The proposed University of Pittsburgh Postdoctoral Program in Health Services Research will provide a 2-year training experience in health services research for motivated, creative individuals with prior health professional or research doctorates. The program's objectives are to provide 4-7 fellows each year with: 1) rigorous individualized didactic training in a comprehensive spectrum of health services research methodologies;2) a mentored health services research experience;3) the tools to develop and submit competitive health services research grant applications;4) practical experience in collaborative work with stakeholder organizations;and 5) training in the leadership and professional skills necessary to excel as health services researchers. The training will be individualized to each fellow's competencies and needs. The didactic curriculum will be administered through the University of Pittsburgh Institute for Clinical Research Education and will cover research design, statistical analysis, measurement, outcomes and effectiveness, secondary analysis of large databases, health care finances and organization, advanced health services research topics, grant-writing, and research ethics. Fellows will select one or more experienced faculty mentors and plan, design, implement, complete, and report a mentored health services research project. Faculty mentors will be members of one or more University of Pittsburgh or affiliated health services research units, including the Center for Research on Health Care, the VA Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, the Department of Health Policy and Management, the Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, and RAND Health. The program will maintain a network of partnerships with internal and community organizations, including the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Health Plan, the UPMC Center for Quality Improvement and Innovation, the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, the Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative, Highmark Health Plan Informatics, and the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council. These partnerships offer venues and resources to help fellows study important questions in health care delivery, patient safety, quality improvement, health policy, financing and organization, and disparity reduction and, importantly, give fellows experience collaborating with community stakeholders. The success of the program will be measured by applicant pool, program, and mentor-fellow evaluations and through tracking of career outcomes.
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