Biostatistics

Faculty members of the Division of Biostatistics have been very successful in functioning as data coordinating centers for NIH-funded, multi-center clinical trials and observational studies. Many faculty members collaborate with, and provide statistical expertise to, investigators in the Penn State College of Medicine. The faculty members in the Division of Biostatistics are responsible for some of the core courses in the Department's Master of Science (MS) degree program. The faculty members also teach a biostatistics course for graduate students in the College of Medicine and an evidence-based medicine course for first-year and second-year medical students. Medical students receive additional guidance from faculty and staff in the Biostatistics Division for their Medical Student Research (MSR) projects. Some of the faculty members are involved with the graduate program in the Department of Statistics at the University Park campus, teaching courses and directing graduate students in master's thesis and doctoral dissertation research.

Epidemiology

Faculty members in the Division of Epidemiology have been successful in receiving grants for research in cancer mechanisms, cancer control and prevention, and environmental air quality and its link to cardiovascular disease, adolescent health, and bone mineral health. Epidemiology faculty members develop and teach certain core courses in the Master of Science (MS) degree program. The faculty members also teach an epidemiology course for third-year medical students. Medical students receive additional guidance from the faculty and staff in the Epidemiology Division for their Medical Student Research (MSR) projects.

Health Services Research

The Division of Health Services Research consists of faculty members who conduct research on the organization, financing, delivery, and quality of health care services. Current faculty members have particular expertise in the design of health surveys and the analysis of large datasets, The research conducted by faculty members in this Division currently focuses on such topics as:

• Access, alternative organizational models, and quality in women's primary car.
• Gender and race/ethnic disparities in access to cardiovascular treatments.
• Race/ethnic and rural-urban disparities in risks for preterm birth and low birth weight.
• Race/ethnic disparities in quality of care fir cervical cancer.
• Outcomes and costs of services such as hysterectomy, caesarean section, and pelvic floor repair procedures.
• Risk factors for uterine fibroids and treatment options.
• Patient management of health information.

The faculty members in the Division of Health Services Research are responsible for one core and two elective courses in the Departments' Master of Science (MS) program. The core course is Health Survey Research Methods and the electives are Quality of Care Management and Health Economics and Economic Evaluation.