Programs | Penn PORTAL: University of Pennsylvania Patient-Oriented Research and Training to Accelerate Learning
Penn PORTAL: University of Pennsylvania Patient-Oriented Research and Training to Accelerate Learning
About
Penn PORTAL is funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to accelerate progress toward an integrated Learning Health System (LHS) at Penn and in the wider Philadelphia region. A key part of this mission is to train LHS Scientists with personal, disciplinary, and institutional diversity who become health system operations leaders and independently funded LHS investigators. Penn PORTAL also strives to catalyze LHS research by building and connecting data assets and supporting the LHS Scientists to complete stakeholder-prioritized projects that are informed by evidence in changing human behavior, “designed for implementation” from the outset, and evaluated using the most rigorous and ethical methods.
For general inquiries, please send us an email.
LHS Pathways
Penn PORTAL is a P30 program (P30HS029745) uniting behavioral, data, and implementation scientists from Penn’s Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Engineering, and Business (Wharton) to support the research and training opportunities of the LHS Scientists. These experts are joined by leaders in the design, analysis, equity, and ethics of health services research studies; clinical operations leaders; and longstanding community partners in the Philadelphia region.
The Penn PORTAL program provides two pathways for research and training in Learning Health System science: Science Investigator and Clinician Leader. Additional limited training opportunities are offered to non-Penn Medicine employees through an Affiliate Scholar program.
LHS Scientist Investigator
Directed toward early-career clinician- and non-clinician investigators seeking to become independent and externally funded LHS scientists.
LHS Clinician Leaders
Directed toward clinically-oriented faculty and other health care professionals who are interested in pursuing training and mentorship in LHS science.
Program Overview
| Research & Training Opportunities1 (2 years) | Scientist Investigator | Clinician Leader |
|---|---|---|
| Formal didactic training in LHS science | x | x |
| Formal didactic training in leadership development | x | |
| Recommendations for targeted coursework in research methods, grant writing, and pragmatic clinical trials or healthcare quality & safety, systems, and leadership | x | |
| Recommendations for targeted coursework in applied clinical informatics for quality improvement and implementation; leadership, engagement, and research management | x | |
| LHS Design Studios with mentorship in both research and operations | x | x |
| Participation in the LHS Seminar Series and the Implementation Science Institute | x | x |
| Development and completion of a mentored LHS research project2 | x | |
| Development and completion of a quality and/or operational improvement project* | x | |
| Access to consultants in equity, community engagement, ethics, research, and data analysis for research projects | x | x |
| Access to staff support from the PAIR Center and Nudge Unit for conducting LHS research projects | x | x |
| Access to staff support from the CHIPS center for leading LHS QI projects | x | |
| 1Affiliate Scholars from outside of Penn Medicine have access to the LHS Design Studios and LHS Seminar Series. 2These research projects will be in AHRQ/PCORI priority areas and not restricted to serious illness care. |
How to Apply
Applications for the Penn PORTAL program occur annually in winter, with appointments by July 1. Our inaugural 2024 funding opportunity will close March 31, 2024. More information to come regarding the 2025 funding cycle.
Financial Support
Please see the 2024 funding opportunity announcement for full details of the financial support offered under the two LHS Scientist pathways, the expected effort devoted to program activities, and the expected number of awards annually
Eligibility Requirements
Please see the 2024 funding opportunity announcement for full details of eligibility criteria for the two LHS Scientist pathways. Please also note that the funded LHS Scientists must have appointments at Penn Medicine by July 1 of the funding cycle and research projects are expected to be completed at Penn Medicine.
Leadership
Penn PORTAL has three integrated cores, an equity and community engagement unit led by the Penn Center for Health Equity Advancement (CHEA), a steering committee, internal and external advisory boards, and governmental, community, and health system partnerships across Philadelphia.
Principal Investigators
Drs. Scott Halpern, Meghan Lane-Fall, and Kit Delgado
Research Education Core Leaders
Drs. Rachel Werner and Jennifer Myers
Research and Data Analysis Core Leaders
Drs. Michael Harhay and Kevin Johnson
Equity and Community Engagement Unit
Dr. Jaya Aysola