Program Announcement

Program details and application procedures:
 Advanced Fellowship in Health Systems Engineering-1 Year

Program details and application procedures:
 Advanced Fellowship in Health Systems Engineering-2 Year

General Description

The Office of Academic Affiliations is proud to announce the development of the VA Advanced Fellowship Program in Health Systems Engineering. This program has been designed to meet the growing needs of VHA to embrace and implement Operational Systems Engineering (OSE) tools and techniques to further understand the complexities and dynamics of health care systems and subsystems. This approach could be used to design and optimize system performance to meet specific quality goals (such as safety, patient centeredness, timeliness)and at the same time, improve prediction, measurement, and management to meet other performance goals (such as cost, access and productivity).

The Systems Engineering Advanced Fellowship is divided into two tracks: a one-year track devoted to application and practice and a two-year track devoted to inquiry and research. Both programs are intended to provide post-residency trained physicians and appropriately prepared associated health professionals with in-depth preparation in application, research and leadership in systems engineering. In both cases, the participants are appointed as trainees and receive compensation and benefits commensurate with trainee status.

Practitioner Track

The one-year practitioner track emphasizes the development or enhancement of skills of practitioners unique to health systems engineering. This program has been designed for fully credentialed practitioners including physicians and associated health professionals who are qualified in health professions relevant to systems engineering (such as psychologists, social workers, registered nurses and others) as well as relevant non-clinician associated health professionals who have obtained advanced degrees in study including engineering, non-clinical psychology, anthropology, sociology, computer science/medical informatics, business and management, health care administration, etc. Please see the attached program announcement for further details.

 Advanced Fellowship in Health Systems Engineering-1 Year - Practitioner

Research Track

The two-year research track, offered in collaboration with VA Health Services Research and Development Service, emphasizes the great need for further research in the field and provides protected time, mentorship, financial support, and a clinical research environment for qualified candidates. This program has been designed for fully credentialed practitioners including physicians and associated health professionals who are qualified in clinical health professions relevant to systems engineering such as psychologists, social workers, registered nurses, and others as well as relevant non-clinical scientists including engineers, economists, sociologists, research psychologists, computer scientists, business/management professionals and others. Please see the attached program announcement for further details.

 Advanced Fellowship in Health Systems Engineering-2 Year - Research

VA Advanced Fellowships in Health Systems Engineering

Practitioner Track Focus (1-Year): to be determined (TBD), but should emphasize employment of strategies to accelerate the integration of operational systems engineering (OSE) within the Department of Veterans Affairs (federal government) healthcare setting in order to promote systems improvement.

Research Track Focus (2-Year): to be determined (TBD), but should emphasize employment of strategies to accelerate the integration of operational systems engineering (OSE) within the Department of Veterans Affairs (federal government) healthcare setting in order to promote systems improvement.

Practitioner Track Focus (1-Year): The one year fellowship track provides masters prepared engineers with a one year experience working in a clinical situation apply engineering tools to improve health care.

Research Track Focus (2-Year):The two year fellowship is available to post doctoral and uniquely qualified pre-doctoral candidates with degrees in engineering and related disciplines. The goal is help the fellow develop an independent Research Focus in the area of engineering in health care.

Engineering fellows are sought to apply their expert skills (e.g., operations research, modeling and simulation, scheduling, data mining, human factors, risk analysis) in the development and application of innovative engineering solutions. New England VERC has a project portfolio with work in primary and specialty care models, mental health, inpatient medicine, surgical safety, and streamlining administrative processes.  Our goals for engineering fellows include: (1) learning to apply industrial and systems engineering techniques to the improvement of health systems, (2) immersion in clinical processes and procedures and will have the opportunity to pilot tests of change, (3) using advanced engineering methods such as modeling or simulation, and (4) submitting a manuscript to a medical quality or systems engineering journal and/or presenting work as a conference poster or presentation. 

Practitioner Track Focus (1-Year): VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS) Veterans Engineering Resource Center (VERC) 1 year Fellowship Program offers exciting opportunities for qualified applicants to participate in a didactic and experiential program to improve the quality, safety, and efficiency of healthcare delivered by the VAPHS. The 1 year fellowship includes an operational project focus that may lead to research for applicants in the two year fellowship.

Research Track Focus (2-Year): Fellows in the two year program will be immersed in a didactic program that will include direct participation on project teams redesigning and re-engineering VA Healthcare systems, clinical procedures and processes, and further their education and practical application of project management skills. Fellows will: 1) Learn to apply systems engineering techniques to the improvement of health systems, 2) Be immersed in clinical processes and procedures and will have the opportunity to pilot tests of change, 3) Use modeling and simulation software, and 4) Write manuscripts for submission to a medical quality or systems engineering journal. Fellowship requires travel, curriculum development and teaching project teams. Graduates of this fellowship will have experience and qualifications to obtain employment in healthcare settings or pursue further training in healthcare systems engineering.