Clinical Epidemiology & Health Services Research

The Master of Science Program in Clinical Epidemiology and Health Services Research (MS-CEHSR) is based in the Weill Cornell Graduate School (WCGS), in partnership with the Sloan-Kettering Institute (SKI). Accredited by the State of New York in 1995, it is designed to train physicians, nurses and experienced health professionals in clinical research methodology to enable them to conduct collaborative, question-driven, methodologically rigorous clinical research in a multidisciplinary environment. The Program can be completed within two years on a full-time basis, or up to four years on a part-time basis. 

We emphasize conceptual, methodological and practical foundations and provide a research experience that enables our graduates to become independent investigators. The program builds a foundation in the disciplines of clinical epidemiology, health services research, biostatistics, health economics, qualitative research, clinimetrics, medical informatics, decision analysis, survey research, and behavioral science—and teaches students how and when to apply different research designs and methods. With appropriate training in a multidisciplinary context, students will be equipped to wield a wide variety of methodological approaches and analytic techniques. Our students become skilled in the use of data management systems, the conceptual basis of statistical analysis, and the programs and techniques required to analyze their own data. Students also learn about adapting methods to different cultural contexts and the protection of human rights in clinical research. 

Each student is expected to successfully complete all required courses and to design and conduct a research project in his or her own area of interest under close supervision by mentors. Masters students in our program devote the major portion of their time (70%) to developing and conducting this project. We describe the program in greater detail under Curriculum.