The Heller School for Social Policy and Management
BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY
Doctoral Seminar in Health Services Research
Fall Semester 2015
Instructor: Jon Chilingerian, Ph.D
Room: G3
Class Time: Monday 12:15 to 13:45
Telephone. (781) 7363828
Cell: (617) 921-7618
Office Hours: Monday 02:00 p.m. -- 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday 09:00 a.m. -- 12:00 p.m.
My Office Location: Room 204 (Schneider bldg.)
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“Theories destroy facts,” Peter Medawar
At a dinner party, the hostess introduces the “professor” to her guests. This is Professor Hackenbush, she is an authority on the theory of chicken soup. The professor smiles modestly. “My dear,” she says, “you do me too much honor. It is on chicken soup-bones that I am an expert.” Armenian anecdote
“So, what’s your theory? And why did you pick it?”
Chilingerian
I. Goals and Objectives
Theories eliminate the need to record a sea of isolated facts. Health services research seems to be a “cemetery of facts.” We need fresh new theories to organize these facts and bring the cemetery to life. And so it goes in science…
I hope this seminar will continue to be collaborative and fun. I have re-designed the seminar to lay a foundation for good empirical research in health services. It is designed for Ph.D. students who will undertake research in scholarly health journals. Not every student has the same preparation to conduct research so I hope this will be a collaborative learning process. The core competencies for HSR are easily accessed at: http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/training/hsrcomp08.htm . You should use these competencies as a guideline.
Beyond the competencies for HSR, this seminar will set several realistic goals. One goal is to get everyone thinking about theory. And theories can be relevant or irrelevant. A second goal is to examine the steps required to frame empirical research questions, guided by theory and supported by methods. A third goal is to help doctoral students identify and develop a dissertation topic.
This seminar has been established as one mechanism to help doctoral students interested in health services research achieve their research goals as Ph.D. students.
This seminar will introduce Ph.D. students and AHRQ Fellows to the work going on at Heller, and some faculty doing innovative research. The aim of the sessions is to acquaint students with how methods are used to conduct research.
II. Course Description
Plan: During this semester we will focus on theory. The themes this semester will be: why theories must be killed to stay alive; how Darwin developed his theory; does HSR have too many or too few theories; what is ‘the theory chapter’ in a dissertation, what are some interesting new HSR theories; library search strategies, theory development; and developing action plans. I have also chosen two other topics: social network theory and the structure of scientific revolutions.
Since this is a seminar, not a survey course, we will only scratch the surface of health services research (in terms of what is being covered). It is intended to offer some methodological perspectives for the study of health policy, in order to open the way for students to begin developing their own areas of professional concentration.
Conduct: Class sessions are arranged in two formats. The first involves a series of student-led class and panel discussions based upon experiences. These discussions are designed to stimulate thoughtful consideration of research methods.
· Faculty Led Discussions of Theory
- Last Year the seminar participants suggested that we invited Schneider Faculty to class to hear about their research and projects on the front burner. I have invited several faculty with knowledge of relevant theory to attend and participate in the discussion to seminar and to suggest papers for us to read
- You can select paper(s) that use theory
- The invited faculty will lead a discussion of the theory, how fits with question, what is left out, how builds upon other theoretical approaches, etc.
- Each session could include a particular theory or family of theories and could have one or two student led discussions of particular theories. Papers read for the session may include theory building papers, or empirical papers that apply the theory. The theories addressed may be brainstormed at the beginning of the semester or brought up as students discover them. Perhaps use Latte as a means of brainstorming possible theories to discuss outside of the classroom.
o Student led discussions could also include broader discussion of the use of theory in the dissertation as supported by reading list provided at the beginning of the semester.
The second format involves guest speakers and invites seminar participants to consider specific methods and/or health and social policy research endeavors. Each speaker will present materials related to her or his own research agenda and the role such research plays in addressing health and social policy. I have chosen this design in an attempt to have seminar participants grapple with some of the practical issues in research methods and to hear how researchers in the field address both general research and career concerns.
Structure: The class will meet once a week on Monday for one hour and thirty minutes. Students should identify and cultivate significant others (mentors, shadow consultants, colleagues, tender comrades) at Heller and elsewhere. These "significant others" should be willing to engage in a variety of actions and interactionsi.e., listening (actively) to your research ideas, offering suggestions, sharing key readings, reading your papers, sitting on your dissertation committee, coauthoring papers, and so on. These are serious, "twoway street" relationships that require reciprocity. I am available to talk to you anytime we can agree on a time.
