The Heller School for Social Policy and Management
BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY
Doctoral Seminar in Health Services Research
Fall Semester 2014
Instructor:
Room:
Class Time:
Telephone:
Cell:
Office Hours:
Jon Chilingerian, Ph.D
G3
Monday 12:15 to 13:45 pm
(781) 736-3828
(617) 921-7618
Monday 02:00 p.m. -- 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday 09:00 a.m. -- 12:00 p.m.
My Office Location: Room 306
_______________________________________________________________________
"For so it is, oh Lord my God, I can measure it, but what it is that I can measure I do not
know." St. Augustine
"Upon my word, Watson, you are coming along wonderfully. You have really done very
well indeed. It is true that you have missed everything of importance, but you have hit
upon the method." Sherlock Holmes (Sir A. C. Doyle)
"Alas, research is not so easy...because research is never completed, it is only abandoned!
And research is not so easy...because if you can't write it, you just don't know it."
Chilingerian
I. Goals and Objectives
I hope this seminar will be collaborative and fun. I have re-designed the seminar to lay a
foundation for good empirical research in health services. It is designed for Ph.D.
students who will undertake research in scholarly health journals. Not every student has
the same preparation to conduct research so I hope this will be a collaborative learning
process. The core competencies for HSR are easily accessed at:
http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/training/hsrcomp08.htm . You should use these competencies
as a guideline.
Beyond the competencies for HSR, this seminar will set several realistic goals. One goal
is to get everyone thinking about the health care research methods right away. A second
goal is to examine the steps required to frame empirical research questions, guided by
theory and supported by methods. A third goal is to help doctoral students identify and
develop a dissertation topic.
August 26, 2014
This seminar has been established as one mechanism to help doctoral students interested
in health services research achieve their research goals as Ph.D. students.
This seminar will introduce Ph.D. students and AHRQ Fellows to the work going on at
Heller, and some faculty doing innovative research. The aim of the sessions is to acquaint
students with how methods are used to conduct research.
II. Course Description
Plan: During this semester we will focus on research methods. The themes this semester
will be: your Jungian type as a researcher; designing quantitative research with large data
sets, varieties of qualitative research, library search strategies, frontier methods, framing
interesting research questions, and developing action plans. I have also chosen two other
topics: Narrative analysis, and non-parametric approaches.
Since this is a seminar, not a survey course, we will only scratch the surface of health
services research (in terms of what is being covered). It is intended to offer some
methodological perspectives for the study of health policy, in order to open the way for
students to begin developing their own areas of professional concentration.
Conduct: Class sessions are arranged in two formats. The first involves a series of class
and panel discussions based upon experiences. These discussions are designed to
stimulate thoughtful consideration of research methods.
The second format involves guest speakers and invites seminar participants to consider
specific methods and/or health and social policy research endeavors. Each speaker will
present materials related to her or his own research agenda and the role such research
plays in addressing health and social policy. I have chosen this design in an attempt to
have seminar participants grapple with some of the practical issues in research methods
and to hear how researchers in the field address both general research and career
concerns. There is wiggle room for students to invite speakers in the spring and fall!!
Structure: The class will meet once a week on Monday for one hour and thirty minutes.
Students should identify and cultivate significant others (mentors, shadow consultants,
colleagues, tender comrades) at Heller and elsewhere. These "significant others" should
be willing to engage in a variety of actions and interactions--i.e., listening (actively) to
your research ideas, offering suggestions, sharing key readings, reading your papers,
sitting on your dissertation committee, co-authoring papers, and so on. These are serious,
"two-way street" relationships that require reciprocity. I am available to talk to you
anytime we can agree on a time.
The key readings should be completed before the class in which they will be discussed;
however, many of the articles are for reference. I have attempted to provide you with a
"folio of resources" that you can draw upon in the years to come. These articles have
been chosen as "thought starter" references. They provide a start toward a minimal
personal library.
August 26, 2014
Course Requirement:
I.
Each student will be required to write one 3-5-page action plan for completing
their dissertation. Students will be required to handout and present their action
plan at the end of the semester.
II.
Read a Heller Ph.D. Proposal and Final Dissertation
Attend one proposal hearing and one Ph.D. defense. If possible, for second
and third year Ph.D. students, I recommend reviewing drafts and/or taking
notes for someone during defenses.
III.
Try and attend one (or several) of the joint Boston University, MIT, and
Harvard Health Economics joint seminars. See Fall/Spring schedule and topic
papers here: http://www.bu.edu/econ/events/series
Contact Gillian Gurish at gjgurish@bu.edu about seminar schedule. My
hope is that students will share with each other upcoming presentations
and seminars that may be of interest to students (some of these BU, MIT,
Harvard sessions may not be the best fit for everyone in seminar).
Performance: In concert with the class discussions, I am looking for thoughtful
confrontation with the speakers and other class material. Second and third year students
should be prepared to talk at least twenty minutes sometime during the semester to talk
about their research progress. This will most likely be in the Spring, unless someone
wants to do it in the Fall. Although we will schedule these near the end of the semester,
students may ask for time to talk throughout the semester.
Academic Integrity: Violations of University policies on academic integrity, described
in Section 3 of Rights and Responsibilities, may result in failure in the course or on the
assignment, and could end in suspension from the University. If you are in doubt about
the instructions for any assignment in this course, you must ask for clarification.
Notice: If you have a documented disability and require any accommodations, please
bring them to my attention prior to the second meeting of the class. If you have any
questions about learning or other disabilities, contact Heller’s disabilities coordinator.
