Research Education Core

PROJECT ABSTRACT: RESEARCH EDUCATION CORE The primary objective of the Research Education Core (REC) is to support the Dartmouth Learning Health System (LHS) Embedded Scientist Training and Research (E-STaR) Center by providing LHS scientists with a tailored program of learning to support the conduct of patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) and comparative effectiveness research (CER) within a LHS context. This begins with intentional recruitment and selection of a diverse group of scientists through a national call for applicants whose research interests are aligned with advancing rural health equity. Understanding candidates’ research skills and experience working within clinical settings will be essential to crafting the best educational pathway and selecting the most appropriate mentorship team. The Center has a deep pool of mentors to draw upon, and faculty with years of experience in PCOR/CER and LHS. All scientist’s training will begin with the Partnership Academy, two-day, experiential training on community engagement in rural health equity for medically underserved populations. An assessment of scientists’ knowledge and skills as they pertain to LHS competencies and PCOR/CER methodologies will guide creation of a tailored training plan to be carried out over 18 months. This will include selected didactic content, a LHS seminar series, experiential learning involving a research project supported by the Research and Data Analysis Core (RDAC), and participation in a Learning Collaborative. The REC’s Specific Aims are: Aim 1: To intentionally recruit and guide a diverse cohort of embedded scientists. Aim 2: To develop and evaluate a training program that delivers needs-based, tailored professional development plans based on LHS core competencies and PCORI methodology standards for LHS scientists. Aim 3: To create a community of practice that will support scientists as they develop their research, improvement, and implementation skills with cross-team experiential immersion in ongoing LHS development. The REC, working in concert with the RDAC and the Center’s Administrative Core, will train the next generation of LHS scientists with essential knowledge for conducting rigorous and reproducible PCOR/CER and effectively implement evidence-based practices within the LHS context.