The key readings should be completed before the class in which they will be discussed; however, many of the articles are for reference. I have attempted to provide you with a "folio of resources" that you can draw upon in the years to come. These articles have been chosen as "thought starter" references. They provide a start toward a minimal personal library.
Course Requirement:
I. Each student will be required to write one 3-5-page action plan for completing their dissertation. Students will be required to handout and present their action plan at the end of the semester.
II. Read a Heller Ph.D. Proposal and Final Dissertation (Session one, August 31)
Attend one proposal hearing and/or one Ph.D. defense. If possible, for second and third year Ph.D. students, I recommend reviewing drafts and/or taking notes for someone during defenses.
III. OPTIONAL--Try and attend one (or several) of the joint Boston University, MIT, and Harvard Health Economics join seminars. See Fall 2013 schedule and topic papers here: http://www.bu.edu/econ/seminars-workshops/seminars/health/
Contact Courtney Sullivan at about fall 2013 schedule. My hope is that students will share with each other upcoming presentations and seminars that may be of interest to students (some of these BU, MIT, Harvard sessions may not be the best fit for everyone in seminar)
Performance: In concert with the class discussions, I am looking for thoughtful confrontation with the speakers and other class material. Second and third year students should be prepared to talk at least twenty minutes sometime during the semester to talk about their research progress. This will most likely be in the Spring, unless someone wants to do it in the Fall. Although we will schedule these near the end of the semester, students may ask for time to talk throughout the semester.
Academic Integrity: Violations of University policies on academic integrity, described in Section 3 of Rights and Responsibilities, may result in failure in the course or on the assignment, and could end in suspension from the University. If you are in doubt about the instructions for any assignment in this course, you must ask for clarification.
Notice: If you have a documented disability and require any accommodations, please bring them to my attention prior to the second meeting of the class. If you have any questions about learning or other disabilities, contact Heller’s disabilities coordinator.
Two Good On-line Texts on Research Methods:
- http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/contents.php
- http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/tutorial/tutorial.htm
Books on Order at Bookstore. These books are highly recommended.
- Surviving your dissertation. (2007) third edition. Kjell Rudestam & Rae Newton Sage Publication.
2. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions_ (3d edition) by Thomas Kuhn. Chicago: University of Chicago Press (1996)
ISBN 0-226-45807-5.
3. Social Network Analysis: A Handbook (second edition) 2009. Thousand Oaks: SAGE ISBN: 978-0-7619-6339-4
August 31 1. Live Ph.D. Defense Hearing (everyone is invited to attend this full committee hearing and observe the process in Room 147).
Dissertation Title: From Medical Student to Specialist: Using the Experience of Neurosurgeons to Better Understand the Process of Physician Specialty Choice.
Ph.D. Candidate: Jeffrey S. Sussman, M.P.H., M.A.
Assignment:
Read Mr. Sussman’s original proposal and draft dissertation (posted on LATTE)
Write down 2-3 questions and observations and we will discuss in our next class
September 10 2. Introduction to the seminar
A. Organizational Meeting/Introduction to Seminar
B. How do we meet our expectations for this seminar?
C. Debrief Ph.D. Hearing
Assignment:
Read: Surviving your Dissertation (entire)
Read About HSR Competencies: http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/training/hsrcomp08.htm
September 21 3. Joint Dissertation Seminar
Topic: Diversity and Research (TBA)
September 29 4. Theory & Paradigm Diversity in Health Services Research: Theory as a Creative Process
Group work: Nominal Group Technique
Assignment:
- Read: Structure of Scientific Revolutions (Panel discussion)
- Read: McCaskey, Chapter 8 “The Creative Process,” Chapter 9 “The Evolution of Charles Darwin” 1982
- Two students present: “The Evolution of Charles DarwinWeick, 1989, Theory Construction as Disciplined Imagination
Questions:
1. What is the role of theory in Health Services Research?
2. What is your definition of theory? How does theory work?
3. Come to class ready to pick theories that interest you.
October 12 5. How Economic Theory Informs Health Research
Guest Speaker: Dr. Christine Bishop
October 19 6. How Theory Informs Health Research
Guest Speaker: Dr. Susan Parish
October 26 7. How Health Policy Theory Informs Research
Guest Speaker: Dr. Chistopher Tompkins
November 2 8. How Health Policy Theory Informs Research
Guest Speaker: Dr. Stuart Altman
November 9 9. Joint Dissertation Seminar
Topic: Writing for Publication
Guest Speaker: Dr. Susan Parish
November 16 10. How Theory Informs Health Research
Guest Speaker: Dr. Cindy Thomas
November 23 11. Theory: Why do we study it? How do we use it?
