Research Year in Cardiology – Gødstrup
Want to help improve how cardiac arrhythmia care is organized and delivered? Join a fully funded Research Year and contribute to research with direct clinical relevance.
What is the project about?
Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter are the most common cardiac arrhythmias, and direct current cardioversion (DCC) is an established treatment to restore sinus rhythm. For arrhythmias lasting more than 24 hours, patients generally require at least three weeks of anticoagulation before DCC. If this cannot be ensured, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) can be used to exclude intracardiac thrombus and allow earlier DCC. Although TEE-guided DCC is widely performed, there is no uniform model for how the procedure is organized. Clinical pathways differ substantially between hospitals in terms of staffing, procedural setting, sedation strategy, monitoring, and discharge.
To provide a contemporary overview of how TEE-guided DCC is delivered in clinical practice, you will conduct a cross-sectional survey examining current practice in cardiology departments across the Nordic countries, with potential extension to other European countries. By providing an up-to-date picture of current practice across health care systems, your findings may inform the design of future randomized clinical trials and quality-improvement initiatives, and support the development of more standardized, efficient, and patient-centered treatment pathways.
The project is part of CARDIOZOLAM, a broader research program focused on improving sedation and care delivery surrounding cardioversion. The program comprises several complementary studies, including randomized clinical trials, and is supported by Aarhus University and the Danish Heart Association (Hjerteforeningen).
Who are you?
You are a Master’s-level medical student with an interest in cardiology, clinical research, and healthcare organization. You do not need previous research experience. What matters most is that you are curious and motivated to learn. We value students who are creative, structured, and open to feedback. You should enjoy working both independently and as part of an academically rigorous research environment, taking increasing responsibility for your own project as you gain experience. Good written and spoken communication skills in both Danish (or another Scandinavian language) and English are expected.
Who are we?
We are a large and dynamic cardiovascular research group based at the Department of Cardiology, Gødstrup Hospital. Our research spans clinical cardiology and is supported by strong methodological expertise in randomized clinical trials and cardiovascular epidemiology. The group brings together senior researchers, physicians, PhD students, medical students, research nurses and secretaries, and works closely with a broad network of collaborators, including statisticians and health economists. We offer an active research environment characterized by close supervision and strong national and international collaboration.
What can you expect?
You will take responsibility for your own project from start to finish, including study design, survey development, data collection, analysis, and manuscript writing. With close supervision from experienced researchers and regular research meetings, you will develop the skills needed to carry out high-quality research and communicate your findings effectively. We value regular in-person participation in the research environment in Gødstrup, while some remote work can also be arranged. To make this feasible, travel time to and from Gødstrup can be partly counted as working time, and we will contribute toward transport expenses. The Research Year is fully funded and will provide the basis for at least one first-author peer-reviewed publication. You will also have the opportunity to contribute to other projects within the CARDIOZOLAM framework, including clinical studies involving direct patient contact, with the possibility of co-authorship on additional publications depending on your contribution. There will also be opportunities to attend relevant courses and conferences. If interested, we will also support your development toward a potential future PhD.
Application
Please send (1) a short motivated application, (2) your CV, and (3) an overview of your examination results to usama.sikandar@rm.dk
Application deadline: 01 November 2026, or as soon as possible.
Starting date: 01 February 2027 at the earliest , or as soon as possible thereafter.
For questions or further information, please feel free to contact us by email.
Morten Schmidt, Professor, MD, PhD, DMSc, MSc in Clinical Trials (Oxford)
Usama Sikandar, MD, PhD Student
