Health Research Methodology

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The Graduate Program in Health Research Methodology provides exciting new opportunities for advanced training in research methodology. The program is offered at the M.Sc. and Ph.D. level. Students are encouraged to enroll in full-time study, although requests for part-time studies will be considered at both the M.Sc. and Ph.D. level.

Through coursework and involvement in research projects students are exposed to evaluative frameworks and research methods derived from clinical epidemiology, biostatistics, epidemiology, health economics, health services research, health policy analysis, psychology, sociology, geography, political science, history, bioethics and education.

Trainees are challenged to integrate theory and methods from these alternative disciplinary perspectives to create innovative research and evaluation methods that can contribute to an improved understanding of health and disease (in individuals and populations) and strengthened health services and systems.

Students may choose to specialize in one of the following fields: Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics (Ph.D. level), Health Services Research, Population and Public Health and Health Technology Assessment.

For those students wishing to pursue a graduate level diploma in Health Services and Policy Research in addition to their degree, please refer to the Graduate Diploma Programs section at the back of this Calendar.

Enquiries: 905 525-9140 Ext. 27718
Fax: 905 546-1129
E-mail: carrl@mcmaster.ca
Website: http://www.fhs.mcmaster.ca/grad/hrm

Faculty/Fall 2013

Professors

Julia Abelson, B.A. (Hons) (McMaster), M.Sc. (Harvard School of Public Health), Ph.D. (Bath)
Kathryn J. Bennett, B.A., M.Sc. (McMaster), Ph.D. (Waterloo)
Stephen Birch, B.A. (Sheffield), M.Sc. (Bath), D.Phil. (York)
Michael Boyle, B.A. (Western), M.S.W. (Toronto), M.Sc. (McMaster), Ph.D. (Toronto)
George Browman, M.D., C.M. (McGill), M.Sc. (McMaster)/Part-time
Deborah Cook, M.D., M.Sc. (McMaster), F.R.C.P.(C)
Richard Cook, B.Sc. (McMaster), M. Math, Ph.D. (Waterloo)/Part-time
Alba DiCenso, Ph.D. (Waterloo)
Amiram Gafni, B.Sc., M.Sc., D.Sc. (Technion, Haifa)
Mita Giacomini, B.S., M.P.H., M.A., Ph.D. (California)
Ron Goeree, B.A., M.A. (McMaster)
Gordon H. Guyatt, B.Sc. (Toronto), M.D., M.Sc. (McMaster),F.R.C.P.(C)
Steven Hanna, B.Sc. (Toronto), M.A., Ph.D. (Western)
R. Brian Haynes, B.Sc., M.D. (Alberta), M.Sc., Ph.D. (McMaster),F.R.C.P.(C)
Roman Jaeschke, M.D. (Krakow, Poland), M.Sc. (McMaster)
Milos Jenicek, M.D., Ph.D. (Charles), F.R.C.P.C./Part-time
John Lavis, M.D. (Queen’s), M.Sc. (London School of Economics),Ph.D. (Harvard)
Mitchell A. Levine, M.D. (Calgary), M.Sc. (McMaster), F.R.C.P.(C)
Victor Montori, M.A. (Peruana Cayetano Heredia), M.Sc. (Medicine, Mayo Clinic)/Part-time
Geoffrey Norman, B.Sc. (Manitoba), M.A. (Michigan), Ph.D.(McMaster)
Parminder Raina, B.Sc. (Saskatchewan), Ph.D. (Guelph)
Holger J. Schünemann, M.D. (Hanover, Germany), M.Sc., Ph.D. (Buffalo)
Harry S. Shannon, B.A. (Oxford), M.Sc. (Birmingham), Ph.D. (London)
Peter Szatmari, B.A., M.Sc., M.D. (McMaster), FRCPC
Lehana Thabane, B.Sc. (Lesotho), M.Sc. (Sheffield), Ph.D. (Western)
Salim Yusuf, M.B.B.S. (Bangalore), Ph.D. (Oxford)

