AcademyHealth members consistently report that career advancement is a top priority in the next three to five years. Being a part of an AcademyHealth Interest Group (IG) gives members access to learning opportunities and webinars, job postings, calls for abstracts, and other resources. During this year’s Annual Research Meeting (ARM) starting this Saturday, IG meetings will be held throughout the conference and include topics such as the future of caregiving, cultivating effective research partnerships, and putting children back on the policy agenda. Be sure to join the events to honor colleagues, hear new research, and learn from established leaders.
Honoring Experts in the Field
Interest Groups use ARM as a chance to highlight and honor outstanding members of their field. The Child Health Services Research Interest Group will be highlighting their Nemours Early Career and Lifetime Achievement Award recipients. The Interdisciplinary Research Group on Nursing Issues (IRGNI) will also be honoring the contributions of a senior scientist to the career development of young investigators who are focused on nursing issues with the presentation of their Research Mentorship Award. IRGNI also annually recognizes the scientific work of emerging scholars in the field with their New Investigator Award.
The Learning Health System (LHS) Interest Group sponsored a Challenge Contest this year. Winners of this challenge will host an interactive session to discuss their cases during the ARM. This workshop aims to address and share learning about challenges experienced by healthcare organizations and their embedded researchers. Beyond ARM, the selected winners will also be published in the Learning Health Systems Journal.
Showcasing New Research
Interest Group meetings at ARM also allow attendees to showcase their new research. Many IGs host their own call for abstracts before ARM to gather relevant submissions related to the IG topic and then choose individuals to present at the conference. The Health Economics Interest Group will be highlighting three health economists in the early stages of their careers. Work highlighted in their session applies concepts from economics to provide policy-relevant evidence on rural hospital closures, provider-insurance bargaining, Medicaid waiver policy, and value-based payment in behavioral health care. The Health Information Technology Interest Group will also host an informative session where researchers will provide perspectives on topics including the effectiveness of text messaging, state policy, and racial disparities in service utilization.
Learning from Leaders in the Field
IG meetings also give a chance for ARM attendees to hear from leaders in their field. The State Health Research and Policy Interest Group will have Dr. Anne Schwartz share her reflections from her time serving as Executive Director of the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), followed by a panel discussion. The Quality and Value Interest Group will highlight a discussion led by Dr. Pamela Owens on AHRQ data that underscores the uneven impact of COVID-19. Lastly, the Health Workforce Interest Group will host a panel discussion that will feature speakers from government agencies, health systems, professional associations, and more to discuss collaboration between different stakeholders.
How to Join
Joining an interest Group is a members-only benefit, so be sure to renew or join AcademyHealth’s membership! If you are already a member and would like to join an Interest Group, you can update your profile or fill out the form here.
About the AcademyHealth Interest Groups
There are currently 19 active Interest Groups that range in topics including, Disabilities, Global Health and Health Care, Mental Health and Substance Use, Public Health System Research, Nursing Issues, and more. The IGs discuss a variety of topics and host events throughout the year. For example, the Health Economics Interest Group recently presented a professional development webinar that featured tips on getting media coverage and making your work more accessible. This is one of the many types of IGs activities throughout the year. See the complete list of Interest Groups here.
Any questions? Contact Alexandra Ade for more information on joining an IG at: Alexandra.ade@academyhealth.org