University of St Andrews - Macquarie University Joint PhD Scholarship in Evaluation and Mitigation of Bias in AI Medical Content 2026

The University of St Andrews and Macquarie University are pleased to offer a scholarship funded by both institutions to support an exceptional student undertaking doctoral research. This research examines how bias in AI-generated medical content can influence clinical decisions and patient care. By identifying these biases and developing strategies to reduce them, the project aims to support safer, more equitable use of AI in healthcare.

The integration of Large Language Models (LLMs) in healthcare promises to revolutionise clinical practice and patient engagement, yet these systems may perpetuate or amplify existing biases, potentially compromising patient safety and healthcare equity. This project aims to systematically evaluate biases in medically generated AI content and develop strategies to mitigate their impact on clinical and general users.

These biases manifest in multiple forms: demographic biases affecting diagnosis and treatment recommendations across different patient populations; acquiescence bias (sycophancy) where AI systems may inappropriately agree with users, potentially reinforcing incorrect clinical assumptions; and social desirability bias in discussing stigmatised conditions, potentially affecting mental health, addiction, and sexual health consultations.

Primary objectives:

• systematically evaluate multiple bias types in medical AI outputs, including demographic, cognitive, and social biases
• investigate how AI acquiescence affects diagnostic accuracy and clinical recommendations
• analyse AI handling of subjective clinical elements (lifestyle advice, mental health support) against established guidelines
• develop and test bias detection and mitigation strategies for clinical AI systems
• create frameworks for safer AI deployment in healthcare settings Research Questions:
• how do different bias types in medical AI systems affect clinical decision-making and patient outcomes?
• to what extent does AI sycophancy influence diagnostic pathways when clinicians present incorrect assumptions?
• how do AI systems handle stigmatised conditions compared to non-stigmatised ones, and what are the implications for healthcare equity?
• what strategies can effectively detect and mitigate biases in real-time clinical AI applications?

Methods:

The project will employ a mixed-methods approach, beginning with systematic bias evaluation using controlled experiments. We will develop standardised testing scenarios incorporating diverse patient demographics, clinical presentations, and user interactions. These will include:

• simulated clinical consultations with varying demographic profiles to assess diagnostic and treatment biases
• experiments testing AI responses to clinician queries containing deliberate errors or biases
• comparative analysis of AI-generated content for stigmatised versus nonstigmatised conditions
• evaluation of AI-generated clinical documentation (referral letters, SOAP notes) for bias indicators
• user studies with healthcare professionals and patients to understand real-world bias impacts.

Following Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) best practices, we will develop bias detection tools and mitigation strategies. Statistical methods will quantify bias magnitude across different dimensions, while qualitative analysis will provide insights into user experiences and clinical implications.

This project 'Evaluating and mitigating biases in AI-generated medical content: Implications for clinical decision-making and patient care' will be co-supervised by Andrew O'Malley and David Fraile Navarro.

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirements
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineDecember 3, 2025
• ValueFully Funded
• Study LevelPhD
• SponsorMacquarie University
• Eligible CountryAll Countries

Benefits

Duration of award

• Up to three and a half years. The student will be expected to spend half of the award term at the University of St Andrews and half at Macquarie University. The successful candidate will be expected to have completed the doctorate degree by the end of the award term. The award term excludes the continuation period and any extension periods.

Funding

Funding arrangements are made on the basis that:

For the period spent at the University of St Andrews, the scholarships will comprise a full tuition fee award and an annual stipend paid at a rate set by the University of St Andrews. For 2025-2026, the stipend is £19,775 p.a., with an annual uplift published by the University each academic year.

Macquarie will fund a living allowance scholarship per position at an annual rate of AUD39,700 (2026 rate, tax exempt), paid pro-rata while the student is in Australia. A tuition fee scholarship will be granted for the period of joint enrolment up to 42 months.

Macquarie will also provide an airfare allowance for flights between the UK and Australia up to a maximum of $4,000 AUD to be arranged by the Graduate Research Academy.

Unless otherwise specified, the scholarships do not cover:

• any continuation, extension, or resubmission period/fees
• a research training grant or another equivalent award for research expenses
• support for travel, immigration, health insurance and related charges between the partner institutions.

Requirements

• Admission and scholarship criteria of both universities must be met.
• For St Andrews, please refer to details of how to apply and of entry requirements here.
• For Macquarie University, please refer to the PhD entry and English language requirements, and graduate research scholarship eligibility criteria.
• Desirable experience or education: Computer science or health informatics or AI evaluation

Mode of study

• Full-time

Year of entry

• 2026-2027 academic year (St Andrews), 2026 academic year (Macquarie).
• Students will enrol at both institutions from the outset. In terms of their location for study, the entry point for students beginning at St Andrews is 27 September. If beginning at Macquarie, entry point is 1 October.

Additional criteria

• Applicants must not already
  • hold a doctoral degree; or
  • be matriculated for a doctoral degree at the University of St Andrews, Macquarie University, or another institution.

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Application Deadline

December 3, 2025

How To Apply

Expressions of interest open now until 3 December 2025.

Students are to submit an application or EOI via the University of St Andrews’ online portal.

As this is a St Andrews system, please ensure that you choose School of Medicine and Dr Andrew O’Malley as your principal supervisor.

Applications or EOIs should include the following documents:

• CV including information about publications
• transcripts of most relevant or recent degrees
• information about thesis components (thesis mark, word count, weight or length in comparison to the degree overall)
• statement of suitability as a candidate for the project (max 500 words)
• indication that the student meets the English language requirements for entry into a PhD program at both universities, or willingness to obtain relevant English language proficiency test results.

Applications or EOIs for a scholarship will be assessed jointly by the co-supervisors. Following a successful application or EOI for the scholarship, candidates may be invited by the co-supervisors to submit a full application to each university for admission into the program and award of the scholarship.

Please indicate in your application or EOI that you wish to be considered for this global doctoral scholarship.

For more information, kindly visit Macquarie University scholarship webpage.