Center for Educational Excellence & Innovation Short Courses

Overview

Surveys are among the most widely used methods in health professions education research and program evaluation—but designing high-quality surveys requires more than simply writing relevant questions. This four-session virtual short course introduces health professions educators to the key principles and best practices of survey research. Whether you are new to survey design or have previously conducted surveys and want to strengthen the rigor of your work, this course will help you build a stronger foundation in survey methodology.

You will learn how to determine when surveys are the appropriate method for answering a research or evaluation question, define and measure key constructs, and develop clear, meaningful and evidence-informed survey items. survey items. The course also covers essential concepts in validity, reliability, sampling, survey administration, and the interpretation of survey data. Throughout the course, you will use your own survey project –or a provided case example—to progressively apply concepts introduced in each session. By the end of the course, you will have developed key components of a rigorous survey study, including construct definition, survey items, a sampling and administration plan, and an approach to analyzing and interpreting findings. Additionally, you will be better prepared to critically evaluate surveys in health professions education settings. 

Faculty

Course Lead: Julie Irish, PhD

BCH Academy Research Consultant

Short Courses Director: Donna Luff, PhD

Co-Director, BCH Academy

Course Faculty: 

• Alisa Khan, MD, MPH
  Judith S. Palfrey Chair in Pediatrics
  Director, Program for Language Equity
  Pediatric Hospitalist, Boston Children's Hospital
  Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
• Michael C. Monuteaux, ScD
  Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Assistant Director, Biostatistics and Research Design Center, Senior Epidemiologist and Biostatistician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital

Fall 2026 Cohort

You are joined by fellow BCH Academy Scholar Members, Teaching Certificate Members/Recent Graduates, and Health Professions Education Innovation Grant recipients for the first offering of this short course.

Course Sessions

1. The When and Why of Survey Research 
2. Designing your Survey
3. Fielding your Survey
4. Survey Data Analysis Essentials

Learning Objectives

By the end of this Short Course, you will be able to:

1. Explain when surveys are an appropriate method for addressing questions in health professions education research and evaluation.
2. Define survey constructs clearly and develop survey questions to align with those constructs.
3. Apply core principles of survey quality, including validity, reliability, inclusive design, sampling, and strategies to improve response rates.
4. Interpret and report survey findings, including descriptive results, limitations, and implications for educational practice and scholarship.

This Short Course will be offered on https://cecourses.childrenshospital.org/. Please see your access instructions email to access the course.

Overview

This course is designed to provide you with a foundational understanding of the uses and practice of qualitative research in health professions education. The course emphasizes practical skills in designing, conducting, and analyzing qualitative research, equipping you to employ these techniques in your scholarly activities.

Course Objectives

By the end of this short course, you will be able to:

• Define qualitative research and describe its uses in health professions education
• Determine the most appropriate methodology for your research questions from among common approaches to qualitative research
• Determine an appropriate method of qualitative data collection and apply best practice guidance to data collection
• Apply foundational qualitative data analysis principles
• Assess the rigor and quality of qualitative studies

Course Sessions

1. Understanding Qualitative Research in Health Professions Education
2. Designing Qualitative Research Studies
3. Analyzing Qualitative Data
4. Presenting Qualitative Research

Course Faculty

Donna Luff, PhD, Kelsey Miller, MD, EdM, and Laura Chiel, MD, MHPE

Overview

This workshop is designed to enhance your scholarly writing skills for health professions education research in a supportive and collaborative small group environment. We will focus on development, refinement, and dissemination of scholarly publications. Each session is interactive and builds upon the previous session to guide you through the writing process from initiation to manuscript submission.

Course Objectives

By the end of this short course, you will be able to:

• Develop a writing plan and timeline
• Appraise your scholarly writing skills, including areas of strength and growth
• Dissect the process of academic manuscript drafting and revision
• Navigate common journal submission processes
• Assess different avenues for publication
• Apply frameworks for furthering your own writing development and skills.

