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PhD Student and Alumni Spotlight
Meet the students and alumni shaping the future of health services research. Discover their experiences and research journeys.
Contact Info
Health Systems and Policy
Gilbert Gimm, PhD, FGSA
Associate Professor, HAP
Director, Health Services Research PhD
Knowledge Discovery and Health Informatics
Janusz Wojtusiak
Professor, HAP
Division Director, Programs in Health Informatics, HAP
Director, Machine Learning and Inference Laboratory
Please visit our PhD Program FAQs. Additional information is available in our department’s FAQs for prospective students.
If you still have unanswered questions, please email us at hap@gmu.edu.
The Health Services Research doctoral program at George Mason University prepares students to apply rigorous methods and conduct independent research studies on the delivery, financing, and outcomes of health care services. Drawing from faculty in the social sciences, public health, and health informatics, this post-master’s interdisciplinary PhD program equips its graduates with the skills to analyze data and yield findings that will inform health policy, enhance quality of care, and improve outcomes at scale.
Since its founding in 2015, the PhD program has yielded innovative research to advance access, quality, and equity in health care. Mason’s proximity to Washington DC provides many opportunities to collaborate with experts at federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, and leading health systems.
Knowledge Discovery
Use advanced data analytics and methods to address complex healthcare challenges.
Policy and Systems Impact
Proximity to Washington DC, federal agencies, think tanks, and health policy organizations.
Successful Career Outcomes
Pursue careers in health care systems, consulting, policy, informatics, and academia.
Concentration Tracks
Health Systems and Policy (HSYP)
Prepares PhD students to evaluate, design, and implement policies that impact health care delivery and financing. Gain expertise in U.S. health care systems and learn how to communicate findings and shape evidence-based policies to improve cost, access, and quality. Learn more
Knowledge Discovery and Health Informatics (KDHI)
Prepares PhD Students to apply computational methods to develop solutions that address complex health challenges. Develop skills in machine learning, predictive analytics, and big data modeling to support innovations in clinical, administrative, and public health settings. Learn more
Program Structure
This 72 credit-hour PhD program consists of:
• A common core curriculum covering health services research (HSR) methodologies (30 credits)
• Concentration coursework (30 credits) in one of the following two tracks:
a) Health Systems and Policy
b) Knowledge Discovery and Health Informatics
• A dissertation sequence designed to develop independent research capabilities (12 credits). Students receive 1-on-1 advising support from a dissertation advisor.
Research Topics or Methods may Include the following:
Student Opportunities
Health Services Research PhD students engage in research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and funded faculty projects. They regularly present at national conferences, including:
• AcademyHealth – the premier forum for health services research
• American Public Health Association (APHA) – the largest public health conference in the U.S.
Students also gain experience through co-authored publications, mentorship, and applied research in health policy, public health, and informatics.
Career Outcomes
Many of our Health Services Research PhD students pursue careers as university faculty researchers, senior analysts in government, post-doctoral fellows, consultants and data scientists in health care provider organizations, and leaders in contract research organization and private industry. With the development of critical thinking skills and advanced training in rigorous methods and data analysis, the PhD in Health Services Research prepares graduates to lead in research, policy, and data science.
Accreditation Information
The Health Services Research PhD program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) as of June 2025.