A 3.5 year PhD studentship in Artificial Intelligence for Eliciting Patient Histories, funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) UCLH Biomedical Research Centre, is available within the Institute of Health Informatics. The studentship will commence from 1 February 2027 under the supervisor of Professor Paul Taylor.
The PhD Project
Project Title: AI for Eliciting Patient Histories
The aim of this project is to understand how AI tools can be integrated into patient consultations to improve the quality of interaction between clinicians and patients. The consultation is the defining event in almost all episodes of care and remains one of the most important encounters in medical practice.
In recent years, consultations have begun to be transformed by the adoption of two distinct forms of technology. The first, AI scribes, aims to make consultations more patient-centred by automating administrative tasks. These tools record consultation audio, transcribe conversations, and generate summaries for clinicians to review before adding information to the patient record. The second technology, conversational agents or chatbots, provides a low-cost alternative to aspects of clinical consultations by eliciting information directly from patients.
The successful candidate will identify insights and frameworks from the literature on conventional clinical encounters, history-taking, and shared decision-making that are most relevant to the design of conversational agents.
The project will also develop and test AI-based approaches for analysing and assessing transcribed consultations. This work will provide an additional source of evidence on the characteristics of consultations and will enable testing of insights from the literature and exploration of more refined hypotheses, including the impact of factors such as age and gender.
Why Apply?
This PhD offers a unique collaboration between an AI start-up delivering cutting-edge technology, experienced AI researchers working in healthcare, and practising clinicians responsible for teaching communication skills to future doctors.
Applicants will be expected to contribute to teaching within the Institute of Health Informatics. The commitment is equivalent to approximately six months of teaching across the duration of the PhD.
This studentship provides an excellent opportunity to undertake supervised research at a world-leading institute, contribute to the development of AI technologies that enhance patient-centred care, and become part of a vibrant research community.
This award includes a starting stipend of £28,212 per annum and covers tuition fees at the UK (Home) rate.
Personal Specification
Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, an upper second-class Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree (or equivalent work experience) in a relevant discipline or possess an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.
Eligibility
The studentship covers tuition fees at the UK (Home) rate. Applicants from outside the UK are welcome to apply but will be required to fund the difference between the UK (Home) and overseas tuition fee rates if they are not eligible for Home fee status.
Important: Applicants will be asked about their likely fee status during the interview process. Those unsure of their eligibility should seek advice from the UCL Graduate Admissions Office. Further information on fee status assessment is available through UCL and UKCISA guidance.
How to Apply
Please send:
- A current CV, including contact details of two professional referees.
- A one-page A4 cover letter.
Applications should be sent to Professor Paul Taylor at p.taylor@ucl.ac.uk.
Application Deadline: 21 December 2026
Interview Date: Week commencing 4 January 2027
