The LHSS program will provide Scholars with opportunities to develop, conduct, implement, and disseminatereal-world research across Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt Health Affiliated Network (12 health systems) as well as across the Mid-South CDRN. These opportunities provide Scholars skills in 1) Population health management, 2) Information technology development and risk stratification, 3) Practice and system centered measurement/ intervention, 4) Advanced methods development /analysis, and 5) Skills in building a culture of learning and navigating study implementation at the intersection of operations and research.
LHSS will focus on these five interrelated core areas:
- Patient Centered Outcomes Research/ Pragmatic Trials– To solve the problems of highest importance to patients, and to generate evidence about which strategies are safe, effective and of high value to patients.
- Implementation and Dissemination Science – The study of how to implement and disseminate effective strategies into practice, and propose optimal approaches for evaluation.
- Health Policy/ Community Health - To sustain changes in health care delivery and influence policies that benefit all patients and improve community health.
- Stakeholder Engagement (clinicians, patients, health system administrators, community members and organizations) engaged in all aspects of the Learning Health System.
- Methods Advancement--To advance bioinformatics, biostatistics and study designs that enhance the Learning Health System while answering clinical questions of importance to patients and stakeholders.
Mentorship
Each scholar will be required to identify an interdisciplinary scientific mentoring team specific to the proposed research.
Learning Health System Scholar Mentors are carefully assessed for the following:
- Collaborative skills as evidenced by success guiding interdisciplinary research teams and experience in developing funding resources that link investigators in new ways including large scale projects, and national research networks including PCORnet.
- Familiarity with institutional resources as evidenced by their research team, including trainees, making use of key resources including pilot and feasibility funds, expert studios and mock study sections.
- Track record with prior mentees as assessed by the career progression of those whom they mentor including career advancement, publications, and funding history of the mentee.
- Recognition of dedication to mentoring assessed by cross-referencing names of faculty members recommended for lead mentor roles by their peers and mentees.
- Ability to support, challenge and guide trainees based on evaluations.
- Commitment to the highest standards for responsible and reproducible conduct of rigorous research.
Dedicated Career Development Time
The goal of the LHSS program is to increase the pool of well-prepared learning health system scientists to advance and improve population health by advancing methodologic approaches and answering clinical questions of importance to patients and stakeholders. Our aims are to assure robust career development for talented early career investigators by adhering to the Vanderbilt career development philosophy:
- Protecting Scholars’ time to innovate and build a program of research.
- Sustaining and broadening a tradition of excellence in interdisciplinary research and training.
- Providing strong mentorship in the context of individualized career trajectories.
- Seeing education as anchored by structured didactic learning and complementary experiential learning through conduct of research.
- Viewing mentors as facilitators with active roles in advising, pacing, and problem-solving.
- Maximizing Scholar access to and use of resources to enhance their research and scientific products.
- Deploying formally appointed interdisciplinary mentor teams while also encouraging peer mentorship.
- Weaving responsible conduct of research and dedication to reproducible research into the fabric of training.
For questions about the program, contact the PI, Dr. Roumie (christianne.roumie@vumc.org) or the Program Manager, Robyn Tamboli (robyn.tamboli@vumc.org).