Health Services Research in Pharmacy
(Approved by HSRP Faculty 7/21/2020)
Overview
The written preliminary exam represents Part 2 (of 4) in the process of becoming a dissertator. The written preliminary examination is comprehensive to reflect a broad knowledge of Health Services Research in Pharmacy sufficient to support independent research and scholarship consistent with a PhD degree. In general, the exam tests basic knowledge and theory, and their application to pharmacy or medication-related problems. Student preparation for the exam will derive from courses, individual study and reading, and research activities conducted during their Graduate Program.
Examination Content
The HSRP Learning Goals are as follows:
- Demonstrate an advanced critical knowledge and in-depth application of economic, policy, and/or social behavioral analyses to the study of the interrelationships between pharmacy, pharmaceutical services, health care systems, and patients.
- Formulate research questions, design experiments to test hypotheses, apply appropriate quantitative and qualitative methods, and evaluate evidence relevant to questions in health economics, health care systems, healthcare organization and management, outcomes research, health care policy, and pharmacy services.
- Communicate, both orally and in writing, scientific knowledge, research findings, and/or core principles effectively to a range of audiences.
The examination will represent competencies that are represented in the course objectives in the 6 required HSRP graduate courses. Knowledge of relevant theories, statistics, and research methods/design will be tested within or in relation to the major and minor areas. Contemporary issues and/or current events in pharmacy or health care will serve as means to frame the preliminary examination questions. As appropriate to the individual’s area(s) of concentration, the examination will cover micro- and/or macro-level perspectives (e.g., individual actions and behaviors vs. policy or system perspectives). Student’s background and future career aspirations will also be considered when designing questions, requiring them to prepare and anticipate realistic future scenarios (i.e., presenting information to academic or industry audiences). Although the structure of exams may be similar, exam questions are unique to each student, created specifically for them.
Examination Committee
The preliminary exam committee will include a minimum of two SAS faculty from the major area, with the option of including faculty from the minor area. Each member of the examining committee may submit questions for the exam. The major professor(s) serves as the coordinator for the examination.
Examination Format and Administration Procedures
The exam is structured as two separate four-hour sessions on two consecutive days. Specific instructions will be given to the candidate on each day of the exam. Reference materials may not be used during the exam.
The first part of the exam will cover HSRP core competencies and includes a specific set of required questions that are similar for all candidates, usually three questions. The student must answer all questions on the first day.
The second part of the exam covers concept and content applications from both the major and minor areas. Students are presented with pairs or sets of questions that address similar broad topics (e.g., theory, methods, current affairs, etc.) and students have latitude to choose which specific question they answer within those sets. Usually, the second day exam contains three sets of questions. The student is required to answer one question from each set, for a total of three answered questions for the second part of the exam.
At least two weeks prior to the exam, the School of Pharmacy Graduate Studies Coordinator must be notified of the date the examination will occur. Candidates should be able to provide a proposed dissertation topic prior to sitting for the written preliminary examination in order to help ensure oral preliminary examination requirements may be fulfilled within six months of the written preliminary exam.
Grading
- Answers to the preliminary examination will be provided to the examining committee for review.
- The examining committee will read and evaluate answers to all questions.
- The examining committee will meet with the candidate to discuss questions and review answers with the candidate, no later than 3 weeks after the exam is submitted. This meeting can serve as Part 3, an “oral clarification” of their written exam answers and provides an opportunity for the candidate to expand on written answers.
- Following the meeting with the candidate, the examining committee will meet without the candidate to decide if any questions need to be re-written and re-submitted, how re-written and re-submitted questions will be graded, and whether the student passed or failed. Within three weeks of taking the prelim, the exam committee will contact the candidate.
- The major professor(s) will notify the candidate about the exam grade, no later than three weeks after any re-writes have been submitted. If the candidate fails the exam, he/she will have an opportunity to pass another written prelim. If the candidate does not pass the second written examination, then he/she will be let go from the program.
Timeline
- Two weeks prior to the exam, the School of Pharmacy Graduate Studies Coordinator must be notified of the date the examination will occur
- The examining committee will meet with the candidate to discuss questions and review answers with the candidate, no later than 3 weeks after the exam is submitted.
- The major professor(s) will notify the candidate about the exam grade, no later than three weeks after any re-writes have been submitted.
Academic Integrity
It is expected that the candidate will not share examination questions with others.