Contract Duration: 1 year | Salary: RM 2,000+ per month
About the Project:
This project examines the feasibility of social prescribing in Malaysia as a strategy to address social determinants of health and complement biomedical care. Using an umbrella review, a national survey of doctors, and qualitative interviews with patients, healthcare providers, and Ministry of Health stakeholders, the study will generate the first empirical evidence on how social prescribing can be adapted and integrated into the Malaysian healthcare system. Findings will inform policy, service design, and community partnerships in line with national health priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Position Overview:
We invite applications for a Graduate Research Assistant to support the social prescribing project. The GRA will play a central role in coordinating data collection, managing qualitative research activities, and contributing to knowledge translation products such as policy briefs and infographics. This position is well suited for candidates interested in public health, primary care, mental health, or community based research, and may align with a Master or PhD thesis.
Key Responsibilities:
* Assist with literature searches, article screening, and reference management for the umbrella review
* Support coordination of the national online survey of doctors, including recruitment through professional bodies and basic data management
* Coordinate Phase 2 qualitative activities, including recruitment and scheduling of interviews and focus groups with doctors, patients, NGOs, and Ministry of Health stakeholders
* Manage contact lists for opt in interviews and maintain accurate project records and audit trails
* Oversee transcription procurement and quality checking of audio recordings
* Assist with data coding and organisation using NVivo under supervision of the research team
* Contribute to the preparation of dissemination materials, including policy briefs, infographics, workshop slides, and community friendly summaries
* Provide general administrative support related to meetings, ethics documentation, and project reporting
Eligibility Criteria:
* Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Medicine, Nursing, Psychology, Social Sciences, or related fields
* Candidates must enroll in a postgraduate (Master’s or PhD) programme at Universiti Malaya upon joining
* Interest in social prescribing, primary care, mental health, health systems, or community based interventions
* Good written and spoken communication skills in English and Bahasa Malaysia
* Prior experience with research (quantitative and or qualitative), survey tools, or community engagement is an advantage
* Familiarity with NVivo, SPSS or other statistical software is an added advantage
* Responsible, organised, and able to work independently with minimal supervision
* Willingness to liaise with external stakeholders and, when required, travel for data collection
Benefits:
* Hands on training in mixed methods research, including survey and qualitative techniques
* Mentorship from an interdisciplinary team and exposure to national and international collaborators
* Opportunity to co author publications and contribute to policy relevant outputs
* Potential alignment of GRA work with a postgraduate thesis, subject to university requirements
* Experience working at the interface of academia, health services, and community organisations