findings and drafting of recommendations regarding potential regulation of NIR use for cosmetic purposes, as well as recommendations for ongoing NIR related injury data surveillance
Candidate Requirements

As the successful candidate, you will:

Have a relevant Honours or Masters degree with H1 or equivalent
Meet the eligibility criteria for PhD candidature at Monash University
Be an Australian or New Zealand citizen
Have an interest in injury prevention research and specifically, an interest in health data analysis and statistics
Have excellent written and verbal communication skills
Have the ability to work independently, as well as part of a team
Have the ability to plan, organise, manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines; and
Have analytical thinking, data analysis and critical problem-solving skills