Effectiveness of pharmacoeconomic and outcomes research fellowship programs within the United States

Objective. The purposes of this study were to develop outcome measures for pharmacoeconomic/ outcomes research (PE/OR) fellowship programs in the United States, and to use these outcome measures as a means to evaluate their effectiveness. Methods. Outcome measures within the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains were developed to assess the effectiveness of PE/OR fellowship programs, incorporated in a survey questionnaire, and administered to former fellows via the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) Web site. Results. Of the 68 former fellows who completed the survey, 61 met the inclusion criteria. Former fellows reportedly demonstrated the attainment of cognitive and psychomotor skills through tangible products such as abstracts and manuscripts developed during the fellowship program. Concerning affective outcomes, fellows reported that not only were they satisfied with the fellowship experience, but also felt the experience satisfactorily prepared them for the job market and helped them obtain a satisfactory job within the workforce. Conclusion. The results of this study suggest that PE/OR fellowship programs are appropriate educational models to meet the demand for expertise in health economics.