Guest speaker: Dr. Jeffrey Prottas
Assignment:
Readings:
· Pfeffer, J. "Barriers to the Advance of Organizational Science: Paradigm Development as a Dependent Variable." Academy of Management Review 18(1993):599-620.
· van Maanen, J. "Style as Theory." Organization Science 6 (1995): 133-143.
Discussion Questions:
- If you want to understand what a science is, you should look in the first instance not as its theories or its findings, and certainly not at what its apologists say about it; you should look at what the practitioners of it do. (Clifford Geertz “The Interpretation of Cultures,” p. 5) Discuss this.
- Who is right Pfeffer or van Maanen?
November 30 12. Beyond surviving a dissertation: from beginning to end
Guest speaker: Kate Fillo
December 7 13. Presentation of Action Plans:
Assignment:
Develop and Present an action plan
Resources:[i]
I. Some links to resources on databases, surveys, and data sources:
a. http://www.ahrq.gov/data/
b. http://www.hsrmethods.org/Home.aspx
http://www.hsrmethods.org/DataSources.aspx
http://www.hsrmethods.org/Links.aspx?mode=type&name=Data%20and%20Databases
c. http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ICPSR/
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ICPSR/access/subject.jsp#IX
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/HMCA/index.jsp
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ICPSR/ssvd/series
d. http://www.rwjf.org/pr/datacollections.jsp
e. http://www.census.gov/acs/www/
http://www.census.gov/cps/
http://www.census.gov/sipp/
f. http://www.rand.org/health/surveys_tools.html
g. http://www.nber.org/data/
h. http://www.hrsa.gov/
II. Links to resources on policy issues:
a. http://www.hks.harvard.edu/library/research/guides/think-tanks-directory.htm
b. http://www.kff.org/
http://www.kff.org/pullingittogether/index.cfm
c. http://www.statehealthfacts.org/
d. http://www.urban.org/health/index.cfm
http://www.urban.org/health_policy/
e. http://www.urban.org/researchareas/index.cfm#healthandhealthcare
f. http://www.brookings.edu/health.aspx
g. http://www.brookings.edu/health/Projects.aspx
h. http://www.healthaffairs.org/
http://content.healthaffairs.org/collections/
i. http://www.rwjf.org/healthreform/
j. http://www.commonwealthfund.org/
k. http://www.rand.org/research_areas/health/
http://www.rand.org/health/
http://www.rand.org/health/projects_centers.html
http://www.rand.org/pubs/online/health/
l. http://www.epi.org/issues/category/health_care/
m. http://www.pioneerinstitute.org/programs_healthcare.php
n. http://www.aspeninstitute.org/policy-work/health-biomedical-science-society
III. Interesting sites (potentially to identify “hot” topics or get the creative juices flowing):
a. http://www.demos-usa.org/
b. http://www.ted.com/
c. http://people-press.org/
d. http://people-press.org/news-interest/
8
[i]
Mini-Manual for Conversation Café Hosts
What Is a Conversation Café?
Conversation Cafés are lively, hosted, drop-in conversations among diverse people about our feelings, thoughts and actions in this complex, changing world. The simple structure of Conversation Cafés – and their spirit of respect, curiosity and warm welcome – help people shift from small talk to BIG talk. Though the format can be used anywhere – in churches, around the dinner table, in schools, in retirement communities, at workplaces – Conversation Cafés are usually held in real public cafés, because those venues promote the spontaneity and inclusivity that can surprise us into new insights and greater understanding.
Conversation Cafés are unique because the hosts are not distant facilitators but rather active conversants. Cafés are unique because they foster inquiry rather than debate – minds and hearts are both involved. And they are unique because everyone is welcome and participants have great freedom to say what is on their minds.
What a Conversation Café Isn’t…
Conversation Cafés are not clubs for any one point of view. Diversity rules. There’s no organization to join, no dues to pay (except, perhaps, buying a bite to eat at the café), no books to read or assignments to complete.
No ideologies are promoted. The goal is Conversation not Conversion. They are not places to press your ideas on others nor are they places to network for business or romance. After the conversation is over, people can exchange business cards or phone numbers, pass out flyers, or sign petitions. The magic of the conversational space rests in part on the safety of knowing that no one will be pressured in any way. Although Conversation Cafés may facilitate connections that engender projects and action, their fundamental purpose is to serve as a welcoming space where everyone can deepen and broaden their points of view.