Associate Professors

Sonia Anand, B.A. (Queen’s), M.D., Ph.D. (McMaster), F.R.C.P(C)
Joseph Beyene, B.Sc. (Addis Ababa), M.Sc. (Guelph), Ph.D. (Toronto)
Kevin Brazil, B.A., M.A. (Carleton), Ph.D. (Toronto)
P.J. Devereaux, B.Sc. (Dalhousie), M.D., Ph.D. (McMaster)
Kevin Eva, B.Sc., Ph.D. (McMaster)/Part-time
Amit Garg, M.D., M.A. (Toronto), Ph.D. (McMaster), F.R.C.P.C.,F.A.C.P./Part-time
A. Theodore Haines, M.D. (Toronto), M.Sc. (McMaster), F.R.C.P.(C)
Matthew Hodge, B.A. (Yale), M.Sc. (London), M.D.C.M., Ph.D.(McGill)/Part-time
Alfonso Iorio, M.Sc., M.D. (Perugia)
Paul Krueger, B.Sc., M.Sc. (Waterloo), M.H.Sc., Ph.D. (Toronto)/Part-time
Mark Loeb, B.Sc., M.D. (McGill), M.Sc. (McMaster), FRCPC
Lynne Lohfeld, B.A. (Smith), M.Sc. (Wisconsin), Ph.D. (Connecticut)/Part-time
Deborah Marshall, B.Sc. (Toronto), M.H.S.A. (Alberta), Ph.D. (North Carolina)/Part-time
Ann McKibbon, B.Sc. (Guelph), M.L.S. (Western), Ph.D. (Pittsburg)
Maureen Meade, M.Sc. (McMaster), M.D. (McGill)
Mark Oremus, B.A. (McGill), M.A. (Concordia), M.Sc., Ph.D. (McGill)
Daria O’Reilly, B.Sc. (Dalhousie), M.Sc., Ph.D. (Memorial)
Milo Puhan, M.D. (Zurich), Ph.D. (Amsterdam)/Part-time
Lisa Schwartz, B.A., M.A. (McGill), Ph.D. (Glasgow)
Jean-Eric Tarride, B.A., M.A. (Toulouse), Ph.D. (Concordia)/Part-time
Donald Willison, B.Sc. (Toronto), M.Sc. (McMaster), Sc.D. (Harvard)/Part-time
Feng Xie, B.Sc. (Shanghai), M.Sc. (Fudan), Ph.D. (Singapore)

Assistant Professors

Elie Akl, Ph.D., M.P.H. (New York), M.D. (Saint Joseph)/Part-time
Gord Blackhouse, B. Comm., M.B.A., M.Sc. (McMaster)/Part-time
James Bowen, B.Sc.Ph.m., M.Sc. (Toronto)/Part-time
Matthias Briel, M.D. (Albert-Ludwigs), M.Sc. (McMaster)/Part-time
Patrick Brown, B.A. (Queen’s), M.Sc. (London), Ph.D. (Lancaster)/Part-time
Jan Brozek, Ph.D. (Jagiellonian)
Dianne Bryant, B.Sc. (McMaster), B.A. (Waterloo), M.Sc. (Western),Ph.D. (McMaster)/Part-time
Kaitryn Campbell, M.L.I.S. (Western)/Part-time
Soo Chan Carusone, B.Sc., M.Sc. (Toronto), Ph.D. (McMaster)/Part time
Julie Emili, M.D. (McMaster), C.C.F.P. (McMaster), F.R.C.P. (McMaster)/Part-time
Andrea Feller, M.D. (Johns Hopkins), M.S. (Maryland), F.A.A.P. (Maryland)/Part-time
Gary Foster, B.A., Ph.D. (McMaster)/Part -time
Marc de Somer, M.B.A. (Columbia), M.Sc. (Harvard School of Public Health), M.D. (Brussels)/Part-time
Lauren Griffith, B.S., M.S. (Michigan), Ph.D. (Toronto)
Jemila Hamid, M.Sc. (Uppsala), Ph.D. (Swedish)
Diane Heels-Ansdell, B.Sc., M.Sc. (Guelph)/Part-time
Jessica Hopkins, M.D. (Western), M.Sc. (Toronto)/Part-time
Brad Johnston, Ph.D. (Alberta)/Part-time
John Marshall, M.D., M.Sc. (McMaster), F.R.C.P.C. (Medicine)
Andrew Mente, B.A., M.A. (York), Ph.D. (Toronto)
David Meyre, M.Sc. (USTL), D.E.A., Ph.D. (Paris-Grignon)
Mark Morreale, B.Sc. (Toronto), M.Sc. (Queen’s)/Part-time
Robby Nieuwlaat, M.Sc. (Maastricht, Netherlands), Ph.D. (Maastricht, Netherlands)
Liana Nolan, M.D. (Western), M.H.Sc. (Toronto)/Part-time
John Oudyk, B.A.Sc. (Waterloo), R.O.H., M.Sc., (McMaster)/Part-time
Guillaume Pare, M.Sc. (McGill), M.D. (Montreal)
James Peterson, B.A. (Northwestern University, Evanston, IL), M.Div. (Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary), M.A. (Iowa), Ph.D. (Virginia)/Part-time
Eleanor Pullenayegum, B.A. Cert. (Cambridge), Ph.D. (Toronto)/Part-time
Michael Pysklywec, B.A.Sc., M.D. (Queen’s), D.O.H.S., M.Sc.(McMaster), C.C.F.P., C.C.F.P. (EM)/Part-time
Pasqualina Santaguida, B.Sc. (Toronto), M.Sc. (Waterloo),Ph.D. (Toronto)/Part-time
Xin Sun, M.Sc. (China), Ph.D. (McMaster)/Part-time
Kristian Thorlund, M.Sc. (Copenhagen), Ph.D. (McMaster)/Part-time
Ninh Tran, M.Sc. (McMaster), M.D. (Queens), C.C.F.P., F.R.C.P.C./Part-time
Nancy Wilczynski, Ph.D., M.Sc., B.A. (Hons.) (McMaster)/Part-time
John You, B.Sc. (McMaster), M.Sc., M.D. (Toronto), FRCPC
Michael Wilson, BH.Sc. (McMaster), Ph.D. (McMaster)

