Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Palliative care, Death and Dying

Undertake a PhD in Palliative Care, Death and Dying

Make a difference when it matters most

Death and dying is a part of everyone’s life. Through our palliative care research, we support health professionals and health systems in delivering care as well as empowering the community to recognise and support individuals and families who are facing the reality of dying.

There are a range of exciting PhD opportunities aligned to the Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death and Dying, that explores the universal experience of death and dying and champions the contribution of palliative care to the person the health professional and the health system.

The Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death and Dying supports diversity and warmly welcomes applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates and those with lived experience of disability or marginalisation. We also welcome and encourage your own research project ideas

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Why undertake a PhD in Palliative Care, Death and Dying at Flinders

Join our highly collaborative research culture in the Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death and Dying, working alongside and with highly qualified researchers and supervisors who are nationally and internationally recognised in the field of ageing, caring, dying and grieving. Our Flinders’ palliative care researchers are experience nurses and health practitioners and leaders in research in clinical and service delivery, communication, advance core planning, choice and advocacy, evidence analysis and synthesis and translation. Our research supervisors draw on their extensive knowledge to extend care in communities around Australia and the world
Benefit from our partnerships with government, service providers, industry and community.
Build on your research, complex problem-solving and analytic skills in a highly supportive environment.

PhD opportunities

Potential areas of research focus could be:

Allied health and interventions to enable function and occupation at the end of life
Developing palliative care knowledge and skills across the hospital workforce: What works and why?
How do minority/ethnically diverse groups experience grieving and bereavement?
What are the needs of families to enable them to continue to engage with an older person living and dying in residential aged care?
End of life scope and practice of different members in the aged care workforce
Public health approaches to addressing systems integration at end of life
Determining effectiveness of digitally disseminated resources on knowledge and practice.

We also welcome and encourage your own research project ideas. The Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death and Dying supports diversity and warmly welcomes applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates and those with lived experience of disability or marginalisation.

Your career

A PhD will provide you with expert knowledge and position you for senior roles in healthcare, aged care, community organisations, policy, academia, human services or the funeral industry.

Potential occupations include:

Palliative care leader
Health leader and practitioner
Industry advocate
Management
Policy and engagement work
Researcher

Potential employers include:

Hospitals
Aged care industry
Public service
Community work
Councils
Universities

Research Centre for Death, Dying and Palliative Care

The Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death and Dying (RePaDD) examines the universal experience of death and dying and it champions the contribution of palliative care to the person, the health professional and the health system.

Find out more

Potential research supervisors

Flinders’ palliative care researchers are experience nurses and health practitioners and leaders in research in clinical and service delivery, communication, advance core planning, choice and advocacy, evidence analysis and synthesis and translation. Our research supervisors draw on their extensive knowledge to extend care in communities around Australia and the world.

Dr Deidre Morgan

Dr Deidre Morgan explains the research opportunities available to HDR students.

Professor Jennifer Tieman	Palliative care, evidence based practice, digital health
Dr Katrina Erny-Albrecht	Palliative care, evidence, synthesis
Dr Caroline Phelan	Nursing, palliative care
Dr Deidre Morgan	Allied health, palliative care
Dr Kelly Jones	Health services, public health
Dr Priyanka Vandersman	Nursing, clinical trials, digital health