Paddy Gillespie

A fully funded PhD studentship is available at the University of Galway within the Health Economics & Policy Analysis Centre (HEPAC), funded by Evidence Synthesis Ireland (ESI). The project focuses on developing and applying evidence synthesis methods for health economic evaluation and health technology assessment (HTA), in collaboration with HIQA. The research programme includes a scoping review of best practices, development of a critical appraisal framework for HTA case studies, qualitative interviews with national and international stakeholders, and a real-world applied HTA/economic evaluation case study. Applicants should hold a 2.1 or higher in a relevant discipline and a Master’s degree in Health Economics, HTA, Evidence Synthesis, Economics, Health Services Research, Statistics, or a related field with strong health economics/evidence synthesis content. Prior research experience in health economics or evidence synthesis is required, and a quantitative or mixed-methods mindset with interest in HTA and economic evaluation is desired. The studentship covers PhD fees (with Non-EU candidates responsible for any fees above the EU level), provides a €25,000 annual stipend, and includes a training/conference budget. The start date is 1 January 2026, and the application deadline is 10 October 2025. To apply, candidates should email Prof Paddy Gillespie with a cover letter, CV, and one research sample. This opportunity is ideal for candidates interested in health economics, evidence synthesis, and policy analysis, offering a comprehensive research experience in a collaborative and well-funded environment.