PhD Studentship alongside Research Trainee Post in Medical Statistics

The Department of Health Sciences at the University of York invite applications for a fully funded PhD Studentship to start in September/October 2025. The PhD will focus on gaining more precise parameters to inform sample size calculations in trials and will be developed within a NIHR funded programme grant entitled ‘Single and Safe Intervention for Medication Administration’. The successful candidate will be part of York Trials Unit.

• Are you interested in medical statistics and randomised controlled trials? ·
• Do you want to be a research trainee working on sample size calculations in trials?
• Do you want to be part of one of the world leading UKCRC-registered trials units?
• Do you want to part of a vibrant, diverse, interdisciplinary community of researchers and support methodological innovation?
• Do you want to gain practical experience of analysing trials alongside undertaking a PhD?
• Do you want to contribute to the design of trials with supervision from leading researchers?

Every day in NHS hospitals there are approximately 130,000 medication errors. Over three quarters of these errors happen while giving medicines to patients (medication administration errors). These errors, such as giving the wrong dose or medicines to the wrong patients, occur frequently and can harm patients. In very rare cases, errors cause severe harm or death. Strategies to reduce errors include double-checking. Here, two registered nurses check that the medicine is the right one for the patient and that the dose is correct, before giving the medicine. There is no convincing evidence that double-checking reduces medication administration errors. Research has also found that double-checking can harm patients because it leads to delays in patients getting critical medicines. We have been awarded an NIHR programme grant to develop a set of actions (intervention) to encourage nurses to stop double-checking. We will be undertaking a randomised controlled trial as part of this programme of work and there is an embedded ‘methods’ PhD studentship within this programme of work. 

The aim of the studentship is on gaining more precise parameters to inform sample size calculations in trials. It will involve two aspects: using a confidence interval approach for pilot criteria and approaches for establishing non-inferiority margins. There has been preliminary research about the design and sample size of pilot studies/criteria based on a confidence interval approach. The plan is to extend the original confidence interval approach to other types of outcomes and alternative designs (e.g., cluster trials). Defining a non-inferiority margin is crucial, yet one of the most challenging aspects of designing a non-inferiority trial. There are different approaches that have been used but rarely are multiple methods chosen to explore this. Scenarios based elicitation methods of the non-inferiority margin using bounds of acceptable ranges in and around the values chosen by the experts within the team is a novel approach that will be explored. As a Research Trainee, you will conduct statistical analyses of randomised controlled trials and assist with the design, conduct and write-up of research for reports and publications. Alongside your main role, you will be supported to undertake a PhD at the University of York.

The Research Trainee post will suit candidates with quantitative skills and interest, and background disciplines include mathematics and/or statistics. You will hold a strong first degree in one of these or related subjects. Possession of a master’s degree in mathematics and/or statistics would be an advantage. You will be encouraged to undertake training in advanced statistical programming, methods of data simulation, methods to handle missing data and elicitation methods. 

Essential and desirable requirements

Applicants will need to hold at least an upper second-class honours degree (2:1) in a relevant quantitative subject (e.g. maths). It would be desirable that the candidate will also have a master’s degree with a significant statistics component (e.g. statistics).

Applications should be received no later than the 09 February. Applications will not be considered for the post after this date.   Applications should be made using the University of York on-line application process which can be accessed using the following link.

https://jobs.york.ac.uk/vacancy/research-trainee-phd-studentship-576272.html

Shortlisting: Shortlisting will take place as soon as possible after the closing date and shortlisted applicants will be notified promptly.

Start date: September/October 2025

Interviews and informal enquiries

Individuals with the strongest academic record and experience will be shortlisted and invited for interview in March 2025. Interviews will be conducted face to face or via Zoom or similar communication tools.

For informal enquiries please contact Professor Catherine Hewitt (catherine.hewitt@york.ac.uk).

York Trials Unit (YTU) is a leading UK centre for the design, management and reporting of randomised controlled trials. YTU addresses important health and care questions that arise in real world settings. From hospitals and care homes to schools, prisons, and local communities. Together with professionals and members of the public, we design and deliver research that matters to their work and their lives. Our large, multidisciplinary team has the knowledge, skills and facilities required to take research from inception to successful completion. Our methodological research helps us to continually enhance and innovate study designs and delivery. The successful candidate will join a large team of statisticians based in YTU which includes a diverse range of experience and expertise from Trainee Statisticians through to Senior Statistician and Professors of Statistics. YTU is based within the Department of Health Sciences at the University of York which is a world-leading research-intensive department, situated within a Russel Group University. The Department of Health Sciences has a long track record and commitment to supporting researchers to develop their expertise and become leaders in their respective areas. Our research is known to drive real-world global impact and is ranked 6th in the UK for research power in the Times Higher Education ranking in the 2021 REF results with over 92% of our research rated as world-leading (4*) for impact.

The University of York has a rich research environment, with interdisciplinary working within and across research institutes, departments, and faculties.