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  • PhD in Health Services Research
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PhD in Health Services Research

In this program, you'll study how the interplay of social factors, health technologies, and personal behaviors impact healthcare access, healthcare costs, and quality of life. You’ll be trained to think like a scientist, implementing and developing research studies that assess predictors of disease and the effectiveness of interventions. Our faculty are studying everything from disaster preparedness to health insurance to financing hospitals, which means you can find the mentor who’s right for you.

Application and deadline

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Tuition and aid

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Quick facts, careers, and skills

When you complete this program, you’ll have the knowledge and skills you need to pose innovative health services research questions and leverage data to inform evidence-based clinical practices and health policies.

Quick facts

Program location: CU Anschutz
Credit hours: 69-72
Est. time to complete: 5-7 years

Sample careers

Program analyst
Research director
Health Services Researcher
& more

Skills you'll gain

Grant writing
Study design
Data analysis and interpretation
& more

Curriculum


In this program, you’ll take courses in biostatistics, research methodologies, study design, healthcare economics and policy, epidemiology, and clinical outcomes assessment. You'll also complete a dissertation based on work completed under the supervision of one of our world-class researchers.

Course requirement

Course ID

Credits

Biostatistical Methods I*

BIOS 6611

3

Biostatistical Methods II*BIOS 66123

SAS Database Design and Management

BIOS 66803

* Courses required before Preliminary Exam: Biostatistics (BIOS 6611, 6612), Ethics (CLSC 7150), Epidemiology (EPID 6630), Foundations in Health Services Research (HSMP 7010 Fall and Spring semesters)


Course requirement
Course ID
Credits

Clinical Science Research Se​​​​minar+

CLSC 6210

1

Critical Appraisal Seminars in Clinical Science

CLSC 6270

1

Grant Writing I

CLSC 7101

1

Ethics & Responsible Conduct of Research*

CLSC 7150

1

Clinical Outcomes and Applications

CLSC 7202

3

* Courses required before Preliminary Exam: Biostatistics (BIOS 6611.6612), Ethics (CLSC 7150), Epidemiology (EPID 6630), Foundations in Health Services Research (HSMP 7010 Fall and Spring semesters) BIOS 6612 is required before taking HSMP 7607. Students must complete HSMP 7609 and CLSC 7202 prior to HSR-specific preliminary exam.

+ CLSC 6210 is taken over 1 year typically during the second or third year of the PhD (after passing the Preliminary Exam but before completing the Comprehensive Exam).

Course requirement
Course ID
Credits

Health Systems Management Policy Elective***


3

Health Care Economics

HSMP 6604

3

Methods in Health Services Research I

HSMP 7607

3

Methods in Health Services Research II

HSMP 7609

3

Foundations in Health Services Research++

HSMP 7010

2

++ HSMP 7010 is must be taken in a Fall and Spring semester (1 credit per semester).

*** 3 credits of HSMP electives; recommended courses include HSMP 7601 (3 credits), HSMP 6605 (3 credits), HSMP 6602 (3 credits) or HSMP 6609 (2 credits) and HSMP 6616 (1 credit).

 

Course requirementCourse ID
Credits
EpidemiologyEPID 66303
Foundations in Public Health**PUBH 66002
Public Health Concepts for Non-MPH**EHOH 66011
Cognate Course Credits^
 6

** All PhD students matriculating in or after Fall 2018 are required to take PUBH 6600 and EHOH 6601. Only students with a prior graduate degree from a CEPH-accredited institution may waive this requirement.

^ The goal of the cognate courses is to develop a minor area of study that supports the student's research interest. The student will need to present his/her ideas to their academic advisor for approval.

Course requirement

Course ID

Credits

Doctoral Thesis

HSMP 8990

30

 

Total credits: 69-72

Download the information packet >

View the course book and course schedule >

Competencies


IdentifierCompetencies
​PHD-HSR 1​Identify the main components and issues of the organization, financing and delivery of health services and public health systems in the U.S.
​​PHD-HSR 2​Identify and measure clinically meaningful and/or policy relevant outcomes and apply evidence-based practice principles.
​​PHD-HSR 3​Critically appraise existing literature and evaluate manuscripts published in peer-reviewed journals.
​PHD-HSR 4​Demonstrate a breadth of health services research theoretical and conceptual knowledge by applying alternative organizational and behavioral models from a range of relevant disciplines.
​PHD-HSR 5​Pose innovative and important health services research questions, informed by systematic reviews of the literature, stakeholder needs, and relevant theoretical and conceptual models.
​PHD-HSR 6​Select the appropriate econometric/statistical specification and estimation technique, including using specification tests and theoretical justifications for distributional assumptions, the choice of link function, and estimation approach for a variety of outcomes.
​PHD-HSR 7​Choose and define the appropriate unit of analysis and approach to computing standard errors for conducting a hypothesis test.
​PHD-HSR 8​Understand and apply methods for causal inference and identify the assumptions that may or may not hold for a causal interpretation.
​PHD-HSR 9​Write and know how to submit grant proposals to federal, state, and non-governmental organizations.
​PHD-HSR 10​Describe and adhere to legal, ethical and regulatory issues related to clinical research.
​PHD-HSR 11​Demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate the findings and implications of health service research through multiple modalities to an interdisciplinary audience.
​PHD-HSR 12​Independently design, conduct, and defend research studies using health services research methods.
​PHD-HSR 13​Participate in interdisciplinary collaboration, provide constructive reviews and feedback to colleagues, and demonstrate leadership in the appropriate application of health services research methods

Colorado School of Public Health

CU Anschutz

Fitzsimons Building

13001 East 17th Place

3rd Floor

Mail Stop B119

Aurora, CO 80045


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