2024-2025 UAB HSR Trainees and Program Leadership
L to R: (Front) Nicole Rademacher, Anais Mahone, Elliott Botelho, Andrea Davis, & Geri Davis
L to R: (Back) Emily Levitan, Jordi Garcia-Diaz, Petra Sprik, Will Bradford, Josh Lewis, Elizabeth Skipper (Keith), Madeline Gibson, & Mike Mugavero
Not pictured: Noon Eltoum

The COERE education and training programs are anchored by the UAB Health Services Research Training Program (UAB HSR), funded by an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) National Research Training Award (T32) from 2002 to June 2025 and the Heersink School of Medicine since 2020. This full-time multidisciplinary mentored research training program supports postdoctoral fellows and predoctoral trainees in health services research and is led by Program Directors Mike Mugavero, MD, MHSc, and Emily Levitan, ScD. Our research and training base includes mentors and trainees across UAB Schools including Business, Dentistry, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, and the College of Arts and Science.

Sponsors: In July 2025, AHRQ T32 funding for the UAB HSR Training Program was abruptly paused and remains in limbo. Program alumni - 18 who are UAB faculty (as of Oct 1, 2025) along with dozens of others across the nation - have been incredibly productive, including securing extramural research awards at levels many times above the national average for T32 program alumni.

The COERE is committed to sustaining the community, culture, and collective success of this long-standing program and seeks new sponsors of UAB HSR Training Program predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees for 12-month appointments beginning July 1, 2026. We have identified various methods of sponsorship. Please contact Geri Davis for more information.

Annual Timeline: We traditionally release our call for predoctoral and postdoctoral applications in October each year, with decisions about funding selection by February 1.

Program Alignment: We seek to support predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees interested in conducting health services research and outcomes research and who aspire to become change agents who advance healthcare outcomes.

The training program prepares interdisciplinary investigators to pursue careers in health services and outcomes research. Skills development will include exposure to relevant epidemiological, statistical, experimental, mixed methods, and quasi-experimental methodologies, health equity research methods, and academic survivor skills such as preparing a job talk and searching for postdoctoral positions.

Benefits of the Program

Global benefits of the program include:

• Weekly Friday Fellows seminars
• Invitation-only monthly career development workshops
• Feedback on on-going research projects via twice annual Works-in-Progress presentations
• Immersive training experience with COERE on Boshell 8 via a shared trainee office with 6 workstations
• Protected, full-time mentored research experiences
• National presentation and publication expectations
• Membership in a successful, vibrant, and distinct program alumni community

Depending on sponsorship details, the following may also be provided directly by the UAB HSR Training Program or another source:

• Annual NRSA-level predoctoral or postdoctoral stipend and health insurance
• Support for tuition for doctoral degrees (predoctoral trainees) or master’s degrees or certificates (postdoctoral trainees)
• Travel support
• Support for training-related expenses such as publication charges, software procurements, society and association memberships, etc.
• Childcare allowance

Contact
For questions regarding sponsorship, eligibility, training program components, the application process, and the application packet - please contact Geri Davis.