Programming Activities

Didactics 

Grant writing

As the fellowship is primarily focused on developing independent researchers, grant writing will be a major training area. Fellows are expected to develop and submit a foundation or NIH grant by the end of their first year. As such, they are provided with training in all aspects of grantsmanship to make this possible.

Professional Development

We are eager for our trainees to be competitive in the job market, should they choose to pursue employment outside of HFH after graduation. We offer regular seminars on topics related to job negotiation, tailoring your CV to different positions, networking best practices, how to engage stakeholders in research, and how to conduct health system-based research.

Works-in-Progress

Tailored meetings allow each fellow to briefly present their current work and receive feedback from all faculty members and other fellows.

Psychiatry Grand Rounds

The HFH Department of Psychiatry will host a weekly Grand Rounds lecture series featuring internal, local, national, and international experts presenting on a wide range of mental health topics. Opportunities also exist for fellows to deliver a Grand Rounds lecture.

Mental Health Services Research Grand Rounds

While Psychiatry Grand Rounds will expand trainees’ exposure to mental health etiology and treatment and also to a clinical audience, we also feel it is important for them to remain contemporary with embedded mental health services research methodology, specifically. MHRN and external faculty present their research virtually or in-person to trainees. In this way, trainees will be exposed to current projects across MHRN and beyond and allowed a context in which to ask investigators questions about their work. Finally, each trainee will be expected to present during their second year.

Etiology, Prevention, and Treatment of Mental Health Disorders (Starts fall of even years)

In this biennial course, fellows are exposed to leading theories on the development and course of mental health disorders. Topics also address leading scholarly activity in mental health prevention and the current evidence base of psychosocial and pharmacological treatment of mental health disorders. A major focus of this seminar is the critique of the literature and development of new research questions.

Health Services Research Methods (Starts fall of odd years)

In this biennial course, fellows are exposed to the full range of health services methodology, including big data science, pragmatic and effectiveness trials, health services and utilization studies, health economics, implementation science, health policy studies, patient-centered research, and others. Topics also include various research designs and analytical approaches, such as interrupted time series designs, implementation science theories and strategies, cluster randomized designs, analysis of trials, health policy analysis, cost-effectiveness modeling, computational modeling and big data analysis, qualitative and mixed methods, and nested data analysis.

Mentored-Research Experience

Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in ongoing faculty research both locally and across the MHRN. Given the breadth of funded studies in MHRN, faculty and trainees will work to match the best training experiences with project needs, resulting in fellows serving in various roles on R01-level studies.

As noted, trainees will work with mentors to create self-directed training plans. Activities on mentor-funded projects will align with this training plan so that fellows' goals are prioritized. The mentor and trainee will also complete quarterly evaluations and subsequent modifications of their training plan in both years of the fellowship. Training plans are submitted to and evaluated by, the Executive Committee, in order to offer substantive feedback throughout the year offering suggestions for further areas of growth.

Health System/MHRN Activities

Embedded Mental Health Services Research Annual Retreat

Each year, the Health Care Systems Research Network (MHRN is a core member of this network) hosts an annual conference. The conference includes two days of scientific sessions plus additional days for special project and interest group meetings. MHRN hosts an annual Steering Committee in-person meeting the day before the conference followed by a team dinner each year. Fellows are encouraged to attend this meeting and team dinner. We also host a 1-day postdoctoral fellowship training retreat with all trainees and MHRN program faculty on the day after the conference. This retreat consists of several presentations including a lecture on a MHRN affiliated project, 1st year fellow independent research project ideas, and 2nd year progress on grant development. Fellows receive feedback from MHRN faculty and their peers during each presentation. The day ends with a 1-hour presentation on professional development followed by a 1-hour wellness activity to promote team bonding.

University- and Health System-Based Training

All HFH faculty have dual appointments at local Universities; HFH scientists at both Michigan State University and Wayne State University. As such, trainees have access to a wide range of university-led training opportunities, including grand rounds, lectures on mental health epidemiology and treatment, grant writing workshops, and networking with faculty members. HFH is heavily invested in training and education; HFH we are responsible for the medical training of nearly all Michigan State University medical students, as well as many of Wayne State University. As such, departments with whom we regularly collaborate (sleep medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, internal medicine) all have regularly scheduled training opportunities that will be available to T32 fellows. Teaching opportunities are also available, as are clinical experiences for those seeking licensure.