2 fellows – “Development of a collaborative model for the correct use of medicines in the primary healthcare service”

The Faculty of Health Sciences

About the position

At the Department of Pharmacy, there are two vacancies as fellows associated with the research group for clinical pharmacy and pharmacoepidemiology, called Identification and Prevention of Suboptimal Use of Medications (IPSUM). The two candidates will work closely together in the project and with the project group, which consists of both pharmacists and doctors. We primarily want a candidate with a pharmaceutical background and one with a medical background.

One position is for 3 years and the other position is for 4 years. As both positions aim to develop better collaboration between GPs and pharmacy pharmacists, it is advantageous that those employed have good knowledge of GP and pharmacy practice. The positions thus have a flexibility, which means that you can combine the PhD course with GP practice or pharmacy work. If desired, the 3-year position can, by agreement, be carried out over a longer period at a reduced percentage of positions, e.g. 6 years with 50% position

Both positions are educational positions and have completed research training up to a doctorate as a goal. The PhD study is standardized at three years. The fourth year for the one position, divided by 25% per year, must be used for teaching or other work tasks as agreed. Admission to the doctoral program is a prerequisite for employment and the study period starts upon taking up the position.

Place of work is UiT in Tromsø. You must be able to start the position within a reasonable time after receiving an offer.

About the project / The position’s research area

The position is linked to the project “Development of an interprofessional collaboration model between GPs and pharmacy pharmacists in Norway to improve patients’ use of medicines”.

The investigation from the Norwegian Health Personnel Commission (NOU 2023:4 Time for action) calls for new divisions of labor and streamlining within the healthcare system to meet future needs for healthcare personnel and healthcare services. Today’s situation is characterized by high work pressure for GPs, limited communication methods regarding drug prescribing, as well as patients who do not achieve their treatment goals or receive insufficient information about their drug treatment. Pharmacists in pharmacies meet patients regularly and at least every three months to dispense medicines. In many cases, this can be more often than the patient sees their GP. This is a favorable time to monitor drug treatment, make necessary clinical measurements, and assess whether the patient has specific needs related to drug treatment. In other countries such as the USA and the UK, it is standard practice for pharmacists to be involved in such follow-up.

The aim of this project is to investigate how pharmacists in primary pharmacies and GPs can collaborate better on the patients’ use of medicines. Is it possible to redistribute tasks so that pharmacists can undertake a larger part of the follow-up? How can this happen in collaboration with the GP so that correct treatment and a good flow of information are ensured? In what arena can such cooperation be carried out? Should the home service be involved when the patient is the recipient of such services? And if so, what is needed for this to become a reality?

The project has collaboration with GPs in two municipalities near Tromsø; Senja and Storfjord municipality. These GPs will also act as assistant supervisors for the doctoral fellows.

The project includes the use of the methodology Design Thinking1. In addition to the development and testing of new ideas, the methodology involves basic work using qualitative methods. The project will involve a stay at the study sites for carrying out data collection, design and testing of potential models.

Applicants who are invited to an interview will be sent a preliminary project description, and will be asked to formulate a text and present their own thoughts about the project’s overall research questions, specific issues, as well as methodology that can be included in their own PhD course.

Contact

You can get more information about the position from:

Qualifications

The position requires a master’s degree or equivalent in pharmacy or medicine. If you have completed your master’s soon, you can also apply. Master’s thesis in pharmaceutical use, interdisciplinary collaboration within the healthcare system or similar research experience beyond the master’s thesis is an advantage, but not a requirement.

Applicants must have documented good knowledge of Norwegian or another Scandinavian language.

Applicants must document good knowledge of English. Nordic applicants can document this with a diploma from upper secondary school.

In the assessment, emphasis is placed on the applicant’s potential to carry out research training based on the master’s thesis, and any other research experience. Good knowledge of the primary healthcare service, experience of carrying out similar projects, or knowledge of the methodology to be used, will be emphasised. Account will also be taken of other experience of importance for completing the doctoral studies, for example pedagogy, since the position includes 25% teaching.

In the assessment, we will also emphasize personal suitability and motivation for the position.

