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Bulletin Archive

This archived information is dated to the 2008-09 academic year only and may no longer be current.

For currently applicable policies and information, see the current Stanford Bulletin.

Graduate courses in Health Research and Policy

Primarily for graduate students; undergraduates may enroll with consent of instructor.

HRP 207. Introduction to Concepts and Methods in Health Services and Policy Research I

Primarily for medical students in the Health Services and Policy Research scholarly concentration. Topics include health economics, statistics, decision analysis, study design, quality measurement, cost benefit and effectiveness analysis, and evidence based guidelines.

2 units, Aut (Haberland, C)

HRP 208. Introduction to Concepts and Methods in Health Services and Policy Research II

Primarily for medical students in the Health Services and Policy Research scholarly concentration; continuation of 207. Topics include health economics, statistics, decision analysis, study design, quality measurement, cost benefit and effectiveness analysis, and evidence based guidelines. Recommended: 207.

2 units, Win (Haberland, C)

HRP 209. FDA's Regulation of Health Care

(Same as LAW 458) Open to law and medical students; other graduate students by consent of instructor. The FDA's regulatory authority over drugs, biologics, medical devices, and dietary supplements. The nature of the pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, and nutritional supplement industries.

2-3 units, Aut (Greely, H)

HRP 210. Health Law and Policy I

Open to Law and medical students and undergraduates by consent of instructor. Introduction to the American health care system; its legal and policy problems. Topics: special characteristics of medical care compared to other goods and services, the difficulties of assuring quality care, the complex patchwork of the financing system, and the ethical problems the system raises.

3 units, alternate years, not given this year

HRP 211. Law and the Biosciences

(Same as LAW 368) Open to law and medical students; other graduate students by consent of instructor. Legal, social, and ethical issues arising from advances in neuroscience, including effects upon law and society through improvements in predicting illnesses and behaviors, reading minds through neuroimaging, understanding responsibility and consciousness, treating criminal behavior, and cognitive enhancement. May be repeated for credit. (Semester schedule.)

3 units, Win (Greely, H)

HRP 212. Crosscultural Medicine

Interviewing and behavioral skills needed to facilitate culturally relevant health care across all population groups. Explicit and implicit cultural influences operating in formal and informal medical contexts.

3 units, Spr (Corso, I)

HRP 213. Research Protocol Development for Clinical and Translational Research

Primarily for medical students in the Clinical Research Scholarly concentration; open to graduate students except Epidemiology graduate students. Development of research questions and plans for statistical analysis. Study design, sample size and power calculations, and statistical analysis of study data. Analytic methods to carry out statistical power and sample size calculations. Prerequisites: 225, and 258 or 259, or consent of instructor.

2-3 units, not given this year

HRP 214. Scientific Writing

Step-by-step through the process of writing and publishing a scientific manuscript. How to write effectively, concisely, and clearly. Preparation of an actual scientific manuscript. Students are encouraged to bring a manuscript on which they are currently working to develop and polish throughout the course.

2-3 units, Win (Sainani, K)

HRP 215. Scientific Writing for Basic and Translational Scientists

Teaches students in the basic sciences how to write clearly, concisely, and effectively. Focuses on the process of writing and publishing a scientific manuscript. Not intended for epidemiology graduate students.

2-3 units, Aut (Sainani, K)

HRP 216. Analytical and Practical Issues in the Conduct of Clinical and Epidemiologic Research

Topics include: advanced aspects of study design and data analyses; development of health measurement instruments; methods of summarizing literature and quantifying effect sizes; and multivariable nature of health events in human populations. 3 units requires a term paper. Prerequisites: 225, and 258 or 259, or consent of instructor.

2-3 units, not given this year

HRP 220. Health Law and Policy II

(Same as LAW 314) Open to law and medical students; other graduate students by consent of instructor. Continuing survey of the American health care system; its legal and policy problems. Topics include end of life, reproductive rights, research ethics, the food and drug administration, and public health law. Prerequisite: Health Law and Policy I recommended.