Course Director

Donna Luff, PhD, Director of Educational Innovation & Scholarship, Professional Development in Education (PDE), Center for Educational Excellence & Innovation (CEEI)

Course Faculty

• Katie Dillon, MLIS, BCH Medical Librarian
• Kristina Dzara, PhD, MMSc, Assistant Dean, Scholarly Teaching and Learning Director, Center for Educator Development, Advancement, and Research (CEDAR), Associate Professor, Family and Community Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine
• Kathleen Huth MD MMSc, Pediatrician, Complex Care Service, Boston Children’s Hospital, Program Director, Complex Care Fellowship, Co-Director, BCH Academy for Teaching and Educational Innovation and Scholarship
• Jill Manning de Sousa, MPH, IRB Operations Manager, Boston Children’s Hospital
• Susan Kornetsky, MPH, Senior Director, Clinical Research Compliance, Boston Children’s Hospital
• Michael C. Monuteaux, ScD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Assistant Director, Biostatistics and Research Design Center, Senior Epidemiologist and Biostatistician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital

Overview

Health professions education research requires skills that bridge clinical expertise, educational theory, and rigorous research methodology. This four-session virtual short course equips health professions education researchers—whether new to the field or looking to refine their approach—with practical strategies for navigating critical stages of the research process. Learn how to work effectively with Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) for educational studies, conduct focused and efficient literature searches, integrate relevant theoretical frameworks into your study design, and collaborate productively with biostatisticians. Through interactive discussions and activities to apply your learning, you will leave with tools to enhance the quality, rigor, and impact of your education research.

Course Objectives

By the end of this short course, you will be able to:

• Identify and apply strategies for navigating common challenges in health professions education research.
• Synthesize scholarly literature to inform study design and interpretation.
• Integrate appropriate theoretical frameworks to guide research questions and design.
• Collaborate more effectively with IRBs, librarians, and biostatisticians to strengthen the quality and rigor of your education research.

Course Sessions

1. Effective Literature Searching
2. Applying Theory to HPE Research
3. Working with the IRB in Education Research
4. Working with a Biostatistician

Course Director

Donna Luff, PhD, Director of Educational Innovation & Scholarship, Professional Development in Education (PDE), Center for Educational Excellence & Innovation (CEEI)

Course Faculty

• Susan E. Farrell, MD, EdM: Associate Dean for Assessment and Evaluation; Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine, Office of Medical Education, Harvard Medical School

• Christiana M. Russ, MD, DTMH, FAAP: Medical Director, Pediatric Intermediate Care Unit, Division of Medicine Critical Care; Director of Education, Global Health Program, Boston Children’s Hospital; Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School

  BCH Academy Spring Retreat Faculty:

• John Dalrymple, MD: Dean and CEO of Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine (KPSOM)
• Alan Leichtner, MD, MSHPEd: Chief Education Officer, Associate CMO for Education; Co-Director, Center for Educational Excellence and Innovation, Boston Children’s Hospital
• Jennifer C. Kesselheim, M.D.: Medical Director of Graduate Medical Education (DIO); Director, Fellowship in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center; Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
• Michael Gale, MS, MHS, PA-C, ATC: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Boston Children’s Hospital
• Emily Crossen, MSN, RN, NPD-BC: Professional Development Specialist, Clinical Education, Informatics, Practice and Quality, Boston Children’s Hospital

Overview

This short course introduces health professions educators to the fundamentals of program evaluation and its role in improving educational programs. Through a combination of interactive sessions, a keynote lecture, and hands-on workshops, participants will explore core concepts and practical frameworks used to evaluate educational initiatives. The course will cover foundational principles of program evaluation, strategies for fostering a culture of continuous quality improvement, and application of the Kirkpatrick framework and The Logic Model. Participants will also learn approaches for communicating and disseminating evaluation findings to support program improvement and educational scholarship.

Course Objectives

By the end of this short course, you will be able to:

• Describe key concepts and purposes of program evaluation in health professions education
• Explain how a culture of continuous quality improvement supports effective educational program development.
• Apply practical program evaluation frameworks, including the Kirkpatrick framework and Logic Model, to plan or analyze an educational evaluation.
• Identify strategies for communicating and disseminating program evaluation findings to stakeholders and scholarly audiences.

Course Sessions

1. Introduction to Program Evaluation
2. Program Evaluation Spring Retreat Hands-on Workshop
3. Disseminating Program Evaluation