Sandra Davidson

Dr Sandra Davidson

Graduate Research Topic

Title: The association between social connectedness and depression outcomes among primary care patients.
Years: 2006 - 2012
Supervisors: Prof. Jane Gunn and Prof. Christopher Dowrick.

What has happened in your career since you completed your GR?

When I finished my PhD, I was fortunate to be awarded a four-year NHMRC Early Career Fellowship and I continued working with Prof Jane Gunn and the mental health team in the Department of General Practice and Primary Care. In particular, I developed a program of research on the mental health and wellbeing of men working in the taxi industry.

In 2018, I stepped away from full-time academia for family reasons. However, within a few months I found myself back working with various members of the department on consultancy projects, article writing and grant development. Over the years I have worked on some really interesting projects with the World Health Organization, various state governments, and private enterprises.

In 2023, I returned to a more permanent position at The University of Melbourne where I am currently a Senior Research Fellow in Primary Care in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences. In this role, I provide support and strategic advice for primary care initiatives being undertaken across the faculty.

What was the best thing about your GR?

Doing a PhD part-time was brilliant for me and I really felt like I had a great work-life balance. I had a lot of flexibility through my children’s preschool years while simultaneously working to advance my future career prospects.

I also had two very experienced PhD supervisors who were invested in my success and actively supported my career development.

What is one piece of advice you would give to current GR students?

Take the time to develop your skills in critical thinking, logical reasoning, writing and communication. Having advanced skills in these areas makes all the difference when developing your project rationale, advancing your arguments and writing a 100,000-word thesis.