Assistant Clinical Professor

Elizabeth Richardson, B.Sc., M.D. (Western), M.Sc. (Toronto)/ Part-time

Associate Members

Noori Akhtar-Danesh (Nursing)
Donald Arnold (Medicine)
Ronald Barr (Pediatrics, Medicine, Pathology & Molecular Medicine)
Mohit Bhandari (Surgery)
Louise Bordeleau (Oncology)
Khrista Boylan (Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences)
Luis Braga (Surgery)
Melissa Brouwers (Oncology)
Regina Browne (Nursing)
Jason Busse, B.Sc., (Anaesthesia)
John Cairney (Family Medicine)
Angelo Canty (Mathematics & Statistics)
Karen Choong (Pediatrics)
Catherine Clase (Medicine)
Stuart Connolly (Medicine)
Paul Contoyannis (Economics)
Jennifer Couturier (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Charles E. Cunningham (Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences)
Maureen Dobbins (Nursing)
Lisa Dolovich (Family Medicine)
Kelly Dore (Obstetrics & Gynecology)
James Douketis (Medicine)
Jonathan Dushoff (Biology)
Peter Ellis (Medicine)
Laurie Elit (Obstetrics & Gynecology)
John D. Eyles (Geography and Earth Sciences)
Forough Farrokhyar (Surgery)
Shawn Forbes (Surgery)
Kathy Georgiades (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Hertzel Gerstein (Medicine)
Lawrence Grierson (Family Medicine)
Anita Gross (Rehabilitation Science)
George Heckman (Medicine)
Nancy Heddle (Medicine)
Anne Holbrook (Medicine)
Dereck Hunt (Medicine)
Jeremiah Hurley (Economics)
Eileen Hutton (Obstetrics & Gynecology)
Susan Jack (Nursing)
Magdalena Janus (Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences)
Clive Kearon (Medicine)
Anne Klassen (Pediatrics)
Andre Lamy (Surgery)
Mary Law (Rehabilitation Science)
Mark N. Levine (Oncology)
Ellen Lipman (Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences)
Eva Lonn (Medicine)
Alice Lytwyn (Pathology & Molecular Medicine)
Joy MacDermid (Rehabilitation Science)
Peter D.M. Macdonald (Mathematics and Statistics)
Harriet MacMillan (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciencesand Pediatrics)
Maureen Markle-Reid (Nursing)
Sarah McDonald (Obstetrics & Gynecology)
Robert McKelvie (Medicine)
Shamir Mehta (Medicine)
Paul Moayyedi (Medicine)
Alexandra Papaioannou (Medicine)
Gregory Pond (Oncology)
Peter L. Rosenbaum (Pediatrics)
Zena Samaan (Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences)
Hsien-Yeang Seow (Oncology)
Sam Shulman (Medicine)
Marko Simunovic (Surgery)
Marek Smieja (Pathology and Molecular Medicine)
Paul Stratford (Rehabilitation Science)
Wendy Sword (Nursing)
Koon Teo (Medicine)
Achilleas Thoma (Surgery)
Suneel Upadhye (Medicine)
Roman Viveros-Aguilera (Mathematics & Statistics)
Timothy Whelan (Medicine)
Andrew Worster (Medicine)

Professors Emeriti

Charles H. Goldsmith, B.Sc., M.Sc. (Manitoba), Ph.D. (N. Carolina State)
Brian Hutchison, M.D. (Western), M.Sc. (McMaster)
David Sackett, O.C., F.R.S.C., B.A. (Lawrence), M.D. (Illinois & Basel), M.A. (Harvard), F.R.C.P. (Ottawa, London, Edinburgh)
Gregory L. Stoddart, B.A. (Western), Ph.D. (British Columbia)
David L. Streiner, B.A. (City College of New York), M.S., Ph.D.(Syracuse)
Stephen D. Walter, B.Sc. (London), Ph.D. (Edinburgh)

Fields of Specialization

In addition to our regular offerings, the HRM program provides students with the opportunity to specialize in one of five ‘fields of specialization’. The five fields are: clinical epidemiology, biostatistics, health services research, public and population health and health technology assessment. All five fields are offered at the MSc and PhD level except for Biostatistics, which is offered at the PhD level only. The original HRM program, wherein students opt not to declare a field of specialization will continue to be available as “HRM Classic”.

