Health Research Methodology

Program Information
Program and Course Offerings

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), and Health Technology Assessment.

Enquiries: 905 525-9140 Ext. 27718
E-mail: carrl@mcmaster.ca
Website: https://healthsci.mcmaster.ca/hei-hrm

Faculty/Fall 2024

Please refer to the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI) (formerly the Department of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics) for individual faculty webpages highlighting research interests and recent publications

This list includes HRM faculty members who are approved to participate on supervisory committees or be a thesis supervisor. Please refer to the HRM website (https://healthsci.mcmaster.ca/hei-hrm) for specific details re: thesis supervisors and supervisory committee members at the MSc and PhD level.

Professors

Julia Abelson, B.A., M.Sc., Ph.D.
Sonia Anand, B.A., M.D., Ph.D., F.R.C.P(C)
Laura Anderson, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.
Shrikant Bangdiwala, Ph.D.
Joseph Beyene, B.Sc., M.Sc. , Ph.D.
Romina Brignardello-Petersen, DDS, M.Sc, Ph.D.
Jan Brozek, M.D., Ph.D.
Deborah Cook, M.D., M.Sc., F.R.C.P.(C)
Richard Cook, B.Sc., M. Math, Ph.D. /Part-time
Andrew Costa, Ph.D.
Russell De Souza, B.A., B.A.Sc. , M.Sc., Sc.D
P.J. Devereaux, B.Sc., M.D., Ph.D.
Alison Fox-Robichaud, M.Sc., M.D., F.R.C.P.(C)
Amiram Gafni, B.Sc., M.Sc., D.Sc.
Lauren Griffith, Ph.D.
Emmanuel Guindon, Ph.D.
Gordon H. Guyatt, B.Sc., M.D., M.Sc.,F.R.C.P.(C)
Steven Hanna, B.Sc., M.A., Ph.D.
Alfonso Iorio, M.Sc., M.D., Ph.D
Fatima Jackson-Best,M.Sc., Ph.D.
Roman Jaeschke, M.D., M.Sc.
Aaron Jones, B.A., M.Sc., Ph.D.
John Lavis, M.D., M.Sc., Ph.D.
Shun Fu Lee, Ph.D.
Mitchell A. Levine, M.D., M.Sc., F.R.C.P.(C)
Mark Loeb, B.Sc., M.D., M.Sc., F.R.C.P.(C)
Cynthia Lokker, H.B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.,
Jinhui Ma, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.
Lawrence Mbuagbaw, M.D., MPH, Ph.D.
Maureen Meade, M.Sc., M.D.
Andrew Mente, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
Ed Mills, M.Sc, MSt, Ph.D. /Part-time
Victor Montori, M.A., M.Sc. /Part-time
Sarah Neil-Stramko, B.A., M.Sc., Ph.D.
Robby Nieuwlaat, Ph.D.
Guillaume Pare, M.Sc. , M.D.
Parminder Raina, B.Sc., Ph.D.
Nancy Santesso, RD, Ph.D.
Lisa Schwartz, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
Reed Siemieniuk, B.Sc., M.D., Ph.D.
Jean-Eric Tarride, B.A., M.A. , Ph.D.
Lehana Thabane, B.Sc., M.Sc. , Ph.D.
Jennifer Walker, Ph.D.
Wojtek Wiercioch, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Michael Wilson, B.HSc, Ph.D.
Feng Xie, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.
Salim Yusuf, M.B.B.S. , Ph.D.

Associate Professors

Elie Akl, Ph.D., M.P.H. , M.D. /Part-time
Dianne Bryant, B.Sc., B.A. , M.Sc. ,Ph.D./Part-time
Virginia Brunton, M.Sc., Ph.D., /Adjunct
Varun Chaudhary, M.Sc., F.RC.P.C
Fadi El-Jardadi, MPH, Ph.D /Part-time
Amit Garg, M.D., M.A. , Ph.D. , F.R.C.P.C.,F.A.C.P./Part-time
Stelios Georgiades, B.A., M.A., , Ph.D,
Ted Haines, M.Sc., M.D. /Part-time
Matthew Hodge, B.A., M.Sc. , M.D.C.M., Ph.D./Part-time
Brad Johnston, P.D. , Ph.D. , ND, B.Sc /Adjunct
Sergio Kowalski, M.D., M.Sc., Ph.D /Adjunct
Kim Lewis, B.Sc, B.Ed., M.Sc., MD , M.Sc.
Falavigna Maicon, M.D., M.Sc., Ph.D /Part-time
Maura Marcucci, M.Sc, M.D. /Part-time
Stacey Marjerrison, BSc, M.D., MSc
Reem Mustafa, M.D., Ph.D. /Adjunct
Mark Oremus, B.A. , M.A. , M.Sc., Ph.D. /Part-time
Daria O’Reilly, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. /Part-time
Jeffrey Pernica, MSc , MSc , MD , FRCPC DTMH
Gilmar Reis, M.D., Ph.D, FACC, FESC, FRCP /Part-time
Pablo Serrano, M.Sc., MPH, Ph.D , MD
Harsha Shanthanna, , MD , MSc, Ph.D.
Gita Wahi, M.Sc, Ph.D, M.D.
John You, B.Sc., M.Sc., M.D., FRCPC

