Curriculum

Fellows earn a Master of Science degree in a research-oriented field such as Epidemiology, Clinical Research Methods, or Patient-Oriented Research at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. Fellows who already have a related Master's degree will have the opportunity to take advanced courses in quantitative and qualitative research methods or other relevant coursework, including informatics.

All Fellows will be required to take two courses: Responsible Conduct of Research & Related Policy Issues and Grantsmanship for Research and Career Development Activities.

Fellows conduct a primary research project related to the research of their mentor, who has active research support in patient safety, health informatics, and/or health services and outcomes.

Fellows develop and submit an abstract, attend and present at a scientific conference, and develop and submit a manuscript for publication.​

Direct experience in patient safety operations at a large academic medical center. Fellows attend root cause analyses and review adverse event reports at NYP/CUIMC, develop and conduct a Fellow-initiated research project based on real-world patient safety hazards, and participate in a patient safety curriculum. Topics include:

• Measuring Patient Safety Events and Harm
• Systems Thinking and Human Factors
• Just Culture and Second Victims
• Role of Health IT in Patient Safety
• Leadership and Culture in Improving Patient Safety
• Improving Patient Safety with Patient and Family Engagement

This joint forum for Fellows from multiple programs offers supplementary education, training, interaction, and exchange on a variety of topics, including scientific writing, data collection and management, and leadership skills. These seminars also provide the opportunity for Fellows to present on the progress of their research and receive valuable feedback from peers and mentors.

Fellows will develop a grant proposal with the guidance of their research mentor. The format for these proposals will be based on an AHRQ or NIH research grant or a mentored career development award. Fellows will have the resources and support needed to draft a proposal for submission by the end of the research training program.

Members of the Mentorship and Career Development Committee meet regularly one-on-one with Trainees to foster their development as clinician-researchers, provide guidance on obtaining grant funding, and to plan individualized career development strategies. Access is facilitated to numerous career development resources, including workshops on funding and grantsmanship, Career Development (K) Award submission, and programs and funding agencies specific for investigators from diverse backgrounds.