Students in HRM classic pursue a general methods degree, or explore other areas such as medical education research, health informatics or health ethics, to name but a few.

Clinical Epidemiology: P.J. Devereaux, Field Leader

Clinical epidemiology employs sound research principles, tempered with practicality, to find the best answers to “real world” questions about clinical practice and health care. Individuals training in this field (who usually have a clinical background) acquire the skills required to undertake research that addresses fundamental questions about the effectiveness of clinical therapies, usefulness of screening and diagnostic tools, prognosis and disease causation. Issues related to research synthesis and knowledge translation may also be a focus. Individuals training in clinical epidemiology work alongside world leading clinical epidemiologists who are conducting their research in multiple sites around the world and changing the way medicine is practiced globally. The field of clinical epidemiology in the Health Research Methodology Program offers a unique opportunity to learn and work with the best clinical epidemiologists in the world, thus enabling graduates to make profound contributions to the practice of clinical medicine through research.

Biostatistics (Ph.D. level): Joseph Beyene, Field Leader

The HRM Biostatistics PhD field is specially designed for applicants with an MSc in Mathematics and/or Statistics who wish to pursue doctoral work in Biostatistics. The program aims to provide trainees with the skills they need to conduct independent research into biostatistical topics, provide leadership as biostatistical collaborators in clinical, health systems and population health investigations and effectively teach biostatistics from introductory through to advanced levels. Graduates will possess the following skills: ability to apply biostatistical concepts, techniques and data-analytic strategies across the full spectrum of research questions and study designs; ability to contribute to grant proposals in the areas of research design, data analysis and interpretation; ability to teach biostatistical concepts to research colleagues who are not biostatisticians; and ability to adapt existing statistical techniques or to develop new techniques to solve research design and analytical programs. Graduates may pursue career opportunities in academia, government or private industry.

In addition to coursework related to research design, all students participate in a course on Biostatistical Collaboration. The aim is to develop the skills needed for successful collaborative research in the role of biostatistical consultant. These include communication of biostatistical concepts and the provision of leadership with respect to research design, analysis and reporting.

Health Services Research: Marko Simunovic, Field Leader

Health services research focuses on questions about the most effective ways to organize, manage, finance, and deliver high quality clinical and health care, reduce medical errors and improve patient safety. The research domains utilized by health services researchers may include individuals, families, organizations, institutions, communities, and populations. Graduates acquire a broad range of skills in research synthesis, research design, data analysis and writing for publication that enable them to conduct rigorous research in numerous areas including: patterns of care/process of care, small area practice variation studies, appropriateness of care, knowledge translation, economic analysis of health care, service and system organization, patient experience, theoretical underpinnings of health services organization, management, and financing and delivery. The curriculum emphasizes mixed methods approaches that utilize skills in both quantitative and qualitative research.

Public and Population Health: Steve Hanna, Field Leader

Canada faces many public health challenges, including emerging and existing infectious diseases and alarming increases in many chronic diseases. Research to address the determinants of these health problems is of paramount importance to maintaining a healthy population. The field of population and public health provides students with the methodological expertise needed to conduct cutting edge research, including investigations into the biological, economic, and social factors that protect, precipitate or perpetuate disability and disease, and to improve public health. Graduates will acquire the following skills: ability to critically appraise and interpret research evidence, formulate research questions, justify research and analysis methods and understand ethical issues involved in research in this field; ability to conduct research into biological, social, cultural, and environmental determinants of health; ability to conduct basic or applied research in public health aimed at improving the health of individuals, communities and populations; and ability to apply population and public health methods across a range of disease conditions.

Health Technology Assessment: Ron Goeree, Field Leader

Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is defined as the evaluation of the clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and broader impact of drugs, medical technologies, and health systems, both on patient health and the health care system. HTA has gained increasing importance in health care decision making locally and around the world and over the last decade there have been numerous important methodological advances in the techniques of HTA. As a result there is a growing gap between the need for HTA and the availability of skilled researchers to conduct HTAs. The goal of the HTA field specialization is to train individuals who, upon graduation, will have the necessary skills to be actively involved in independent and collaborative research in the field of HTA. Graduates will possess the following skills: a strong foundation in the basic principles of HTA; advanced decision analysis; ability to apply research methods derived from health economics; understand and use basic and advanced biostatistics; and utilize health services research and health policy analysis concepts and methods.

Students will be expected to collaborate with one of the many research groups conducting HTAat McMaster University. 

Programs

• Health Research Methodology, M.Sc.

• Health Research Methodology, Ph.D

• Health Research Methodology Courses

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