3-4 units, not given this year

HRP 223. Epidemiologic Analysis: Data Management and Statistical Programming

The skills required for management and analysis of biomedical data. Topics include importing and exporting data from multiple database systems, visualizing and cleaning data, data management for multicenter projects, and data security. Introduction to applied statistical programming relevant to epidemiologic and clinical research. No previous programming experience required. (Balise)

2-3 units, Aut (Balise, R)

HRP 225. Design and Conduct of Clinical and Epidemiologic Studies

Intermediate-level. The skills to design, carry out, and interpret epidemiologic studies, particularly of chronic diseases. Topics: epidemiologic concepts, sources of data, cohort studies, case-control studies, cross-sectional studies, sampling, estimating sample size, questionnaire design, and the effects of measurement error. Prerequisite: 159/259 or equivalent, or consent of instructor.

3-4 units, Aut (Popat, R)

HRP 226. Advanced Epidemiologic and Clinical Research Methods

The principles of measurement, measures of effect, confounding, effect modification, and strategies for minimizing bias in epidemiologic studies. Prerequisite: 225 or consent of instructor. (Nelson)

3-4 units, Win (Nelson, L)

HRP 228. Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology

Design, analysis, and interpretation of studies of genetic risk factors for common diseases in human populations. Topics: heritability, detecting disease genes using family and population-based study designs, gene-environment interactions, pharmacogenetics, and genomics. Prerequisite: 225 or consent of instructor.

2 units, Sum (Sieh, W)

HRP 229. Chronic Disease Epidemiology

Descriptive epidemiology and sources of incidence and mortality data; biological bases of neurological, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and other chronic diseases except cancer; methodological issues relevant to chronic epidemiologic research; causal inference; major environmental risk factors; genetic susceptibility; and examples of current research and critiques of literature. Prerequisite: 225 or consent of instructor.

2-3 units, Spr (Popat, R)

HRP 230. Cancer Epidemiology

Descriptive epidemiology and sources of incidence/mortality data; the biological basis of carcinogenesis and its implications for epidemiologic research; methodological issues relevant to cancer research; causal inference; major environmental risk factors; genetic susceptibility; cancer control; examples of current research; and critique of the literature. 3 units requires paper or project. Prerequisite: 225, or consent of instructor.

2-3 units, alternate years, not given this year

HRP 231. Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases

Principles of the transmission of the infectious agents (viruses, bacteria, rickettsiae, mycoplasma, fungi, and protozoan and helminth parasites). The role of vectors, reservoirs, and environmental factors. Pathogen and host characteristics that determine the spectrum of infection and disease. Endemicity, outbreaks, and epidemics of selected infectious diseases. Principles of control and surveillance.

3 units, Win (Maldonado, Y; Parsonnet, J), alternate years, not given next year

HRP 236. Epidemiology Research Seminar

Weekly forum for ongoing epidemiologic research by faculty, staff, guests, and students, emphasizing research issues relevant to disease causation, prevention, and treatment. May be repeated for credit.

1 unit, Aut (Henderson, V), Win (Friedman, G), Spr (West, D)

HRP 238. Genes and Environment in Disease Causation: Implications for Medicine and Public Health

(Same as HUMBIO 159.) The historical, contemporary, and future research and practice among genetics, epidemiology, clinical medicine, and public health as a source of insight for medicine and public health. Genetic and environmental contributions to multifactorial diseases; multidisciplinary approach to enhancing detection and diagnosis. The impact of the Human Genome Project on analysis of cardiovascular and neurological diseases, and cancer. Ethical and social issues in the use of genetic information. Prerequisite: basic course in genetics; for undergraduates, Human Biology core or equivalent or consent of instructor.

2-3 units, Win (Popat, R)

HRP 239. Understanding Statistical Models and their Social Science Applications

(Same as EDUC 260X, STATS 209.) Statistical modeling in experimental and non-experimental settings, including misconceptions in social science applications such as causal models. Text is Statistical Models: Theory and Practice, by David Freedman. See http://www-stat.stanford.edu/~rag/stat209. Prerequisite: intermediate-level statistical methods including multiple regression, logistic regression, and log-linear models.

