Health systems face a time of unprecedented change, with spiralling costs, increasing cultural disparity in access to healthcare, research, and an infrastructure that is decades old, resulting in increasing health inequities between social groups. Furthermore, research to address the health challenges often fail to engage diverse participants that accurately represent the general population. These so-called underserved (US) and underrepresented (UR) communities are often facing barriers like geographic limitations, mistrust, poor communication, and prejudice. This contributes to knowledge gaps in the research of many diseases and conditions, preventative care and effectiveness of treatments in different demographic groups, thereby widening and deepening existing healthcare disparities.

It is widely acknowledged that patient centeredness and patient involvement may contribute to public accountability of clinical research and the more effective translation of research outcomes into improvements in care practices. However, patient centeredness and involvement are often addressed superficially, focusing solely on patient choice and satisfaction and on easy-to-reach patient groups, rather than integrating a wide variety of patients and their input meaningfully into clinical study design and implementation. Achieving patient-centeredness necessitates a transition from predominantly disease-oriented, top-down approaches to more integral inclusive models and tools.

Within the framework of two large EU projects, two PhD positions are offered that focus on the broad research question: how to include a wide variety of groups, including currently US and UR communities, in clinical studies in order to enhance patient centredness in intervention design and implementation. Exploratory studies will be conducted to understand mechanisms of exclusion and identify more effective approaches to patient centredness and involvement. Practical tools, frameworks, and training modules will be co-created together with patient groups and diverse stakeholders. The developed tools will be implemented in at least 5 clinical studies (including Patient Centric microSampling*) to enable early and meaningful inclusion and collaboration. Monitoring and evaluation of developed frameworks and tools is a crucial element of both projects.

* Patient Centric microSampling is a decentralized and minimally invasive telehealth innovation to test and monitor for illnesses as an alternative to venous blood-draw, to better support the most vulnerable in our society.

Your duties

• To create an agreed understanding (definition/categorization) of US/UR populations in Europe using literature review, real-world data, interviews and expert workshops.
• To identify populations missing from clinical studies using a mixed- methods case study approach, with different data sources, as well as expert interviews with e.g. industry, clinical researchers, patient representatives and regulators.
• To co-create a model of stakeholder engagement and collaboration through literature review, retrospective studies and stakeholder workshops.
• To assist in the co-creation of approaches and related tools and training programs essential for patient engagement, including recruitment and retention of US/UR patients, in clinical studies.
• The tools and approaches will be implemented in at least 5 clinical studies (including one on Patient Centric microSampling) to enable early and meaningful inclusion and collaboration. Your duty will be to conduct in-depth monitoring and evaluation and advise on optimization of innovative strategies to improve inclusiveness and decrease participant burden in the design and conduct of clinical studies (e.g. innovative engagement strategies, embedding of research in clinical practice and decentralization of CS). Methods used are questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions and multi-stakeholder workshops.

You will work in inter- and transdisciplinary teams, and engage with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds (patient groups, academia, healthcare, industry, regulatory bodies, etc.).

Next to your research, resulting in a PhD thesis, you will be a coaching lecturer in Bachelor and Master courses taught by the Athena Institute (15% of your time). For this duty you will be supported with training.

• A master’s degree in the field of Global Health, International Public Health, Health Sciences, or a related field such as Anthropology, Sociology.
• Proven experience with both qualitative research methods, such as interviews and focus groups, and quantitative research methods, such as questionnaires, database analysis.
• Experience with and prowess in liaising and engaging with diverse stakeholders (patient groups, academia, healthcare, industry, regulatory bodies, etc.) in health research and innovation processes.
• Strong affinity with transdisciplinary research, prior experience is a plus.
• Proven ability to work both within inter-/transdisciplinary teams (able to listen, flexible, adaptive, creative, pro-active, collaborative) and independently.
• Excellent command of English is imperative.
• A strong research record and excellent writing skills.

In addition, the complementarity of the two PhD candidates in academic background, skills and interests will be part of the final step in the selection process.

As a university, we strive for equal opportunities for all, recognising that diversity takes many forms. We believe that diversity in all its complexity is invaluable for the quality of our teaching, research and service. We are always looking for talent with diverse backgrounds and experiences. This also means that we are committed to creating an inclusive community so that we can use diversity as an asset.

We realise that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. Therefore we are happy to invite anyone who recognises themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not meet all the requirements.

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

• a salary of € 2.770,- gross per month on a fulltime basis at the beginning of the PhD trajectory, which increases to € 3.539,- in the 4th and final year of the trajectory.
• a position for 1 FTE. Initially, the appointment is for 12 months with the possibility of extension based on satisfactory performance, up to a maximum duration of four years.

We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and arrangements. Some examples:

• A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• solid pension scheme (ABP)
• child daycare facilities available on campus
• the possibility to work partly from home

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Athena Institute
The Athena Institute addresses complex societal issues, like climate change, health inequality and social injustice. We do this by designing, facilitating and studying multi-stakeholder processes. Together with all actors involved, we investigate how to instigate system transformation.

Faculty of Science
Researchers and students at VU Amsterdam’s Faculty of Science tackle fundamental and complex scientific problems to help pave the way for a sustainable and healthy future. From forest fires to big data, from obesity to malnutrition, and from molecules to the moon: we cover the full spectrum of the natural sciences. Our teaching and research have a strong experimentally technical, computational and interdisciplinary nature.

We work on new solutions guided by value-driven, interdisciplinary methodologies. We are committed to research, valorisation and training socially engaged citizens of the world who will make valuable contributions to a sustainable, healthy future.

Are you interested in joining the Faculty of Science? You will join undergraduate students, PhD candidates and researchers at the biggest sciences faculty in the Netherlands. You will combine a professional focus with a broad view of the world. We are proud of our collegial working climate, characterised by committed staff, a pragmatic attitude and engagement in the larger whole. The faculty is home to over 11,000 students enrolled in 40 study programmes. It employs over 1,600 professionals spread across 10 academic departments.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely. - a broader mind. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on diversity, significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces, across the boundaries of disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research. Learn more about our codes of conduct

We are located on one physical campus, in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas business district, with excellent location and accessibility. Over 6,150 staff work at the VU and over 31,000 students attend academic education.

Diversity
Diversity is the driving force of the VU. The VU wants to be accessible and receptive to diversity in disciplines, cultures, ideas, nationalities, beliefs, preferences and worldviews. We believe that trust, respect, interest and differences lead to new insights and innovation, to sharpness and clarity, to excellence and a broader understanding.

We stand for an inclusive community and believe that diversity and internationalisation contribute to the quality of education, research and our services.

Therefore, we are always searching for people whose backgrounds and experience contribute to the diversity of the VU community.