We are looking for a candidate who, among other things:

• Is structured, accurate and creative
• Works independently
• Has good collaboration skills
• Communicates and interacts well with colleagues and students
• Contributes to a good working environment

As many as possible should have the opportunity to undergo research training. If you have already obtained a doctorate or have equivalent competence, you are not eligible for employment in this position.

Admission to PhD programme

For employment as a research fellow, it is a prerequisite that you are admitted to the PhD program at the Faculty of Health Sciences and that you participate in organized doctoral studies during the employment period.

Admission normally requires the applicant to have:

• Bachelor’s degree of 180 credits and master’s degree of 120 credits, or integrated master’s degree of 300 credits.
• Master’s thesis with a scope equivalent to 30 credits or more if the applicant has a master’s degree of 120 credits.
• Master’s thesis with a scope equivalent to 20 credits or more if the applicant has an integrated master’s degree of 300 credits.

UiT normally approves foreign higher education from countries that have ratified the Lisbon Convention.

Applicants must have a grade of C or better on the master’s thesis and as an average on the master’s degree. A more detailed description of admission requirements can be found here.

For applicants with a foreign educational background, it will be assessed whether the education is equated with Norwegian higher education at master’s degree level. The assessment follows national approval practice, see NOKUT. Applicants with education from certain countries must have more higher education to meet the admission requirements, for example a 4-year bachelor’s and 2-year master’s.

If you meet the admission requirements and are employed in the position, you will also be temporarily admitted to the PhD programme. Applications for final admission must be submitted no later than two months after taking up the position.

Inclusive working life and diversity

UiT Norway’s Arctic University has a personnel policy goal of being an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population’s overall competence. We believe that inclusion and diversity is a strength and want employees with different skills, subject combinations, life experience and perspectives.

If you have a disability, gaps in your CV or an immigrant background, we encourage you as an applicant to tick this in the jobseeker portal. If there are qualified applicants, we call at least one in each group for an interview, and if you get the job, we make arrangements for you if you need it. Apart from selecting the right candidates, we do not use the ticks for anything other than anonymised statistics. Read more in the Employer Portal.

We offer

• You will be part of an exciting research project
• Good career opportunities
• A good working environment with dedicated colleagues
• Good welfare schemes
• Good pension, insurance and loan schemes in the State Pension Fund
• Scholarship holders normally receive NOK 532,200 in annual salary with a 3% increase per year.

The application

Your application must include:

• Application letter with a description of your research interests and motivation for the position
• Resume
• Certificates for bachelor’s and master’s degrees
• Transcript of grades for bachelor’s and master’s degrees
• Explanation of the grading system for foreign education (Diploma Supplement if available)
• Documentation of English skills
• Documentation of knowledge of Norwegian or another Scandinavian language
• 2-3 references with contact information
• The master’s thesis, and any other scientific works

Documented completion of a master’s degree is a condition for taking up the position. You can still apply if you are in the final phase of your master’s degree, but the master’s thesis must be submitted for assessment by the application deadline for the position. The master’s thesis and transcripts from the degree must be attached to the application.

All documentation to be assessed must be in a Scandinavian language or English. Diplomas and transcripts must also be submitted in the original language. If documentation of English skills is missing at the time of application, it must be documented before joining. We only accept applications and documentation that have been sent electronically via Jobbnorge within the application deadline.

General information

The appointment takes place in accordance with the rules and conditions that apply to government employees at all times, and guidelines at UiT. On our website you will find more information for applicants for positions at UiT.

A position as a research fellow is paid in accordance with the government’s regulatory code 1017. A 2% deposit is deducted from the salary to the Statens pensionskasse. You will become a member of the Statens pensionskasse, which gives you many benefits in addition to a lifelong old-age pension and AFP: You may be entitled to financial support if you become ill or disabled, your family may be entitled to financial support when you die, you are insured against occupational injury or disease, and you get good terms on mortgages. Read more about your employee benefits at: spk.no.

A shorter period of employment can be granted if the fellow has already completed parts of his research training programme, or when the appointment is based on previous employment in an educational position, so that the total time for research training is three years.

Personal data provided is processed in accordance with the Act on the Processing of Personal Data. Applicants can ask not to be listed on the public applicant list, but the university can still decide that the name of the applicant must be published. The applicant will then be notified in advance of publication.

Apply for the position