La Trobe University Industry Research Scholarship with Rare Cancers Australia The SPARC project: SuPportive cAre for Rare Cancer patients

$32500
Per annum for three and a half years. Fee relief additional.

01/05/2022

30/06/2022

Open

Future PhD candidates, Australian Citizen, New Zealand Citizen, Permanent Resident

Melbourne, Bendigo

Fortnightly stipend

This prestigious scholarship, established by La Trobe University in partnership with Rare Cancers Australia, will be awarded to an outstanding applicant who is interested in developing the first supportive care intervention for people with a rare cancer.

As an applicant, you should have an interest in counselling and supportive care for (rare) cancer patients. You should have a previous university degree in, for example, psychology, nursing, public health, allied health or another related field.

In the SPARC project, a supportive program tailored for (rural and urban) patients and survivors with rare cancers will be developed and evaluated in a pilot program with the goal of examining its impact on psychosocial functioning and quality of life. Primary outcomes at the pilot stage will be Quality of Life, and feasibility, acceptability, and sustainability of the intervention.

The project will be undertaken in close collaboration with the Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL) with the aim of developing a program of international significance.

Rational SPARC project:

One in five people with cancer are diagnosed with a rare cancer. Despite the name and acknowledged heterogeneity, rare cancers (more than 220 tumor types in total) collectively represent a significant percentage (20%) of all cancer diagnoses. Patients with a rare cancer have a more difficult illness trajectory and worse medical and psychosocial outcomes than those with more common cancers, such as breast cancer. Their unmet needs relate to information support regarding the health care system, support regarding optimizing their physical/psychosocial functioning and quality of life. Currently, evidence-based, supportive care interventions tailored for patients with a rare cancer are scarce.

Benefits of the scholarship include:

• a La Trobe Research Scholarship for three and a half years, with a value of $32,500.00 per annum, to support your living costs (2022 rate)
• a fee-relief scholarship for up to four years
• relocation allowance and publication/thesis allowance
• opportunities to work with La Trobe’s outstanding researchers, and have access to our suite of professional development programs.

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• meet the entrance requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• not be receiving another scholarship greater than 75 per cent of the stipend rate for the same purpose
• be an Australian and New Zealand citizen or Australian permanent resident

In selecting successful applicants, we prioritise applications from candidates who:

• will be enrolled full-time and undertaking their research at a La Trobe University campus
• have completed a Masters by Research or other significant body of research, such as an honours research thesis or lead authorship of a peer-reviewed publication, assessed at a La Trobe Masters by research standard of 75 or above

How to apply

If you wish to apply for this scholarship, follow Step 3 on our research application page – please ensure you submit a full application for scholarship and candidature.

Please note, as part of your application you are not required to identify a potential supervisor – Associate Professor Evelien Spelten is the designated supervisor for this project;

In your application, clearly indicate that you wish to be considered for the La Trobe University Industry Research Scholarship in collaboration with Rare Cancers Australia, for the SPARC project.

The University will carefully review your application and consider you for this scholarship.

If you are shortlisted for the scholarship and candidature, you will be invited to an interview with representatives of La Trobe, IKNL, and Rare Cancers Australia

The final decision will be made based on your application and interview. The successful candidate will be made an offer for candidature and scholarship.

You will be advised of an outcome in July 2022.

Associate Professor Evelien Spelten, [email protected]