NCIC PhD Alumni

Clinician PhD pathway 

Provision of a 0. 1EFT clinical session as a top up to a PhD stipend is a proven attraction for top quality candidates to complete their PhD in our centre. In addition to necessary income support and incentive for a student, this model enables and embeds PhD scholars within a specialist cancer care facility. It provides an opportunity for clinical experience and multidisciplinary networking and enhances the opportunities for clinical and health services research and translation. The experience gained throughout this program enhances their productivity and track record, making them competitive for future grant funding opportunities as evidenced by the successful careers of our NCIC PhD Alum. Professors Slavin, Thursky and Worth are renowned for sponsoring and mentoring their PhDs to independent researchers through opportunities to present their research internationally, providing supervision opportunities and links with their international collaborators.  

Pharmacist pathway 

Specialist pharmacists are becoming increasingly important in the care of cancer patients with infections. We have successfully developed and implemented a NCIC AMS pharmacist role to provide supervised research opportunities, build a track record and prepare to enter a PhD program. We have supervised/mentored pharmacists Dr Lindsay currently undertaking post-graduate research at the Fred Hutch Cancer Centre, Seattle, and PhD candidate Ms Anna Khanina now in final year of their PhD. With close ties to our sister CREs the National Center for Antimicrobial Stewardship, and CRE-Respond we have opportunities for pharmacists to work with leading collaborators in PK/PD modelling, antibiotic drug level monitoring, and national antimicrobial stewardship programs.  

Nurse researcher pathway  

As identified by the Federal government and Australian Cancer Plan, the cancer nursing workforce is key in connecting people with cancer to information and support relevant to their needs. The NCIC nursing pathway equips cancer nurses to research and address the evolving needs of patients in the current era of immune based treatments, home-based cancer care and electronic health records. It will prepare nurses to assume leadership, advocacy, and policy making roles. Nursing expertise is integral to current care pathways we have developed e.g. point of care antibiotic allergy delabelling, the sepsis pathway and low-risk Febrile Neutropenia are all nurse led pathways.

Nurse led projects in home-based care and exploiting digital technology for clinical trial and embedded sepsis care provide opportunities for nurse researchers to expand roles in home monitoring and digital health. Their skill and experience in front-line management of sepsis, monitoring patients for deterioration and using electronic health records is invaluable. 

AMS Nurse Practitioner pathway

We have established the first Australian Antimicrobial Stewardship in cancer Nurse practitioner (NP) career pathway. The AMS nurse practitioner role has 8 spheres of activity: AMS, Sepsis, Antibiotic allergy, low risk home based-care, education, policy, auditing, reporting. An AMS NP provides education, develops guidelines and policies, auditing and reporting across all spheres. If you are interested in any of these career pathways please contact us.