SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH RESEARCH AND POLICY

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1 Stanford University SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH RESEARCH AND POLICY Health Services Research Master s Degree Program (W)m:/mah/HSR Prog/MS Brochure(ProgDescription(Final)

2 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH RESEARCH AND POLICY Health Services Research Master of Science (MS) Program Description Health services research is an inherently interdisciplinary field that studies the organization, financing, delivery and outcomes of health care. In this broad field, different health services research training programs have developed areas of strength and concentration. The Stanford program in Health Services Research is characterized by its focus on a quantitative analysis of medical care and outcomes. The Master s Degree program in Health Services Research is a research-oriented program, rather than a management/administration-oriented program, with a concentration on economics and statistics, medical informatics, outcomes research, costeffectiveness, the healthcare system and technology assessment. The program is designed to complement training in the medical and social sciences in preparation for careers in health services or health policy analysis in government, consulting firms, health planning agencies, education, business, or the law. The program provides specialized training in selected areas of health care policy, research methodology, and the application of these skills to a specific research problem. Course work requirements allow students to design a program of study suited to their individual backgrounds and interests. 2

3 Many graduates have pursued academic careers in medicine, pursued further education in medicine or law school and obtained staff positions in research or consulting. Medical students typically engage in residency training after graduation. Stanford emphasizes joint MD/MS programs to provide a variety of in-depth tracks for medical students. Faculty The faculty in the Master s Program is drawn from the Division of Health Services Research and from many other departments and schools in the University. Among the disciplines represented are biostatistics, business, economics, engineering, epidemiology, ethics, humanities and sciences, international health, medicine, psychology, public policy analysis, law and sociology. Faculty research interests include the social, organizational, and financial factors in health care delivery, cost-effectiveness of clinical practices, and outcomes research, health economics, health care organization, quality of care, decision analysis, clinical guidelines and assessment of patient preferences and quality of life. Curriculum Our curriculum recognizes that students need to be familiar with the organization and institutions of health care in the United States. This knowledge is derived through core courses such as HRP 391/E331, Political Economy of Health Care in the United States, HRP 392/E322, Analysis of Costs, Risks and Benefits of Health Care, HRP 256/Econ 256, Economics of Health and Medical Care, HRP 351/GSBGEN351, Health Care Innovators, and the weekly Health Services Research Seminar, HRP 283. A second broad theme of the curriculum is acquisition of the tools of policy analysis. In the present health care environment, each student needs to be acquainted with health economics in order to work effectively in the field of health services research. Depending on their specific research interests, students also become familiar with other methods, such as decision-modeling through Management Science and Engineering MS&E 252, Decision Analysis I, or meta-analysis through HRP 206/STATS 211, 3

4 Statistical Methods for Meta-Analysis. The third broad theme of the curriculum is an understanding of statistics and data analysis. We require two upper level courses, and encourage students to take a sequence of biostatistics courses designed to meet the needs of biomedical researchers: HRP 261/STATS261, Intermediate Biostatistics: Analysis of Discrete Data, and HRP 262/STATS262, Intermediate Biostatistics: Regression, Prediction, Survival Analysis. Students with particular interests can choose an alternative set of courses with the approval of their faculty advisor. The fourth broad theme of our curriculum is that each student should have a research experience working directly with a faculty mentor. We consider this experience to be the core of our program. Each student works directly with a faculty mentor on a project of a student's choosing, with the goal of producing a Master s thesis and one or more high quality papers suitable for publication in a peer-review journal. Combined Degree Programs MD/MS Medical students desiring a Master s degree may integrate this special program into their medical curriculum. Stanford University School of Medicine s flexible curriculum provides an opportunity for students to extend their preclinical coursework over three years to allow medical students to pursue an additional advanced degree. Coterminal Program The coterminal program is offered to Stanford undergraduates to study concurrently in the same or different departments for a bachelor's degree and a master's degree. Undergraduates may apply between their eighth and eleventh quarters (or upon completion of 105 units). The courses used to fulfill a master's degree requirement must represent new work beyond the components of the undergraduate program. 4

5 Fellowship Training Programs Stanford s Center for Primary Care and Outcomes Research is responsible for two highly competitive fellowship programs, which are administered by the Department of Medicine in cooperation with the Department of Health Research and Policy. Most of the fellows funded by these training programs enroll in the HSR Master s Degree Program. These individuals are typically physicians who have completed clinical training and are seeking research training before embarking upon academic careers. < Fellowship in Health Care Research and Health Policy The Health Care Research and Health Policy Fellowship, sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), enrolls both predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees for three years, and seeks graduate students, medical students, and postdoctoral students. Fellows must gain extensive knowledge of one nonbiomedical field and must demonstrate this knowledge by fulfilling the requirements for a Master s or PhD degree. < Fellowship in Ambulatory Care Practice and Research The Ambulatory Care Fellowship of the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System offers research training to physicians for two years, including coursework, clinical responsibilities, and both teaching and research opportunities under supervision, in conjunction with the Center for Primary Care and Outcomes Research (PCOR), Department of Medicine. The primary focus of the program is to provide research skills needed for a career in academic medicine. Physicians completing the fellowship also will be skilled in clinical care and teaching. For more information on the fellowship programs, please contact: Fellowship Program Administrator, 179 Encina Commons, Stanford, CA , (650)

6 What We Look For In A Candidate A student with a demonstrated interest in health policy and health services research. The most competitive applicants will have a strong quantitative background in statistics, economics, math and pre-med, and show a real interest in learning about health policy as applied to medical practice. The typical student in the program is either a physician who has completed residency training and is preparing for a research career or a student with a strong background in policy analysis who wishes to focus on problems in health and medical care. Admission Criteria Successful applicants will be expected to have a high grade point average (3.5/4.0), high Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores (generally scores above 700 in math and verbal, and above 600 in English), or MCAT scores (above 10), three strong letters of recommendation, and an appropriate personal statement. GRE scores must be from an examination taken within the last five years (the Stanford score recipient number is R4704). Applicants from other countries whose first language is not English will be required to submit TOEFL exam scores as evidence of English proficiency. TOEFL scores of at least 600 are required. Degree Requirements Candidates for the Master s degree in HSR must satisfactorily complete 45 units of graduate coursework and a Master s thesis. Students generally take two years to complete both the required courses and the thesis. Application Procedure Applicants need to complete the Stanford University on-line application, In addition, we require a department application be 6

7 completed as well. Each applicant needs to also provide a one page statement about his/her specific research interests, propose a faculty member who would supervise their research, and outline the courses they would plan to take if accepted in the program. The completed application package will include the Master s Program in Health Services Research application, three letters of recommendation, transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, and GRE or MCAT scores. The deadline for applications is January 31, and should be sent to: Robert Shields Educational Coordinator Stanford University School of Medicine Department of Health Research and Policy HRP Redwood Building Stanford, CA Tuition At the current tuition rate, tuition costs for the MS program will run approximately $37,347. This includes three quarters of full tuition at $9,949/quarter for the first year while completing the course work, while the second year is spent completing the thesis at a reduced tuition rate of $2,500/quarter. Financial Aid Except for limited financial aid for post-doctoral fellowship training programs funded by the VA and AHRQ (see Page 4), there is no financial aid available. Students have supported their programs by individual fellowship awards, career development awards, and/or personal funds. 7

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