Two Good On-line Texts on Research Methods:
1. http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/contents.php
2. http://www.socialresearchmethods.net
Books on Order at Bookstore. These books are highly recommended.
August 26, 2014
1. Surviving your dissertation. (2014) second edition. Kjell Rudestam & Rae
Newton. Sage Publication.
2. Emmanuel Thanassoulis 2001. Introduction to the Theory and Application of
Data Envelopment analysis: A Foundation Text with Integrated Software.
Norwell: Kluwer Press. (Softcover)
August 26, 2014
SCHEDULE
September 8
I. Introduction to your seminar: Becoming a
Researcher and Professor
a.
How do we meet our expectations for this
seminar?
b.
Process and Requirements
Review Competencies:
http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/training/hsrcomp08.htm
Class Handouts: MBTI Questionnaire
In Class Case if time: Asst. Professor Graham and Ms.
Macomber
September 15
II. How to stop “The Crime of the Century?”
Video Case: Fire in the Blood
Class will start at noon! We watch a fascinating documentary on
HIV and health policy and discuss the implications for policy
and practice
September 22
III. Researcher Goals, Researcher Attitudes and Your Jungian
Type
*Complete Myers Briggs Questionnaire and Self-Score
Read: Christine Wenneras and Agnes Wold, “Nepotism and
sexism in peer review” in Nature, Vol 387 (1997), p. 341- 343.*
September 29
IV. Frontier Methodologies as a Paradigm Shift:
Learning from Outliers and Controversies in the Field
Read: Evaluating Clinical Performance in Health Services with
Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) (2010) Chilingerian
October 6
August 26, 2014
V. Origins of DEA in Health Care
Guest Speakers: Dr. David Sherman
October 20
VI. Practicum Study Files
Guest Speakers: Andrew Wilson
October 27
VII. Problem Driven Research:
Guest Speaker: Dr. Anita Tucker, International Business School at
Brandeis
Read: Tushman, M. and O’Reilly, C. Research and Relevance:
Implications of Pasteur’s Quadrant for Doctoral Programs and
Faculty Development. Academy of Management Journal, 50(4):
769-774 (2007
November 3
VIII. Working with Large DEA Data Sets and Designing
Quantitative Research
Tentative Guest Speakers: Dr. Jim Bennoyan
Herbert Kritzer, “The Data Puzzle: The Nature of
Interpretation In Quantitative Research”, American Journal of
Political Science, Vol 40/1, 1996, p. 1-32
November 10
IX. Varieties of Qualitative Methods
Guest Speaker: Laura Lorenz
"Examples of Dr. Lorenz’s research with specific attention to
methods and limitations, as well as problem solving around those
methods."
*Ray Pawson, "Theorizing the Interview," British
Journal of Sociology, Vol 47,Issue 2, 1996, pp. 295-314.*
November 17
X. Making Your Dissertation Happen
Guest Speaker: Kate Fillo
Novemer 24
August 26, 2014
XI. Getting Started with Your Dissertations:
Moving Forward, Making Mistakes: Lessons Learned
Guest Panel: First, Second, Third, & Fourth year students
Read: Surviving your Dissertation (entire)
December 1
XII. Presentation of Action Plans
December 8
XIII. Introduction to the Research Process: Searching for
Specialized Information. Second year and third year students
are welcome to attend. Or second year students meet with
third year students for lunch and informal discussions
Guest Speaker: Ralph Szymczak (szymczak@brandeis.edu)
Location: Gardiner Jackson, Mezzanine, Goldfarb Library
August 26, 2014
Resources:i
I. Some links to resources on databases, surveys, and data sources:
a.
http://www.ahrq.gov/data/
b.
http://www.hsrmethods.org/Home.aspx
http://www.hsrmethods.org/DataSources.aspx
http://www.hsrmethods.org/Links.aspx?mode=type&name=Data%20and%20Data
bases
c.
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ICPSR/
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ICPSR/access/subject.jsp#IX
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/HMCA/index.jsp
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ICPSR/ssvd/series
d.
http://www.rwjf.org/pr/datacollections.jsp
e.
http://www.census.gov/acs/www/
http://www.census.gov/cps/
http://www.census.gov/sipp/
f.
http://www.rand.org/health/surveys_tools.html
g.
http://www.nber.org/data/
h.
http://www.hrsa.gov/
II. Links to resources on policy issues:
a.
http://www.hks.harvard.edu/library/research/guides/think-tanks-directory.htm
b.
http://www.kff.org/
c.
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/
d.
http://www.urban.org/health/index.cfm
http://www.urban.org/health_policy/
e.
http://www.urban.org/researchareas/index.cfm#healthandhealthcare
f.
http://www.brookings.edu/health.aspx
g.
http://www.brookings.edu/health/Projects.aspx
h.
http://www.healthaffairs.org/
August 26, 2014
http://content.healthaffairs.org/collections/
i.
j.
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/
http://www.rand.org/research_areas/health/
http://www.rand.org/health/
http://www.rand.org/pubs/online/health/
l.
http://www.epi.org/issues/category/health_care/
m.
http://www.aspeninstitute.org/policy-work/health-biomedical-science-society
III. Interesting sites (potentially to identify “hot” topics or get the creative juices
flowing):
a.
http://www.ted.com/
c.
http://people-press.org/
d.
http://people-press.org/news-interest/
i
With thanks to Andrew Hart, Signe Peterson Flieger, and Lynn Garvin.
August 26, 2014