Certificate in Health Policy Research

Advance your research skills through training in health policy research, health economics, innovation, and leadership

The Certificate in Health Policy Research (C-HPR) is intended for graduate students, clinical trainees, research staff, and faculty who have prior training in research design and biostatistics and are looking to expand their knowledge and skills to include HPR methods. 

Those with eligible faculty or staff positions can utilize faculty & staff tuition benefits for certificate courses.

Applications are due by November 30, 2026. 

More program details can be found below. Any questions, please contact mshp@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.

Eligibility Requirements 

1. Prior training in clinical research design and prior training in biostatistics

2. Enrollment in a Penn-affiliated graduate program or clinical training program or status as a faculty or staff member:
   
   
   1. Pre- or post-doctoral PhD Program at the University of Pennsylvania or

   2. Post-graduate training programs at PSOM, PSON, Penn Dental School, Annenberg, SP2, or Wharton or

   3. Faculty in the clinician educator (CE) or tenure tracks at any level (instructor to full professor) or

   4. Penn/CHOP research staff or

   5. Any other trainees, staff, and faculty who have interests in furthering their training in health services and policy research and meet the prior training criteria

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Curriculum Description

The Certificate in Health Policy Research program includes four course units chosen from the following:

• HPR 6000 Introduction to Health Services Research and Innovation Science (1 CU)

• HPR 5010 Economics of Health Care Delivery (1 CU)

• HPR 6060 Fundamentals of Health Policy (1 CU)

• HPR 6070 Health Services and Policy Research Methods II: Causal Inference Using Secondary Data (1 CU)

• HPR 6700 Leadership in Health Care and Business Acumen (1 CU)

In addition, Certificate candidates can

• Apply to the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics as an Associate Fellow and/or to CHOP Policy Lab as an affiliate trainee

• Participate in MSHP Health Policy Research (HPR) and CHOP Policy Lab research seminars

• Utilize program-specific Professional Development Series/Research in Progress sessions

The C-HPR can be completed in as little as one year depending on course selections.