Health sciences

From research into paediatric physiotherapy, sporting injuries and chronic pain to the relationship between hearing loss, ageing and dementia, Macquarie’s health sciences researchers are uniquely positioned to address the complex issues that face humanity.

Our researchers have expertise in the fields of allied health, chiropractic, clinical audiology, environmental health, physiotherapy, public health, psychology, and speech and language pathology. They include Professor Ron Rapee, Director of the Centre for Emotional Health, who was awarded an Australian Laureate Fellowship to research emotional distress during adolescence.

A recent major investment in public health on Macquarie’s campus has been the development of the Australian Hearing Hub. Inspired by the interdisciplinary research environment at Macquarie, the Australian Hearing Hub is a revolutionary independent research facility designed to foster innovation. It brings together world-renowned scholars and leading service providers to advance research, education and innovation into hearing, cognition and speech and language disorders.

Multidisciplinary researchers from the Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Australia’s foremost healthcare systems research institute, are harnessing the data stored in our health records to make predictions about everything from a patient’s length of stay in hospital to their risk of infection to the likely effectiveness of particular treatments.

AREAS OF SPECIALISATION

• Aeroallergens and allergic respiratory diseases

• Anatomy and chiropractic education

• Auditory processing disorders in children and adults

• Chiropractic management of common sporting injuries

• Chiropractic practice

• Climate change and human health

• Clinical management of low back pain

• Development of spoken language and reading in young children with hearing impairments

• Development, public health and poverty

• Early intervention for those who stutter

• Emotional and mental health

• Environmental health, law, policy and contamination

• Epidemiology, diagnosis and emerging diseases

• Global health

• Hearing, speech and cognitive disorders across the lifespan

• Media and health

The PhD at Macquarie is by research, and in most disciplines has no formal coursework requirements. However, some Departments do require Higher Degree Research Training (HDRT) units to be undertaken which are most often in the form of research seminars.

• Excellent achievement (Distinction or above) in a 2-year Master degree by research or with a major research component
• English language proficiency (minimum overall IELTS of 6.5, with at least 6.0 in each band)
• Research proposal
• Referee reports if applying for a scholarship (evidence of prior awards and/or research activity is also highly regarded)
• Completed application forms

Very competitive, eligible candidates will receive full fees scholarship (up to 3 years) and a living allowance of around AUD$25,392 per year, tax free (2014 rate). Special arrangements for cotutelle and joint PhD scholarships.