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), and Health Technology Assessment.

Enquiries: 
E-mail: askhrm@mcmaster.ca
Website: https://hrm.healthsci.mcmaster.ca/

Faculty/Fall 2026

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://hei.healthsci.mcmaster.ca/) 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)
Shrikant Bangdiwala, Ph.D.
Joseph Beyene, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.
Deborah Cook, M.D., M.Sc., F.R.C.P.(C)
P.J. Devereaux, B.Sc., M.D., Ph.D. 
Amiram Gafni, B.Sc., M.Sc., D.Sc. 
Lauren Griffith, Ph.D.
Lawrence Mbuagbaw, M.D., MPH, 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
Roman Jaeschke, M.D., M.Sc.
Milos Jenicek,  M.D., Ph.D, F.R.C.P(C)/Part-time
John Lavis, M.D., M.Sc., 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)
Ann Kinga Malinowski,MD, MSc, FRCSC
Maureen Meade, M.Sc., M.D.
Edward Mills, M.Sc, MSt, Ph.D. /Part-time
Guillaume Pare, M.Sc. , M.D.
Parminder Raina, B.Sc., Ph.D.
Barbara Schmidt, MD, M.Sc/Part-time
Lisa Schwartz, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
Jean-Eric Tarride, B.A., M.A. , Ph.D. 
Lehana Thabane, B.Sc., M.Sc. , Ph.D.
Jennifer Walker, 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
Elizabeth Alvarez, M.D., Ph.D.
Laura Anderson, Ph.D.
Romina Brignardello-Petersen, DDS, M.Sc, Ph.D.
Jan Brozek, M.D., Ph.D.
Dianne Bryant, B.Sc., B.A. , M.Sc. ,Ph.D./Part-time
Jason Busse, B.Sc. , M.Sc., DC, PhD
David Conen, M.D., MPH
Andrew Costa, Ph.D.
Rohan D’Souza, M.D., Ph.D, FRCOG
Russell De Souza, B.A., B.A.Sc. , M.Sc., Sc.D
Amit Garg, M.D., M.A., Ph.D., F.R.C.P.(C)/ Part-time
Emmanuel Guindon, Ph.D.
Sarah Neil-Sztramko, B.A., M.Sc., Ph.D.
Sameer Parpia, Ph.D., M.Sc., B.H.Sc.
Giulia Muraca, BSc , MPH, Ph.D.
Ted Haines,  M.Sc., M.D. /Part-time
Matthew Hodge, B.A., M.Sc. , M.D.C.M., Ph.D./Part-time
Jessica Hopkins, M.D., M.HSc, C.C.F.P., F.R.C.P.(C)/ Part-time
Flavia Kessler-Borges, M.D.
Louise Lafortune,
Cynthia Lokker, H.B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D., 
Jinhui Ma, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.
Maura Marcucci, M.Sc, M.D. /Part-time
Andrew Mente, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
Sandra Monteiro, Ph.D., M.Sc., B.Sc. 
Robby Nieuwlaat, Ph.D.
Gilmar Reis, M.D., Ph.D, FACC, FESC, F.R.C.P.(C) /Part-time
Bram Rochwerg, MSc, MD, F.R.C.P.(C)
Nancy Santesso, RD, Ph.D.
Emma Staley, Ph.D. /Part-time
Mike Walsh, B.Sc. , M.D., M.Sc. , Ph.D
Michael Wilson, B.HSc, Ph.D.

