This is a one-term course designed to assist students to prepare for the IHPME PhD Health Services Outcomes and Evaluation concentration comprehensive examination. Comprehensive exam preparation is cumulative through all required courses in the IHPME PhD program. This course is focused on synthesizing cumulative materials. In this course, students summarize and integrate readings in a number of focused topics with particular attention to important theoretical and analytical issues for health services evaluation and outcomes research. The course provides a particular emphasis on conceptual frameworks and research designs for health services research.

Objectives: To ensure familiarity and understanding of health care/health services research conceptual frameworks and methodologies. To be able to evaluate and critique a research conceptual framework and research methodology. To be able to select and apply an appropriate research conceptual framework and methodology to any health services research question.