Specialist - Curriculum Dev-Fixed Term

Working/Functional Title

Research and Quality Improvement Specialist

Position Summary

The College of Osteopathic Medicine and the Statewide Campus System is looking for a Research and Quality Improvement (QI) specialist to work closely with our affiliated hospitals, residents, and faculty to expand research skills and /output and to further knowledge on QI research and help residents and faculty meet their scholarly activities requirements. This is a hybrid position with both remote and in person days each week in East Lansing, MI. The specialist will participate actively in the QI and research curriculum design to be implemented with our affiliated residents and faculty, and help with project development and management, data collection, analysis, and interpretation to improve the population health, and provide a comprehensive support to guide residents through the entire lifecycle of their scholarly projects. Further, the specialist will participate and contribute as an active team member in workgroup activities, providing support to meet the needs of our unit.

This position will support research and QI initiatives aimed to make a difference to patients by improving safety, effectiveness, and care experience by understanding the complexity of the healthcare environment, applying a systematic approach, and designing, testing, and implementing changes using real-time measurements to improve patient care delivery. In addition, the selected individual will serve as a mentor and foster an environment where researchers and clinicians can work together to improve patient care by building relationships with colleagues in their work environment.

Specific duties and responsibilities include assisting residents and faculty in understanding and developing QI and research projects and other scholarly endeavors, from initial idea to final presentation or publication. Providing content area expertise on as needed and/or requested to support the needs of our residents and affiliated faculty. Assisting in developing a methodology to measure intervention effectiveness and create system-level interventions to improve and sustain quality. Assisting residents in developing research protocols, including study design, methodology, data collection and statistical analysis plan and interpret results to translate intervention to the community's needs. Guiding residents in conducting comprehensive literature reviews to synthesize evidence in support of their projects. Ensuring residents’ scholarly projects integrity and compliance with ethical guidelines, Institutional Review Board (IRB), and other relevant institutional requirements. Supporting residents with data management (data dictionaries, coding, data accuracy), statistical analysis, and working with datasets and tools. Supporting residents in analyzing QI and research data using appropriate statistical analysis methods and assist them in compiling and presenting the findings in various formats, including abstracts, posters, oral presentations, or manuscripts. Managing multiple consultations and prioritize competing deadlines. Maintaining Master tracker for consultations in collaboration with the Director and the Biostatistician, and monitor project timelines and progress. SMRJ: Helps with editing of journal submissions and oversight of the process from submission to final publication. Collaborates with the team, participate as a member of the research day planning committee and act as a liaison between the SA Team and the RISE committee. Participate in the planning and implementation of the event.

Designing work plans and provide continual status updates as evidenced by completion of project tracking tools, including but not limited to documenting tasks, progress, obstacles/barriers, resolution, responsible parties, resources, start date, projected and actual completion date, ongoing project status (i.e., In-Process, Completed, Approved; Results Based Accountability; or other similar systems). Performing special projects and other duties as assigned. Attending staff meetings and training as required. Preparing progress reports and updates for the unit Director and the Team. Handling correspondence, emails, and other administrative duties pertaining to the role of QI and research specialist.

Communicates regularly or as project activities require with unit Director, the Associate Dean, partners, and professional network groups. Building collaborative relationships with community partners to connect participants with necessary resources and professional development opportunities. Presenting recommendations and strategies to decision makers that are systematic, scalable, and incorporate technology solutions.

Collaborating with the unit Director to develop curriculum modules on QI and research for training purposes and ensure alignment with educational objectives of the curriculum. Developing 'learning communities' to support programs in meeting their goals through conducting orientation and training sessions, and delivering educational programs, workshops, and seminars to enhance residents’ knowledge and skills in research design, evidence-based medicine, and QI methodologies. Developing and implementing trainings or action plans for quality improvement initiatives. Develop assessment tools to evaluate effectiveness of the projects and to guide intervention for improvement.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Masters

Desired Degree

Doctorate

Minimum Requirements

Minimum Master's degree in a related field (epidemiology, biostatistics, public health, healthcare administration, or related disciplines) or the equivalent combination of education and/or experience. Knowledge and experience with QI implementation in a healthcare system, including running PDSA cycles and root cause analysis. Strong understanding of research methodologies and quality improvement principles and tools. Experience in project management, including study design, ethical and regulatory requirements (IRB), and data management tools. Demonstrated experience in educational or training materials (e.g., curriculum). Experience consulting in a collaborative research environment and demonstrating competency in the delivery of technical assistance, on-site consultation, and mentoring. Excellent oral and written communication skills, as well as interpersonal skills for effective collaboration with team members, residents, faculty, and other stakeholders, as well as diverse populations. Experience in project management with strong organization and caseload management skills (multitasking, prioritizing, and meeting deadlines). Ability to listen and respond to others with insight, diplomacy, and respect. Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint) and Zoom, and any statistical software (e.g., SPSS). Ability to promote a culture of partnership to co-identify appropriate methods and data collection to understand and disseminate implementation strategies. Ability to work collaboratively with QI officers and residents at local hospitals to align project goals and joint planning and agree on the purposes and uses of the results. Able to identify performance gaps and implement improvement interventions to address the problems. Familiar with process improvement using incremental, cyclically implemented changes appropriate to the local context. 

Desired Qualifications

Ph.D. or related terminal degree, five years of experience with QI data, analysis, interpretation, evaluation, and implementation, related hospital/clinical QI experience, minimum of 3 years of experience in QI research and methodology.