Assistant Professors

Muhammad Afzal, M.D. /Part-time
Thomas Agoritsas, M.D., Ph.D./Part-time
Mehdi Aloosh, M.D., M.Sc. /Part-time
Kathleen Ashland, M.D., M.A., F.R.C.P.(C)
Nazila Assasi, M.D., Ph.D. /Part-time
Behrooz Astaneh, M.D., Ph.D. /Part-time
Jessica Bartoszko, Ph.D. /Part-time
Virginia Brunton, M.Sc., Ph.D., /Adjunct
Reem Mustafa, M.D., Ph.D.  /Adjunct
Daria O’Reilly, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. /Part-time
Fadi El-Jardadi, MPH, Ph.D  /Part-time
Ahmed Belal, 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
Heather Bullock, B.Sc.H, Ph.D. /Part-time
Karen Burns, MD, FRCPC, MSc ,BA, BSc /Adjunct
Soo Chan Carusone, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. /Adjunct
Yaping Chang, Ph.D., /Part-time
Adelle-Lisa Chang On, M.D. /Part-time
Derek Chu, M.D., Ph.D, F.R.C.P(C)
Carlos Cuello Garcia, M.D., Ph.D., /Part-time
Andrea Darzi, M.D., Ph.D.
Pascal Djiadeu, Ph.D., /Adjunct
Julie Emili, M.D., C.C.F.P., F.R.C.P.(C) /Part-time
Joycelyne Ewusie, M.Sc., Ph.D. /Part-time
Maicon Falavigna , M.D., M.Sc., Ph.D /Adjunct
Farid Foroutan, Ph.D., /Part-time
Patrick Galange, M.D., M.B.A., M.P.H., C.C.F.P., F.R.C.P.(C)/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
Fatima Jackson-Best,M.Sc., Ph.D.
Aaron Jones,  B.A., M.Sc., Ph.D.
Azim Kasmani, M.D.  /Part-time
Joanne Kearon, Ph.D. /Part-time
Arun Keeppanasseril, M.D.S, MSc /Adjunct
Sarah Daisy Kosa, Ph.D. /Part-time
Pablo Lamelas, M.Sc., M.D. /Part-time
Shun Fu Lee, Ph.D.
Brendan Lew, B.Sc., M.D. /Part-time 
Itai Malkin, M.D. /Part-time
Veena Manja, MBBS, MSc, PhD  /Part-time
Rajibul Mian, Ph.D. /Part-time
Sandra Milicic, Ph.D.  /Part-time
Kaelan Moat, B.H.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.  /Part-time
Rebecca Morgan, Ph.D. MPH/Part-time
Gian Paolo Morgano, Ph.D./Part-time
Sohail Mulla, Ph.D., M.Sc., B.H.Sc. /Lecturer Adjunct
Surgei Muratov, M.D., MPH /Adjunct
Ignacio Neumann,  /Adjunct
Joanna Oda, M.D., MHSc, CFPC, F.R.C.P.(C)
Ade Odueyungbo, Ph.D  /Part-time
Sandra Ofori, Ph.D.
Omotola Olasupo, M.Sc., Ph.D.  /Part-time
Elaina Orlando, Ph.D /Part-time
Jay Park, Ph.D.  /Lecturer Adjunct
Richard Perez, M.Sc., Ph.D.  /Part-time
Thomas Piggott, M.D., Ph.D, CCFP, F.R.C.P.(C) /Part-time
Michael Pysklywec, B.A.Sc., M.D. , D.O.H.S., M.Sc., C.C.F.P., C.C.F.P. (EM)/Lecturer Adjunct
Sally Radisic, Ph.D.  /Part-time
Steven Rebellato, Ph.D.  /Lecturer Adjunct
Elizabeth Richardson, Ph.D. /Part-time
Rachel Roy, MPH/ Part-time
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
Nigar Sekercioglu, M.D., Ph.D  /Part-time
Ayesha Siddiqua, Ph.D  /Part-time
Mark Skinner, J.D. /Adjunct
Ryan Strum, Ph.D. /Part-time
Kristian Thorlund, MSc , Ph.D   /Part-time
Ninh Tran, M.D., /Part-time
Ryan Van Meer, /Adjunct
Hsiu-Li Wang, M.D.  /Part-time
Wojtek Wiercioch, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Xiaomei Yao, M.D., M.sc, /Part-time
Dena Zeraatkar, Ph.D.
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)
Michael Au (Surgery)
Olufemi Ayeni (Surgery)
Cynthia Balion (Pathology)
Carol Walker Bassim (Medicine)
Stephen Bates (Obstetrics & Gynecology)
Teresa Bennett (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Mohit Bhandari (Surgery)
Louise Bordeleau (Oncology)
Luis Braga (Surgery)
Angelo Canty (Mathematics & Statistics)
Rahul Chanchlani (Pediatrics)
Varun Chaudhary (Surgery)
Karen Choong (Pediatrics)
Catherine Clase (Medicine)
Chris Coroneos (Surgery)
Jennifer Couturier (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Mark Crowther (Medicine)
Elizabeth Darling (Obstetrics & Gynecology)
Joanne Dionne (Medicine)
Maureen Dobbins (Nursing)
Aristethes Doumouras (Surgery)
Eric Duku (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Laura Duncan (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Salhab El Helou (Pediatrics)
Mohammed El-Rabbany (Surgery)
Cagla Eskicioglu (Surgery)
Forough Farrokhyar (Surgery)
Patricia Farrugia (Surgery)
Andrea Feller (Pediatrics)
Alison Fox-Robichaud (Medicine)
Kathy Georgiades (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Hertzel Gerstein (Medicine)
Andrea Gonzales (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Lawrence Grierson (Family Medicine)
Wael Hanna (Medicine)
Jeffrey Healey (Medicine)
Anne Holbrook (Medicine)
Michelle Howard (Family Medicine)
Jeremiah Hurley (Economics)
Susan Jack (Nursing)
Magdalena Janus (Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences)
Sanjit Jolly (Medicine)
Moin Khan (Surgery)
Sarah Khan (Pediatrics)
Melissa Kimber (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Anne Klassen (Pediatrics)
Fiona Kouyoumdjian (Family Medicine)
Matthew Lanktree (Medicine)
Mathew Leonardi (Obstetrics and Gynecology)
Kim Lewis (Medicine)
Lori Linkins (Medicine)
Ellen Lipman (Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences)
Michael Livingstone (Surgery)
Kim Madden (Surgery)
Stacey Marjerrison (Pediatrics)
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)
Catharine Munn (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Neeraj Narula (Medicine)
Simon Oczkowski (Medicine)
Abdelsimar Omar II (Surgery)
Markian Pahuta (Surgery)
Alexandra Papaioannou (Medicine)
Melissa Parker (Pediatrics)
Jeffrey Pernica (Pediatrics)
Mark Phillips (Surgery)
Gregory Pond (Oncology)
Helene Retrouvey (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)
Marko Simunovic (Surgery)
Marek Smieja (Pathology and Molecular Medicine)
Jessica Spence (Anesthesia)
Sheila Sprague (Surgery)
Koon Teo (Medicine)
Achilleas Thoma (Surgery)
Jennifer Tsang (Medicine)
John Turnbull (Medicine)
Ryan Van Lieshout (Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences)
Harriet Van Spall (Medicine)
Meredith Vanstone (Medicine)
Gita Wahi (Pediatrics)
Li Wang (Anesthesia)
Richard Whitlock (Surgery)
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, F.R.C.P.(C)
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, F.R.C.P.(C)
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

• Health Research Methodology, M.Sc.

• Health Research Methodology, Ph.D

• Graduate Diploma in Clinical Epidemiology

• Health Research Methodology Courses

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