Outcomes Research

Outcomes Research examines the end results of health care practices and interventions at the level of the whole person and the health care system.  These end results include impairments, activity limitations, participation restrictions and quality of life.  Outcomes research deals with questions concerning the disablement model, risks and benefits of interventions, diagnostic and prognostic factors, optimal duration and intensity of interventions, psychosocial factors affecting response to interventions, cost effectiveness health behaviors and health disparities.  Outcomes Research also involves developing and testing measures of health behaviors and of the end results of health care at the level of the whole person and the health care system.

The Outcomes Research core prepares students for careers in research directed at understanding how healthcare practices effect patient outcomes.   The primary purpose of the program is to prepare scholars to plan and conduct scientific research in the area of health outcomes research. A core of research methodology and measurement courses coupled with independent study in an area of clinical and theoretical focus and continuous involvement in research projects prior to the dissertation prepares students with the superior research capabilities necessary for an academic career. Students gain experience in collecting health behavior and health outcome data, building data bases and using statistical software to and analyze this data.  Successful applicants for the outcomes research specialization should have a strong clinical and quantitative, preferably with a minimum of 3 years of clinical practice, and prior course work in the behavioral sciences, statistics, research methodology, measurement and computer science.

Outcomes Research Core
Physical Therapy Diagnosis                            
Measuring Health Outcomes                           
Fundamentals of Epidemiology                     
Statistical Computing in PC SAS                   
Independent Study: Clinical                            
Independent Study: Theory                             
Independent Study: Proposal                     

Research Core
Biostatistics I  
Biostatistics II 
Clinical Research Methods             
Research Practicum

Education Core
Educational Administration in Physical Therapy 
Instructional Methods in Physical Therapy 
Teaching Practicum 
Doctoral Seminar in PT Faculty Roles 
Doctoral Seminar in PT Leadership 
Doctoral Seminar in PT Research

Electives*
Measurement of Human Movement 
Scientific Writing I  
Behavioral Epidemiology 
Health Education and Behavior 
Applied Health Education 
Health Economics for Evaluation and Policy 
Health Policy 
Measurement and Psychometric Theory 
Qualitative Methods I 
Qualitative Methods II 

*  Electives may be courses offered in other Physical Therapy PhD Cores,  courses offered in outside Departments or as Independent studies.