Assistant Professors

Muhammad Afzal, M.D. /Part-time
Thomas Agoritsas, M.D., Ph.D./Part-time
Aloosh Mehid, M.D., M.Sc. /Part-time
Nazila Assasi, M.D., Ph.D. /Part-time
Iwona Bielska, B.Sc.H., M.Sc., Ph.D. /Part-time
Monica Bienefield, M.Sc., Ph.D. /Adjunct
Gord Blackhouse, B. Comm., M.B.A., M.Sc. /Adjunct
Sayem Borhan, Ph.D. /Part-time
James Bowen, B.Sc.Ph.m., M.Sc. /Adjunct
Matthias Briel, M.D. , M.Sc. /Adjunct
Heather Bullock, B.Sc.H, Ph.D. /Part-time
Karen Burns, MD, FRCPC, MSc ,BA, BSc /Adjunct
Jason Busse, B.Sc. , MSc , DC, PhD /Adjunct
Kaitryn Campbell, MLIS, M.Sc. /Adjunct
Wenonah Campbell, M.Sc. , Ph.D./ Assistant Clinical Professor
Soo Chan Carusone, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. /Adjunct
Yaping Chang, Ph.D., /Part-time
Adelle-Lisa Chang On, M.D. /Part-time
Guilio DiDiodato, M.D., /Part-time
Pascal Djiadeu, Ph.D., /Adjunct
Julie Emili, M.D., C.C.F.P., F.R.C.P. /Part-time
Joycelyne Ewusie, M.Sc., Ph.D. /Part-time
Farid Foroutan, Ph.D., /Part-time
Carlos Cuello Garcia, M.D., Ph.D., /Part-time
Diane Heels-Ansdell, B.Sc., M.Sc. /Part-time
Mustafa Hirji, M.D., /Part-time
Brittany Humphries, Ph.D. /Part-time
George Ioannidis, BA, M.Sc, Ph.D /Part-time
Shofiqul Islam, Ph.D. /Part-time
Kasmani, Azim, M.D. /Part-time
Moin Khan, M.Sc, M.D., FRCSC
Sarah Khan, B.Sc, M.Sc , M.D.
Sarah Daisy Kosa, Ph.D. /Part-time
Arun Keeppanasseril, M.D.S, MSc /Adjunct
Joanne Kearon, Ph.D. /Part-time
Fiona Kouyoumdjian, M.D., Ph.D.
Pablo Lamelas, M.Sc., M.D. /Part-time
Brendan Lew, B.Sc., M.D. /Part-time
Michael Livingstone, B.A.Sc. , M.D. , M.Sc /Part-time
Deepika Lobo, MPH, MBA, M.D., /Part-time
Veena Manja, MBBS, MSc, PhD /Part-time
Hamidah Meghani, M.D., MPH, CFPC, FRCPC, /Part-time
Rajibul Mian, Ph.D. /Part-time
Meghan McConnell, B.Sc., Ph.D. /Part-time
Sandra Milicic, Ph.D. /Part-time
Kaelan Moat, B.H.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. /Part-time
Sandra Monteiro, Ph.D., M.Sc., B.Sc.
Sohail Mulla, Ph.D., M.Sc., B.H.Sc. /Part-time
Surgei Muratov, M.D., MPH /Adjunct
Giulia Muraca, BSc , MPH, Ph.D.
Ignacio Neumann,  /Adjunct
Joanna Oda, M.D., MHSc, CFPC, FRCPC
Ade Odueyungbo, Ph.D /Part-time
Omotola Olasupo, M.Sc., Ph.D. /Part-time
John Oudyk, B.A.Sc., R.O.H., M.Sc., /Part-time
Jay Park, Ph.D. /Part-time
Sameer Parpia, Ph.D., M.Sc., B.H.Sc.
Richard Perez, M.Sc., Ph.D. /Part-time
Thomas Piggott, M.D., Ph.D, CCFP, FRCPC /Part-time
Michael Pysklywec, B.A.Sc., M.D. , D.O.H.S., M.Sc., C.C.F.P., C.C.F.P. (EM)/Part-time
Sally Radisic, Ph.D. /Part-time
Steven Rebellato, Ph.D. /Part-time
Stephanie Ross, Ph.D. /Adjunct
Behnam Sadeghirad, MPH, PhD , Pharm D
Jennifer Salerno, B.Sc , MSc , Ph.D   /Part-time
Pasqualina Santaguida, B.Sc., M.Sc.,Ph.D./Part-time
Imran Satia, B.A, MB Bchir, MA , Ph.D
Nigar Sekercioglu, M.D., Ph.D /Part-time
Ayesha Siddiqua, Ph.D /Part-time
Mark Skinner, J.D. /Adjunct
MacKenzie Slifierz, Ph.D /Part-time
Kristian Thorlund, MSc , Ph.D   /Part-time
Philippe Violette, M.D., M.Sc. /Part-time
Mike Walsh, B.Sc. , M.D., M.Sc. , Ph.D
Hsiu-Li Wang, M.D. /Part-time
Xiaomei Yao, M.D., M.sc, /Part-time
Yuan Zhang, B.Sc, M.Sc, Ph.D, /Adjunct
Yuqing (Maddison) Zhang, /Part-time
Michael Zorratti, /Part-time

