About the MS-HOPE Program

In recent years there has been a significant focus on healthcare costs, policies, benefits, and comparative effectiveness in relation to improving patient outcomes. The new US healthcare reform bill resulted in an additional 32 million Americans joining the healthcare system. As a result, there is an increasing need for highly trained professionals who can provide expert analysis and research in health economics, including patient reported outcomes, economic modeling methodologies, and epidemiology. This need extends across the pharmaceutical industry, among healthcare providers, private payers, and within government agencies.

Research and training in these areas is very limited, with few comprehensive programs throughout the US. Rutgers University, with its premiere health economics research and close geographical proximity to the pharmaceutical and health care industry, is uniquely situated to provide relevant academic programs and research capabilities in health economics and outcomes research.

This new program responds to industry needs and increased demand for trained professionals to conduct research in health economics/outcomes, cost effectiveness, and health policy. Its interdisciplinary curriculum draws on considerable expertise at Rutgers University in economics, data analysis, biostatistics, health policy, and clinical research, and emphasizes the role of pharmaceuticals in the provision of health care. Graduates will have an integrated and comprehensive grounding in health outcomes research, epidemiology, health policy and practice in healthcare.

Prospective Students

This program is intended primarily for those who are seeking a rigorous, multidisciplinary graduate program in Health Outcomes, Policy, and Economics such as:

• Professionals working within healthcare settings, biopharmaceutical companies, healthcare plans or healthcare management companies, academic organizations
• Healthcare program administrators
• Professionals and analysts working in provider and payer systems
• Individuals working in public health and government or regulatory positions at the local, state, or federal level
• Healthcare providers and other healthcare system stakeholders from outside of the United States
• Professionals involved in the delivery, organization, and/or financing of health care, or seeking work in the healthcare system

Additionally, applicants with undergraduate training in economics, public policy, statistics and related areas who have two or more years of full-time work experience (ideally in academic, government or private sector healthcare research or delivery) may also be competitive applicants for this program.