MacHSR Future Leaders Fellowship program

Introduction

The MacHSR Future Leaders Fellowship program is open to fully qualified clinicians (Doctors, Nurses, Allied Health professionals) who are keen to use Health Services Research (HSR) to explore an evidence-based solution to a practical healthcare problem that is pertinent to their health service and take steps towards becoming a leader of innovative care.

One Fellow will be appointed per MACH health service, plus one GP. Successful Fellows will be required to complete the University of Melbourne Introduction to Health Services Research subject before being released from clinical duties flexibly, with no detriment to salary, for one day per week over 12 months to work on the identified project.

Aim

The aims of the program are to both address the identified problem and to develop HSR knowledge in exceptional clinicians who will bring these skills to their front-line clinical work, deliver innovative care, and go on to be future leaders in HSR within their health service.

HSR training

Formal HSR training will be undertaken by MacHSR Fellows during stage 1 of the fellowship. This is in the form of registration for the Introduction to Health Services Research subject delivered by the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne. Completion of the subject (assessed or non-assessed) is a prerequisite for stage 2 of the fellowship.  Throughout the subject Fellows will upskill in HSR methods and refine their original project proposal using the knowledge gained and expert guidance provided.

The subject has a dual delivery format and can be undertaken flexibly around working hours. As Fellows are not released from clinical duties during stage 1 of the fellowship, a commitment to study will be required. Some applicants may be eligible to apply for study leave from their employer. Where Fellows do not have access to personal CME funding, MACH will provide a scholarship to cover the course fee for these individuals.

Further details on the Introduction to Health Services Research subject can be downloaded here.

Guidance and networking

Each Fellow will be matched with an expert academic supervisor and invited to join peers and a pool of experts at regular cohort meetings.

Deliverables

A resolution to the original problem does not need to be delivered during the course of the fellowship. Example outputs include a pilot study or collaborative application for research grant funding to address the issue. On completion of the fellowship, the cohort will be supported by MACH to maintain regular interaction between themselves and the HSR experts with whom they have trained.

Executive support

The MacHSR Future Leaders Fellowship program has support from all MACH-affiliated health service CEOs. Each CEO has nominated a MacHSR point of contact for their health service, these are listed under “Hospital Leads” below.

Projects

Applicants are required to identify a problem within their health service that could be addressed by an HSR solution. Projects must address an area of significant unmet need and align with the service priorities of the applicant’s organisation. An internal shortlisting process by the CEO-nominated lead will ensure that projects meet these criteria, and that the applicant is an individual the hospital wishes to foster as a future leader in HSR. Projects that address aspects of healthcare sustainability, or the healthcare of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are encouraged by MACH.

Applicants are encouraged to discuss potential projects with their health service lead prior to submission.

View previous MacHSR projects here.

HSR is defined by the Health Services Research Association of Australia and New Zealand as:

“The study of the funding, organisation and delivery of health services and involves multidisciplinary perspectives. Outcomes are usually at the population level rather than the individual – this approach contrasts with clinical research which emphasises outcomes for individuals. The aim is to provide evidence to influence policy at all levels, in order to improve the health of the public. Health services research is not a scientific discipline of its own, but draws on and uses a wide range of methods from several disciplines, particularly economics, epidemiology, statistics and psychology. It also requires input from and an understanding of biology, medicine, nursing, and other clinical areas. Health services research seeks to answer questions like: What kind of health care should we have? How should services be provided? How should services be funded? Who should receive health care services?”

HSR can address (Academy Health, Washington 2013):

1. Access and disparities
2. Organisation, financing and delivery
3. Health outcomes
4. Clinician behaviour
5. Patient behaviour

Eligible applicants must:

1. Be a fully qualified Doctor (AHPRA registered and post-vocational training), Nurse (AHPRA registered) or Allied Health professional (AHPRA registered or equivalent professional registration).
2. Be employed at 0.3 FTE or over by a MACH-affiliated health service (vocational trainees are not eligible), or as a GP.
3. Have some research experience.
4. Want to gain HSR expertise to share at the frontline.
5. Have identified an important problem within their health service that aligns with the service strategic priorities, has significant unmet need, and could be addressed with an HSR solution.
6. Show promise to become a leader in innovative care.
7. Have written support from their manager to accompany their application (see application details below). For GP applicants, written support should be from the nominated lead for the Department of General Practice and Primary care, University of Melbourne.

The deadline for applications is 9am, Tuesday 28th April 2026.

Interviews will be held in late May/early June.