3 units, Win (Rogosa, D)

HRP 240. Rethinking International Health

(Same as MED 230.) Issues and players that shape international health today. How to develop a road map for thoughtful, responsible action. Topics include: the role of the physician and health care worker; health as a human right; successful interventions; children's and women's health; issues in immunization; economic development; and NGOs. Online interviews with influential leaders in international health.

2-3 units, Spr (Parsonnet, J)

HRP 251. Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials

The rationale for phases 1-3 clinical trials, the recruitment of subjects, techniques for randomization, data collection and endpoints, interim monitoring, and reporting of results. Emphasis is on the theoretical underpinnings of clinical research and the practical aspects of conducting clinical trials.

3 units, Spr (Henderson, V; Lavori, P)

HRP 252. Outcomes Analysis

(Same as BIOMEDIN 251.) Methods of conducting empirical studies which use large existing medical, survey, and other databases to ask both clinical and policy questions. Econometric and statistical models used to conduct medical outcomes research. How research is conducted on medical and health economics questions when a randomized trial is impossible. Problem sets emphasize hands-on data analysis and application of methods, including re-analyses of well-known studies. Prerequisites: one or more courses in probability, and statistics or biostatistics.

3 units, Spr (Bhattacharya, J)

HRP 256. Economics of Health and Medical Care

(Same as BIOMEDIN 156, BIOMEDIN 256, ECON 126.) Graduate students with research interests should take ECON 248. Institutional, theoretical, and empirical analysis of the problems of health and medical care. Topics: institutions in the health sector; measurement and valuation of health; nonmedical determinants of health; medical technology and technology assessment; demand for medical care and medical insurance; physicians, hospitals, and managed care; international comparisons. Prerequisites: ECON 50 and ECON 102A or equivalent statistics. Recommended: ECON 51.

5 units, Aut (Bhattacharya, J)

HRP 258. Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Clinical Research

Open to medical and graduate students; required of medical students in the Clinical Research Scholarly Concentration. Tools to evaluate medical literature. Topics include random variables, expectation, variance, probability distributions, the central limit theorem, sampling theory, hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, correlation, regression, analysis of variance, and survival analysis.

3 units, Spr (Sainani, K)

HRP 259. Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Epidemiology

Topics: random variables, expectation, variance, probability distributions, the central limit theorem, sampling theory, hypothesis testing, confidence intervals. Correlation, regression, analysis of variance, and nonparametric tests. Introduction to least squares and maximum likelihood estimation. Emphasis is on medical applications.

4-5 units, Aut (Sainani, K)

HRP 260A. Workshop in Biostatistics

(Same as STATS 260A.) Applications of statistical techniques to current problems in medical science.

1-2 units, Aut (Olshen, R)

HRP 260B. Workshop in Biostatistics

(Same as STATS 260B.) Applications of statistical techniques to current problems in medical science.

1-2 units, Win (Olshen, R)

HRP 260C. Workshop in Biostatistics

(Same as STATS 260C.) Applications of statistical techniques to current problems in medical science.

1-2 units, Spr (Olshen, R)

HRP 261. Intermediate Biostatistics: Analysis of Discrete Data

(Same as BIOMEDIN 233, STATS 261.) Methods for analyzing data from case-control and cross-sectional studies: the 2x2 table, chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, odds ratios, Mantel-Haenzel methods, stratification, tests for matched data, logistic regression, conditional logistic regression. Emphasis is on data analysis in SAS. Special topics: cross-fold validation and bootstrap inference.

3 units, Win (Sainani, K)

HRP 262. Intermediate Biostatistics: Regression, Prediction, Survival Analysis

(Same as STATS 262.) Methods for analyzing longitudinal data. Topics include Kaplan-Meier methods, Cox regression, hazard ratios, time-dependent variables, longitudinal data structures, profile plots, missing data, modeling change, MANOVA, repeated-measures ANOVA, GEE, and mixed models. Emphasis is on practical applications. Prerequisites: basic ANOVA and linear regression.

