Dr Christel McMullan MA, PhD

• Fellow of Advanced Higher Education, 2021
• Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE), University of Birmingham, 2021 (Distinction)
• PhD in Education, Queen’s University Belfast, 2003
• MA in Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Ulster, 1998
• Diplôme d’Etudes Approfondies (MA) Anglo-Irish Studies, Université de Caen, France, 1997
• Maitrise (PgDip) Anglo-Irish Studies, Université de Caen, France, 1996
• Licence (BA Hons) English Language, Literature & History, Université de Caen, France, 1995

Christel obtained a first class degree (‘Licence’ (= BA Hons) in English Literature and History in the University of Caen (Normandy, France) and the Ulster University. She then focused on Irish/Northern Irish history and obtained an MA in Peace & Conflict Studies from the Ulster University. She pursued this interest in Northern Irish history and cross-community relations through her PhD (Queen’s University Belfast, 2003), which consisted of an ethnographic study of an integrated school in Belfast. Following her PhD, she gained experience in Qualitative Research in various areas (Education, Communication, Management, and Nursing) both in Queen’s University Belfast and the Ulster University (Northern Ireland).

Since moving to the Institute of Applied Health Research in the University of Birmingham in 2014, she has focused a lot of her work towards electronic Patient Reported Outcomes and using Qualitative Research in RCTs.

In addition to her research work, Christel is also teaching on several courses/modules. She is also actively involved in supervising PhD students and mentoring junior colleagues on the PGCHE course.

Christel's LinkedIn Profile

• Medicine and Surgery MBChB (Qualitative Research Methods)
• MSc Public Health (Qualitative Research Methods, NVivo)
• MSc Clinical trials – Qualitative research in RCTs, ePROs
• NVivo workshops

Christel has co-supervised one doctoral research students to completion and is currently supervising three others. Their projects, using qualitative and mixed-methods, focus on ePROs in renal care and real-world evidence.

Christel is interested in supervising further doctoral research students who are planning to use qualitative within their research. If you are interested in studying any of these subject areas please contact Christel directly, or for any general doctoral research enquiries, please email mds-gradschool@contacts.bham.ac.uk

For a full list of available Doctoral Research opportunities, please visit our Doctoral Research programme listings.

Christel’s main research interest is Qualitative Research, more specifically within Patient-Reported Outcomes and RCTs.

Her current projects include:

The PRiORiTy study (Patient Reported Outcomes Research in Trauma) (CI) - Developing a pathway for the electronic capture of PROMs/PREMs for inclusion within the SRMRC clinical information platform for use in research and routine and ongoing clinical care (NIHR SRMRC).

The CIS Oncology study (CI) - to assess the usability of an ePRO platform with individuals with lived experience of cancer (CIS Oncology).

The TLC study (Therapies for Long COVID in non-hospitalised individuals) - to identify which treatments are most likely to benefit people with particular symptoms of Long COVID and test supportive treatments to improve their quality of life (NIHR UKRI).

The PROmics study – to develop an electronic capture system to assess quality of life and symptoms, both at the point of receiving therapy and on a longer-term basis following discharge from hospital (NIHR UKRI).

Previous projects include:

STOP-COLITIS – NIHR Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation funded trial of faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in achieving and maintaining remission for patients with ulcerative colitis.  The study includes qualitative research with patients and clinicians that will inform the selection of an optimal route of administration of the transplantation.

ACCURE-UK – NIHR Research for Patient Benefit funded feasibility study for a trial of appendicectomy in ulcerative colitis.  Qualitative research has gathered data on the acceptability of this surgical intervention and the related clinical trial and has explored how patients with ulcerative colitis attempt to adapt to life with the disease, and in turn how medical and surgical therapies play a role in this.

The Bluebelle study – NIHR Health Technology Assessment funded feasibility study for a trial of post-surgical wound dressing types to prevent surgical site infection.  This study is a collaboration with researchers at Bristol University that has included a substantive qualitative component.