Stage 1: July 2026-October 2026 Introduction to HSR subject / November 2026-January 2027 Project refinement and ethics application development.

Stage 2: February 2027-January 2028 MacHSR Fellowship with one day per week release from clinical duties.

Fellows will continue to be paid at the existing commitment by their health service with release from clinical duties for one day per week for 12 months. MacHSR fellowships are unfunded and MACH does not provide funds to cover any clinical back-fill that may be required.

If the application is successful, details of the release from clinical duties are to be finalised between the applicant, unit manager, and CEO-nominated MacHSR lead at the relevant health service. The MacHSR Future Leaders Fellowship program has support from all MACH-affiliated health service CEOs.

All Fellows must complete the Introduction to Health Services Research subject prior to receiving release from clinical duties. If the Fellow does not have access to personal CME funding, MACH will provide a scholarship to cover subject fee costs.

The two-part selection process is led by the MacHSR Program Director, Prof Harriet Hiscock. Applications are shortlisted by the CEO-nominated hospital leads prior to interview by the MacHSR Co-Director panel. The highly competitive program will welcome one Fellow per MACH hospital, plus one GP, in 2026.

Pre-application enquiries may be sent to Lauren Wallis, MACH ([email protected]).

Applications should be sent by 9am, Tuesday 28th April 2026 to [email protected] and must include:

1. CV, including brief details of any research projects undertaken and the applicant’s role in the research.
2. Project proposal outlining the problem of interest and how it might be addressed by HSR (please use proposal template provided below).
3. A letter of support from the Health Service divisional/operational/professional manager with responsibility for the clinician’s unit to confirm that the applicant meets eligibility requirements, has in principle support for one day per week time-release from clinical duties for 12 months if successful, and that the identified problem is important to address (please use letter of support template provided below).
4. Cover email stating the employing organisation and department.

The MacHSR Future Leaders Fellowship program has support from all MACH-affiliated health service CEOs. Each CEO has nominated a MacHSR lead for their health service, see “Hospital Leads” below. Potential applicants are encouraged to discuss their application with the MacHSR lead at their health service prior to submitting to ensure alignment with service strategic priorities.

If the application is successful, details of the release from clinical duties will be finalised between the applicant, unit manager, and CEO-nominated MacHSR lead at the relevant health service.

Project proposal: This template is to be downloaded, completed by the applicant, and submitted as part of the application.

Download the MacHSR project proposal template

Letter of support: This template is to be downloaded, completed by the relevant unit manager, and submitted as part of the application.

Download MacHSR letter of support template

The CEO-appointed point of contact for each hospital will shortlist applications, ensuring that the identified project is of significant unmet need and aligns with service priorities, and that the applicant has the potential to be a future leader within their health service.

What are the shortlisting selection criteria?

Each hospital will shortlist up to two applicants to move forward to interview, based on the following criteria:

• Is the applicant someone the health service wants to foster as a future leader in HSR
• Is the identified ‘problem’ an area of significant unmet need
• Does the identified ‘problem’ align with service priorities

The interview panel of MacHSR Co-Directors will assess candidates against the following criteria:

• Does the applicant have potential to become a future leader in HSR
• Could the identified ‘problem’ be addressed by a HSR solution

Is the fellowship assessed?

As part of the fellowship, Fellows are required to undertake the Introduction to Health Services Research subject offered by the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health before moving to their release from clinical duties. The subject may be taken in assessed or non-assessed mode. MACH encourages all Fellows to take the assessed option to obtain a recognised qualification. The remainder of the activity within the fellowship is not assessed but update and final reporting will be required.

Does the release from clinical duties need to be on a certain day of the week?

The program is designed to allow clinicians to be released from clinical duties flexibly, at a time that minimises disruption to service delivery. MACH does not require the MacHSR Fellows to be available on a certain day, or the same day each week. The release from clinical duties could alternatively be as blocks of full-time research equivalent to one day per week over 12 months.

Do I have to study the Introduction to Health Services Research subject?

Completion of the subject is a prerequisite to continue into stage 2 of the fellowship. The subject may be taken as assessed or non-assessed, although MACH encourages all Fellows to take the subject assessed. Over the course of study, the original project proposal will be refined and adapted using the knowledge gained.

Can I find my own academic supervisor?

Each Fellow is allocated an expert academic supervisor to complement the requirements of the Fellow or project. Fellows are required to also identify a local or subject matter supervisor. This person will provide guidance throughout the fellowship and will be familiar with the project, local environment or subject matter.