The T32 Postdoctoral training program provides the next generation of scholars with the methodological and professional skills to conduct research in the complex environments of health systems and to disseminate and implement the findings from such research into practice.

Program activities include:

  • aLHSS core curriculum
  • Leading one (or more) mentored research projects
  • Presentation(s) at National Meetings
  • First-authored manuscript(s)
  • Elective Coursework

Scholars are supported by:

  • NIH-level stipend
  • Protected research time
  • Full tuition coverage (MS, certificate, coursework)
  • Dedicated mentoring team + Individual development plan

Program Details

Training experiences are designed to build core competencies in conducting Academic Learning Health System research, including:

-  Systems Science and Organizational Change Management
-  Research Questions and Standards of Scientific Evidence
-  Health Systems Research Methods
-  Biomedical Informatics
-  Ethics of Research and Implementation in Health Systems
-  Improvement and Implementation Science
-  Multi-level Influences on Health
-  Stakeholder Engagement, Leadership, and Research Management 

Ref: Forrest, C.B., et al., Development of the Learning Health System Researcher Core Competencies. Health Serv Res, 2017. PMCID: PMC6051975.

Coley, R.Y., et al., A call to integrate health equity into learning health system research training. Learn Health Syst, 2022. 6(4): p. e10330.

Courses

  • Systems Science and Organizational Change Management
  • Research Questions and Standards of Scientific Evidence
  • Health Systems Research Methods
  • Biomedical Informatics
  • Ethics of Research and Implementation in Health Systems
  • Improvement and Implementation Science
  • Stakeholder Engagement, Leadership, and Research Management

Mentoring

Each postdoctoral trainee sets up an individual development plant, guided by a mentoring team of experienced faculty, and meets with the mentoring team regularly for progress review and feedback.  The faculty mentoring team assists trainee in navigating obstacles that may arise in conducting research projects in healthcare settings.

All trainees will work with their mentoring team to develop a training plan that includes graduate coursework in Translational and Health System Science. All trainees will participate in the Learning Health System Colloquium. Depending on the needs of the trainee, they may also take selected coursework as a non-degree student, or pursue a Certificate or Master's degree in Translational and Health Systems Science on the Learning Health System Science track. 

 

Research

Trainees will conduct a mentored research project to address a pressing issue relevant to Wake Forest and other health systems. These well-defined research projects will seek to improve patient outcomes, access to care, or healthcare costs.