As 2024 comes to a close, we take a moment to reflect on an eventful year filled with progress, innovation, and success for our members. This year, AcademyHealth made strides in developing and launching tools to address the pressing challenges health services researchers face, gathered from insights in the 2024 Member Needs Assessment.  

Understanding the Challenges: Insights from Our Members 

Health services researchers shared their top five professional challenges, highlighting areas where support was most needed. The challenges included: 

  1. Obtaining adequate funding for their work 
  2. Burnout, feeling overworked 
  3. Communicating to decision-makers to drive policy change and action 
  4. Keeping up with new developments in data, research, and dissemination & implementation 
  5. Misinformation and distrust in science and research 

Recognizing these challenges, AcademyHealth developed tools and resources to support researchers, address their needs, and enhance their contributions to the field. 

 
Tools and Resources to Overcome Barriers  

To help researchers address these challenges, AcademyHealth introduced new resources and tools, which enable researchers to: 

  • Benchmark salary and compensation amongst their peers 
  • Strengthen their effectiveness through a professional development course on communicating for impact.  The course is specifically designed to help mid-career researchers bridge the gap between their expertise and those who can use it in policy and practice. Through the use of real-world scenarios, toolkits, and live calls with leading experts, participants will gain skills in effectively disseminating their work for maximum impact. Learn how to bring an equity lens to their work through the Health Equity Webinar Series and continued updates to the AcademyHealth Equity and Innovation Resource Hub  

Celebrating the Wins of 2024 

This year was marked by significant achievements driven by the needs and priorities of our members: 

  1. Launch of the Future of Health Equity Webinar Series  

This series debuted with a powerful session on HIV Prevention and Treatment within the LatinX Community, setting a strong foundation for a multi-year initiative on equity in health services research. Hosted by the Health Equity and Women and Gender Interest Groups (IG), the series is sponsored by The Commonwealth Fund. 

  1. Introduction of the HSR Salary Hub  
  • The Salary and Compensation Report, a 29-page analysis, provided insights into pay disparities by gender, race, geography, and more.  
  • The Salary Comparison Tool offered members a personalized, interactive resource to benchmark their compensation, career trajectory, and identify opportunities for growth. 

  1. New Professional Development Courses  

Building on our commitment to professional growth, we hosted several professional development courses focused on Communicating for Impact and launched a new offering, Leveraging AI for High-Impact Health Research. These courses filled a gap in the market, providing researchers with essential tools to enhance their work and remain competitive in the evolving landscape. Interested in Communicating for Impact? Sign up to find out about our upcoming offerings here.  

  1. Advocacy Briefing on Navigating HSR in the New Congress and Administration  

This well-attended session provided researchers with a roadmap for navigating the changing political environment, ensuring they remain informed and proactive. 

These achievements demonstrate our commitment to supporting health services researchers and equipping our members with the tools and knowledge they need to excel in a rapidly changing field. 

Looking Ahead: A Vision for 2025  

As we look back on 2024, it’s clear the stage has been set for even greater progress in 2025.  Building on these successes, AcademyHealth will: 

Our efforts remain focused on addressing the challenges health services researchers face while providing resources, training, and connections needed to thrive. We have a lot in store for members in 2025, including new members-only webinars focused on obtaining funding for your work and how to maximize the use of the online Salary Comparison Tool. 

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