Associate Members

Gina Agarwal (Family Medicine)
Noori Akhtar-Danesh (Nursing)
Ellen Amster (Family Medicine; Religious Studies)
Donald Arnold (Medicine)
Uma Athale (Pediatrics)
Olufemi Ayeni (Surgery)
Cynthia Ballion (Pathology)
Carol Walker Bassim (Medicine)
Stephen Bates (Obstetrics & Gynecology)
Elif Belgic (Pediatrics)
Teresa Bennett (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Mohit Bhandari (Surgery)
Louise Bordeleau (Oncology)
Asm Borhan (HEI)
Khrista Boylan (Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences)
Luis Braga (Surgery)
Scott Brimble (Medicine)
Melissa Brouwers (Oncology)/Part-time
Regina Browne (Nursing)
John Cairney (Family Medicine)
Angelo Canty (Mathematics & Statistics)
Teresa Chan (Medicine)
Rahul Chanchlani (Pediatrics)
Varun Chaudhary (Surgery)
Karen Choong (Pediatrics)
Derek Chu (Medicine)
Catherine Clase (Medicine)
David Conen (Medicine)
Chris Coroneos (Surgery)
Jennifer Couturier (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Mark Crowther (Medicine)
Elizabeth Darling (Obstetrics & Gynecology)
Joanne Dionne (Medicine)
Maureen Dobbins (Nursing)
Lisa Dolovich (Family Medicine)
Kelly Dore (Obstetrics & Gynecology)
James Douketis (Medicine)
Aristethes Doumouras (Surgery)
Rohan D’Souza, Obstetrics & Gynecology
Laura Duncan (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Eric Duku (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Jonathan Dushoff (Biology)
Salhab El Helou (Pediatrics)
Peter Ellis (Medicine)
Laurie Elit (Obstetrics & Gynecology)
Forough Farrokhyar (Surgery)
Patricia Farrugia (Surgery)
Andrea Feller (Pediatrics)
Gerhard Fusch (Pediatrics)
Mark Ferro (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Kathy Georgiades (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Stelios Georgiades (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Hertzel Gerstein (Medicine)
Andrea Gonzales (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Lawrence Grierson (Family Medicine)
Michel Grignon (Economics)
Wael Hanna (Medicine)
Jeff Healey (Medicine)
Nancy Heddle (Medicine)
Chrisopher Hillis, Oncology
Anne Holbrook (Medicine)
Michelle Howard (Family Medicine)
Jeremiah Hurley (Economics)
Eileen Hutton (Obstetrics & Gynecology)
Susan Jack (Nursing)
Magdalena Janus (Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences)
Sanjit Jolly (Medicine)
Lydia Kapiriri (Health, Aging & Society)
Flavia Kessler-Borges (Medicine)
Moin Khan (Surgery)
Melissa Kimber (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Anne Klassen (Pediatrics)
Andre Lamy (Surgery)
Matthew Lanktree (Medicine)
Darryl Leong (Medicine)
Kim Lewis (Medicine)
Mark N. Levine (Oncology)
Lori Linkins (Medicine)
Ellen Lipman (Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences)
Michael Livingstone (Surgery)
Alice Lytwyn (Pathology & Molecular Medicine)
Joy MacDermid (Rehabilitation Science)
Kim Madden (Surgery)
Harriet MacMillan (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences and Pediatrics)
Stacey Marjerrison (Pediatrics)
Maureen Markle-Reid (Nursing)
Davide Matino, Medicine
Sarah McDonald (Obstetrics & Gynecology)
Michael McGillion (Nursing)
Natalia McInnes (Medicine)
Shamir Mehta (Medicine)
Dominik Mertz (Medicine)
Hira Mian (Oncology)
Paul Moayyedi (Medicine)
Amber Molnar (Medicine)
Amit Mukerji (Pediatrics)
Catharine Munn (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Paola Muti (Oncology)
Neeraj Narula (Medicine)
Simon Oczkowski (Medicine)
Markian Pahuta (Surgery)
Alexandra Papaioannou (Medicine)
Melissa Parker (Pediatrics)
Jeffrey Pernica (Pediatrics)
Gregory Pond (Oncology)
Julia Richardson (Rehabilitation Science)
Bram Rochwerg (Medicine)
Peter L. Rosenbaum (Pediatrics)
Koroush Sabri (Surgery)
Constantine Samaan (Pediatrics)
Zena Samaan (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Imran Satia (Medicine)
J-D Schwalm (Medicine)
Hsien-Yeang Seow (Oncology)
Pablo Serrano Aybar (Surgery)
Harsha Shanthanna (Anesthesia)
Sunjay Sharma (Surgery)
Diana Sherifali (Nursing)
Deborah Siegal (Medicine)
Sam Shulman (Medicine)
Marko Simunovic (Surgery)
Marek Smieja (Pathology and Molecular Medicine)
Jessica Spence (Anesthesia)
Ranil Sonnadara (Surgery)
Wendy Sword (Nursing)
Koon Teo (Medicine)
Achilleas Thoma (Surgery)
John Turnbull (Medicine)
Ryan Van Lieshout (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Harriet Van Spall (Medicine)
Meredith Vanstone (Medicine)
Gita Wahi (Pediatrics)
Li Wang (Anesthesia)
Timothy Whelan (Medicine)
Richard Whitlock (Surgery)
Andrew Worster (Medicine)
Mohammad Yaghoobi (Medicine)
Michelle Zeller (Medicine)

