PhD in Health Services Research-Specialty Tracks
In addition to demonstrated ability in the eight core competency areas, students are expected to select a specialty track: pharmaceutical health services research, health economics, or the sociological determinants of health care utilization. Students may create their own specialty track in conjunction with their advisor. Permission for the plan of study must be obtained by the Graduate Program Director.
Specialty Track in Pharmaceutical Health Services
Pharmaceutical health services research is of interest to the government, the pharmaceutical industry, regulators, and organizations that provide pharmacy care. Areas of research span multiple settings (e.g., population-based, outpatient care settings, in-patient settings, nursing homes). Students on this track learn to implement pharmaco-epidemiologic studies, including examinations of drug utilization, adverse and beneficial effects of medications, adherence, the effects of policies on prescribing trends, as well as studies of interventions to improve the quality of pharmacy care.
In addition to the general program requirements, students must select 3-6 additional courses as a function of interests, previous coursework and experience. Academic advising assures the correct selection of experiences and/or courses to achieve goals.
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Required Courses (Students are required to select 3-6 courses) |
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Molecular Mechanisms of Disease (BIOL 2860) |
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Pharmacoepidemiology (PHP 2440) |
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Economics of Medical Therapies: Health Policy and Practice (PHP 2350) |
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Clinical Trials Methodology (PHP 2030) |
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Analysis of Population Based Datasets (PHP 2430) |
Specialty in Health Economics
The goal of the specialty track in health economics is to offer additional training in both the theory and methods of economics in order to prepare students to to better understanding the demand for health services and the industry factors that influence the distribution and shape of health care services in different markets.
In addition to demonstrated ability in the eight core competency areas, students selecting the health economics specialty take 3 additional courses.
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Required Courses (Students are required to select 3 courses) |
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Health Economics (ECON 1360) |
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Industrial Organization (ECON 1460) |
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Race and Inequality in the United States (ECON 1370) |
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Economics of Health and Population (ECON 2360) |
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Economics of Medical Therapies: Health Policy and Practice (PHP 2350) |
Specialty in Sociological Determinants of Health Care Utilization
Students selecting this emphasis area will learn sociological theories that provide a framework to guide the development of research and further understanding of the behavior of health care organizations, the interactions of individuals with the health care system and health care providers, as well as the social determinants of health and illness. Additionally, students are trained in social science methodologies specific to the analysis of large data sets and the analysis of spatial data.
Students in this specialty are expected to take 3 courses from a list of approved courses.
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Required Courses (Students are required to select 3 courses) |
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Organizational Theories of the Public and Private Sectors (SOC 1030) |
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Theories of Organizational Dynamics and Decision Making (SOC 1090) |
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Sociology of Medicine (SOC 1550) |
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Health Institutions and Professions (SOC 2310) |
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Poverty as Social Inequality (SOC 2960E) |
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Techniques of Demographic Analysis (SOC 2230) |
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Principles and Methods of Geographic Information Systems (SOC 1871F) |
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Spatial Thinking in Social Science (SOC 2610) |