Research Achievements Recognized at Health Services Research Day


Two women smiling together; woman on the left holds a certificate award
Oral Abstract Winner: Apoorva Gangavelli, Georgia CTSA TL1 Trainee, MD/MSCR candidate, Emory School of Medicine, with mentor, Alanna Morris, MD, MSc (MSCR graduate), Associate Professor, Emory School of Medicine

Georgia CTSA and Emory Health Services Research Center were excited to host over 150 researchers back in person for the 8th Annual Health Services Research Day at Emory School of Medicine. During this symposium and networking opportunity, researchers across Georgia learned about ongoing quality, effectiveness, and value-based research activities. Georgia CTSA TL1 Trainee, Apoorva Gangavelli, received the Outstanding Oral Presentation Award.

“It was energizing to be back in person for Health Services Research Day and learn about innovative health services researcher happening in our community, collaborate, and develop new relationships,” remarks co-chair Ilana Graetz, PhD, Associate Professor, Health Policy and Management, Rollins School of Public Health.

"Health Services Research Day is a great venue to learn about all the tremendous work that health services researchers across the Georgia CTSA institutions are doing," adds co-chair Michal Horný, PhD, Assistant Professor, Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory School of Medicine and Department of Health Policy and Management, Rollins School of Public Health. "I started several new research collaborations after seeing work relevant to my research interests presented at the HSR Day."

The event showcased the latest research during featured talks, oral abstracts, and poster sessions. Keynote presentation by Elizabeth McGlynn, PhD, Senior Vice President of Research and Quality Measurement and Executive Director, Kaiser Permanente Center for Effectiveness and Safety Research, posed the question: Is quality really in the eye of the beholder? Implications for measurement.

Awards were presented for the best oral abstract and poster presentations. Outstanding Oral Presentation was awarded to Apoorva Gangavelli, BS, Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, ‘The Impact of Vertical Integration of Oncologists on Cancer Outcomes and Healthcare Costs Among Metastatic Prostate Cancer Patients’.

"Being a TL1 trainee has given me the hard skills of developing a research question, data analysis, and manuscript writing that I otherwise would not have learned in medical school. Along with the incredible team under Dr. Morris, I have spent the past year investigating the race and gender disparities in cardiologic disease progression and clinical outcomes. I'm grateful for the protected time and training this past year to highlight disparities work and to lay the foundation for a career in academic medicine," says Apoorva Gangavelli, Georgia CTSA TL1 Trainee, MD/MSCR candidate, Emory School of Medicine.

Poster Presentation Winners

  • First Place
    • Heather Brandt, DO, Emory University, School of Medicine, ‘Outcomes of Children with Tracheostomy Following Implementation of Simulation-Based Education’
  • Second Place
    • Cam Escoffery, PhD, MPH, Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, ‘Facilitators and Barriers to Pediatric Cancer Survivor Care Delivery: A Fish Bone Analysis’
  • Third Place (TIE)
    • Courtney Meyer, MD, Emory University, School of Medicine, ‘Characterizing Injury Patterns in Hospitalized Patients with Limited English Proficiency’
    • Kelsey Drewry, MA, Emory University, Laney Graduate School, Rollins School of Public Health, ‘Impact of Medicare’s Comprehensive ESRD Care Initiative on Nephrologists' Treatment of Patients with New-Onset End-Stage Renal Disease’

In a post-event survey, attendees commented on valuable aspects of Health Services Research Day, “Seeing what people are doing and thinking about applying that to my research field”, “Speaking with the poster presenters”, “Collaborations and learning”, and “Definitely great for connections!”

Thank you to our planning committee, keynote speaker, featured speakers, staff volunteers, abstract reviewers, and poster judges who helped make this event possible!

 

Georgia CTSA's TL1 program provides outstanding opportunities for clinical and translational research training for predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees. The program is focused on providing didactic and mentored research training for predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees interested in a career focused on clinical and/or translational research relevant to human health. The Georgia CTSA is dedicated to providing predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees with state-of-the-art scientific knowledge, tools, and methods to improve human health through rigorous clinical and translational research training. Through the TL1 program, the Georgia CTSA will increase the translational research workforce and enhance the career development of future leaders of the biomedical research workforce, a major mission of NCATS and NIH.

The Emory Master of Science in Clinical Research (MSCR) degree program, in the Laney Graduate School at Emory University, provides innovative didactic and mentored research training to those interested in pursuing a career in clinical and/or translational research. The MSCR degree is designed for predoctoral, postdoctoral trainees, and junior faculty from Emory, Morehouse School of Medicine, Georgia Tech, and UGA.