PhD Studentship: Developing treatment guidance to support military personnel affected by deployment-related psychological distress
Overview
King's College London is offering a PhD studentship within the Department of Psychological Medicine, School of Academic Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience. Funded by a grant from the Ministry of Defence, the project centers on developing treatment guidance to support military personnel affected by deployment-related psychological distress during potential future large-scale combat operations. The research addresses how to support the Defence Medical Command in preparing for the mental health consequences of such operations. Specifically, the candidate will focus on identifying which personnel are likely to recover through early intervention compared to those who will require longer treatment pathways, helping to address the gap in contemporary evidence for clinical decision-making, assessment, and triage in combat zones.
The studentship involves utilizing a knowledge mobilisation framework to carry out three main components. These include a scoping review of best practices to reduce psychological distress across pre-, during, and post-deployment phases with a focus on combat operations. It also features qualitative interviews with clinicians from various specialties and experience levels regarding clinical decision-making in combat zones, alongside a Delphi consensus study informed by these interviews and other project work packages to develop clinical treatment guidance. Candidates will receive comprehensive training in relevant research methods and skills, with opportunities for teaching as a Graduate Teaching Assistant.
Requirements
Applicants must hold a 2:1 honours bachelor degree or an overseas equivalent in a relevant subject area such as epidemiology, psychology, or a related health field. Candidates with a 2:2 degree may be considered if they also possess a master degree with a Merit or above. Essential attributes include the ability to work both independently and collaboratively, strong personal and time management skills, the ability to meet deadlines, good oral and written communication skills, and an interest in working with the Armed Forces community alongside an understanding of military culture and mental health. Desirable qualifications include prior research experience involving the Armed Forces community, experience working in a clinical setting, experience writing or disseminating research to non-academic audiences, and a history of publishing in peer-reviewed journals.
How to apply
Applicants must submit their application through the admissions portal by midnight Greenwich Mean Time on Sunday, November 8, 2026. When navigating the application portal, candidates need to select Psychological Medicine Research MPhil/PhD Full-time on the program selection page, and in the funding section, check box 5 while including the reference code CW-KCMHR-LSCO-26. Applicants are not required to complete the research proposal section since the project is already established. Project-specific inquiries can be directed to Dr Charlotte Williamson via email, while general questions should be sent to the Education support team.
Key dates
The application deadline is November 8, 2026. The studentship is scheduled to start on February 1, 2027.