Research Development Program (RDP)

The VicPHCRED offers a number of part-time fellowships and scholarships to primary health care practitioners under the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing Researcher Development Program (RDP).

The primary aim of RDP is to increase the number and range of people with knowledge and skills in primary health care evaluation and research. RDP aims to enhance research capacity amongst primary health care practitioners, consumers and graduates of other relevant disciplines working in primary health care by providing financial support to undertake primary health care research and access to existing research capacity/infrastructure support. Supervision, mentorship, regular research meetings and training part of the research capacity building program offered to RDP Fellows and Scholars.

A Call for Application is made each year. Placements are offered at the end of the year, and successful applicants start in January to undertake research projects for part-time over 9 to 12 months. The value, terms and conditions of these fellowships and scholarships are in accordance with each university department's policy and procedure, and vary depending on level and time commitment.

RDP Fellowship Applications are currently open for 2010 and are coordinated through the VicPHCRED coordinator. Application deadline is Monday 26 October, 2009. For more information please download the RDP Fellowship application form (pdf 197 KB).

Objectives

To develop a cadre of researchers:

with knowledge, skills and ability in applied research and evaluation;
with ability to address primary health care issues in policy and practice; and
who can work collaboratively with practitioners, consumers, and researchers from other disciplines.

To increase the number of primary health care workers, graduates of other relevant disciplines working in primary health care, and consumers, who have research knowledge and skills which they can apply in everyday practice/life.

Eligibility

Primary health care practitioners, including general practitioners, allied health workers, divisional and community heath centre staff:

who are either research novices or experienced researchers;
with a special interest in developing research skills;
with a special interest in contributing to the primary health care evidence base.

Priority research areas

Applicants' proposed area of interest and research should generally be within the current research priorities of the university departments.

Current priorities at Department of General Practice, Monash University are:

Clinical effectiveness studies in the primary care setting
Healthy ageing (in Australian and other cultural groups)
Chronic illness management
Mental health and primary care (depression, problem gambling)
Health informatics in general practice
Health services provision and policy
Research translation and primary care
Women's health
Sexual and reproductive health
Physical activity in older people (particularly in relation to disability or depression)

Current priorities at Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne are:

Adolescent health
Chronic diseases (diabetes, etc.)
Mental health (abuse, depression)
Domestic violence
Sexual health
Complementary medicine
Culturally and linguistically diverse groups
Marginalised populations

Current priorities at Department of Rural and Indigenous Health, Monash University are:

Mental health and wellbeing
Inter-professional collaborative practice
Indigenous health
Applicants with other research interests are encouraged to apply

Current priorities at School of Rural Health, University of Melbourne are:

Chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes, arthritis, etc.)
Mental health (anxiety, depression, stress, drug and alcohol issues)
Rural health and urban-rural comparisons
Sexual health
Aboriginal health, cross cultural health and migrant communities
e-Health and informatics