Program Competencies

Upon graduation, a student completing the MS curriculum in Health Outcomes, Policy, and Economics will be able to:

1. Design, evaluate, interpret, and communicate the results of non-randomized, observational research for applications in health outcomes, health economics, and health policy research
2. Evaluate the reliability, validity, and generalizability of individual biomedical research studies
3. Synthesize evidence for health policy decision makers to facilitate translation of interventions, applications, or programs
4. Use statistical and business software to analyze health outcomes, health care costs, health policy, and health economics
5. Work independently and as part of a team to conduct health outcomes and economics research (HEOR) projects

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Developed in the MS-HOPE Degree Program

Knowledge (K)​

1. Sources of bias in study designs and methods to control bias between comparator groups
2. Process for validation of exposure and outcomes
3. Contents of various types of data sources and strengths and weaknesses of data source types
4. Structure and function of the US health care system
5. Evolution and framework of health care
6. US Food and Drug Administration regulations on approval and monitoring of drugs, biologics, and devices
7. Medication safety evaluation and reporting including REMS
8. Managed care principles involving formulary structure, insurance, and reimbursement
9. Basic framework and functioning of the pharmaceutical industry including drug development, approval, and reimbursement
10. Healthcare financing (US)
11. Healthcare delivery and financing (selected global)

Skills and Abilities (SA)

1. Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA), cost-utility analysis (CUA), cost-benefit analysis (CBA), and decision analysis
2. Health technology assessment (HTA) / economic methods to evaluate medical technology
3. Experimental and quasi-experimental design options including randomized controlled trials (RCT, efficacy) and comparative effectiveness research (CER, effectiveness)
4. Statistics through linear and logistic regression
5. Statistical methods for missing data, matching / bias reduction, and other observational design methods
6. Proficiency in introductory epidemiologic methods
7. Critical review and appraisal including standards of evidence, literature review, systematic review, and meta-analysis
8. Interpretation, translation, and communication of study results
9. Preparation and evaluation of study designs and analytic plans including statistical analysis plans for RCT and observational studies
10. Proficiency in SAS plus at least one additional data analytic software package
11. Proficiency in Excel, TreeAge, or other decision analytic software packages for CEA / CUA
12. Ethical considerations in human subject research in biomedicine including IRB certification
13. Develop and evaluate tools to assess patient-reported outcomes (PRO) of diseases or treatments
14. Analytic skills to evaluate health economics, health policy, health services, and outcomes research studies