Professors Emeriti

Kathryn J. Bennett, B.A., M.Sc., Ph.D.
Stephen Birch, B.A. , M.Sc., D.Phil.
Larry William Chambers, Ph.D.
Albina Dicenso, CM, Ph.D., FCAHS
Mita Giacomini, B.S., M.P.H., M.A., Ph.D.
James Raymond Gilbert, M.D.
Ron Goeree, M.A.
Charles H. Goldsmith, B.Sc., M.Sc. , Ph.D.
R. Brian Haynes, B.Sc., M.D. , M.Sc., Ph.D. ,F.R.C.P.(C)
Brian Hutchison, M.D. , M.Sc.
Elizabeth Juniper, MCSP, M.Sc.
Ann McKibbon, B.Sc. , M.L.S. , Ph.D.
Victor Ronald Neufeld, BA, M.D., MA, FRCPC
Geoffrey Norman, B.Sc. , M.A., Ph.D.
Robin Sydney Roberts
Harry S. Shannon, B.A. , M.Sc. , Ph.D.
Holger Schunemann, M.D., Ph.D., M.Sc, FRCPC
Gregory L. Stoddart, B.A. , Ph.D.
David L. Streiner, B.A., M.S., Ph.D.
Peter Szatmari, M.D., M.Sc.
Douglas Wayne Taylor,
Stephen D. Walter, B.Sc., Ph.D.
Andrew Willan, B.Ed, BA, M.Sc, Ph.D
Christel Alma Woodward, PsyD

Fields of Specialization

The HRM program can provide students the opportunity to specialize in one of three ‘fields of specialization’. The three fields are: clinical epidemiology, biostatistics, and health technology assessment. Please note that Biostatistics is only offered at the PhD level. 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

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.

Students can enter the clinical epidemiology stream if they fulfill the following criteria:
1. They have a designation of a health care provider based upon a degree or diploma (e.g., doctors, physiotherapists, nutritionists).
2. Their HRM degree research primarily focuses on studies directly relevant to patients (e.g., randomized controlled trials, observational studies, or systematic reviews of health related questions).

If a student is not a designated health care provider and wants to appeal these criteria then towards the end of their HRM training they can submit a summary of the research (eg., course papers, studies and research) they have undertaken to the Clinical Epidemiology Stream Committee. The committee will review the student’s request to determine if it merits the designation of the clinical epidemiology stream.

Biostatistics (Ph.D. level)

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 Technology Assessment

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 HTA at McMaster University.

Programs

Master

Health Research Methodology, M.Sc.

Doctoral

Health Research Methodology, Ph.D

Diploma

Graduate Diploma in Clinical Epidemiology

Course Offerings

Health Research Methodology Courses