3 units, Spr (Sainani, K)

HRP 280. Spanish for Medical Students

(Same as SPANLANG 121M.) Goal is a practical and rapid command of spoken Spanish. Topics: the human body, hospital procedures, diagnostics, food, and essential phrases for on-the-spot reference when dealing with Spanish-speaking patients. Series can be taken independently, depending on the level of prior knowledge.

3 units, Aut (Staff)

HRP 281. Spanish for Medical Students

(Same as SPANLANG 122M.) Goal is a practical and rapid command of spoken Spanish. Topics: the human body, hospital procedures, diagnostics, food, and essential phrases for on-the-spot reference when dealing with Spanish-speaking patients. Series can be taken independently, depending on the level of prior knowledge.

3 units, Win (Corso, I)

HRP 282. Spanish for Medical Students

(Same as SPANLANG 123M.) Goal is a practical and rapid command of spoken Spanish. Topics: the human body, hospital procedures, diagnostics, food, and essential phrases for on-the-spot reference when dealing with Spanish-speaking patients. Series can be taken independently, depending on the level of prior knowledge.

3 units, Spr (Corso, I)

HRP 283. Health Services Research Core Seminar

Presentation of research in progress and tutorials in the field of health services research.

1 unit, Aut (Haberland, C), Win (Haberland, C), Spr (Haberland, C)

HRP 290. Advanced Spanish Conversation

Oral language skills covering pediatric, gynecological, and other specialty exams; patient health education and counseling; and diseases such as diabetes, asthma, and TB. Prerequisite: Spanish proficiency or consent of instructor.

3 units, Aut (Corso, I), Win (Corso, I), Spr (Corso, I)

HRP 299. Directed Reading in Health Research and Policy

Epidemiology, health services research, preventive medicine, medical genetics, public health, economics of medical care, occupational or environmental medicine, international health, or related fields. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

1-18 units, Aut (Staff), Win (Staff), Spr (Staff), Sum (Staff)

HRP 351. Health Care Technology: From Innovators to Providers to Patients

(Same as GSBGEN 351.) How health care businesses use biotechnology, medical technology and information technology to improve patient outcomes and manage costs. New technologies commercialized by innovator biotech and pharmaceutical companies, device manufacturers, diagnostics developers, and health IT companies, and adopted by hospitals and physicians in patient care and paid for by third-party payers. Case studies: how innovators finance and manage new product development; clinical trial management and gaining regulatory approval; strategies to drive product adoption; business models to drive innovation; clinical and business models for adopting new technology; organizational change; criteria for reimbursement and coverage decisions; selective provider network design to manage added costs; and IT-intensive business models. Guest speakers and panelists.

4 units, Win (Zenios, S; Chess, R)

HRP 391. Political Economy of Health Care in the United States

(Same as MGTECON 331, PUBLPOL 231.) The economic tools and institutional and legal background to understand how markets for health care products and services work. Moral hazard and adverse selection. Institutional organization of the health care sector. Hospital and physician services markets, integrated delivery systems, managed care, pharmaceutical and medical device industries. Public policy issues in health care, medical ethics, regulation of managed care, patients' bill of rights, regulation of pharmaceuticals, Medicare reform, universal health insurance, and coverage of the uninsured. International perspectives, how other countries' health care systems evolved, and what the U.S. can learn from their experiences.

4 units, Spr (Kessler, D; Bundorf, M)

HRP 392. Analysis of Costs, Risks, and Benefits of Health Care

(Same as BIOMEDIN 432, MGTECON 332.) For graduate students. The principal evaluative techniques for health care, including utility assessment, cost-effectiveness analysis, cost-benefit analysis, and decision analysis. Emphasis is on the practical application of these techniques. Group project presented at end of quarter. Guest lectures by experts from the medical school, pharmaceutical industry, health care plans, and government.

4 units, Aut (Garber, A; Owens, D)

HRP 399. Graduate Research

Investigations sponsored by individual faculty members. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

1-18 units, Aut (Staff), Win (Staff), Spr (Staff), Sum (Staff)

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