Dual Degree Program in Health Services Research (MD-PhD)

INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH SCIENCES

The Dual Degree Program, under the leadership of Dr. Randall D. Cebul, leads qualified students to both the M.D. and Ph.D. degrees over an expected 6- to 7-year period, with the Doctor of Philosophy degree from the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and its track in Health Services Research.

The program provides School of Medicine and departmental support for students' tuition and stipend, beginning with their first year. Graduates of the Dual Degree Program will be sought for positions in academic medicine, public health, health care management in group practices and Health Maintenance Organizations, and health-related industries, depending on the student's individualized curriculum, research focus, and career aspirations. Areas of concentration within the CWRU Health Services Research Training Program include Quality of Care Measurement and Improvement; Primary Care and Prevention; Disadvantaged Populations; Chronic Illness and Disability; Aging and Long-Term Care; Systems of Care; Health Care Decision Making and Outcomes; and Health Law and Ethics. Students develop strong methodological skills while having the opportunity for advanced training and research in a rich array of applied settings relevant to regional health care delivery and policy. The program's focus is especially pertinent to candidates interested in the health and health problems of urban populations.

Candidates for the Dual Degree Program come from varied backgrounds and typically have good quantitative aptitude and an interest in evaluating and improving health and health care delivery, especially in urban settings. Initial admission is through the CWRU School of Graduate Studies. Successful students typically complete the Ph.D. by their fourth or fifth year after matriculation, and the M.D. is expected by the end of their sixth or seventh years.

The first two academic years of the Dual Degree Program are dedicated to the medical school's Core Academic Program, which occupies five mornings each week. The afternoons are available for graduate courses in the Core Curriculum of the Health Services Research Training program, including two courses each in biostatistics, epidemiology, and health services research methods, and an additional course in health care policy, finance, or management. Students are assigned an Academic Advisor on entry to the program and typically select an Area of Concentration and a Research Mentor by the end of their second semester. Summers are utilized for exploring different research "laboratories" and opportunities for investigation in academic or community settings.

The next two to three years are devoted to research and completion of the Ph.D. portion of the Dual Degree Program. Following completion of their Ph.D., students complete the last two years of their M.D. education, including their required clinical rotations and electives.

Close ties among students and between students and faculty are fostered in several ways, including weekly research seminars, monthly luncheons for students and their invited guests, visiting professorships, and annual picnics and holiday parties. Career development and guidance are promoted by fostering close relationships between individual students and their Academic Advisors and Research Mentors.

The contact person for this program is:
Randall D. Cebul, M.D.
Program Director
Telephone: (216) 778-3901
E-mail: [email protected]