Johns Hopkins University proposes to create PERLHS: Promoting Embedded Research in a Learning
Health System. We aim to prepare embedded investigators to apply rigorous methods to generate
and disseminate actionable knowledge. In this proposal, we describe our plans to train investigators
in comparative effectiveness research and patient-centered outcomes research (CER/PCOR) in
service to a learning health system (LHS). We will expressly engage three distinct populations of
embedded researchers for training: clinical investigators embedded within the precision-medicine
initiatives of Johns Hopkins, investigators embedded within the operational functions of the Johns
Hopkins Health System, and investigators embedded in entities working to advance population
health across Maryland. Training these diverse investigators gives us the opportunity to extend the
impact of PERLHS outside of the academic institution to other settings that will bene¿it from having
trained embedded researchers.
Our training model will focus on building these researchers’ CER/PCOR skills by engaging
them in a longitudinal training program modeled after the Leadership Academy of the Armstrong
Institute for Patient Safety and Quality at Johns Hopkins. Our training program will be an 11-month
experience for the scholars during which time they will engage in asynchronous didactic learning,
participate in monthly small-group workshops as a cohort of scholars, and complete a project to
ful¿ill a need of their sponsoring entity closely supervised by a PERLHS mentor who will assist with
design, analysis, and access to resources. We will develop an Administrative Core, a Research
Education Core, and a Research Data and Analysis Core to meet the learning needs of the 10
scholars plus one post-doctoral fellow that we will enroll annually. We will evaluate the individual
scholars and conduct a formative program evaluation annually with the help of our diverse advisory
board. We will work towards a sustainable program by the end of the award where the teaching and
mentoring is supported by tuition remission dollars for our faculty and staff, and scholarship funds
for our external learners.