The Mayo Clinic Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery is pleased to welcome four new scholars to the Kern Health Care Delivery Scholars Program. The Kern Scholars Program helps develop a workforce of highly motivated, exceptionally trained clinicians who have the research skills needed to assess existing health care delivery systems, to rigorously test different care models and to apply best practices — essential steps in providing evidence-informed and patient-centered health care.

The mentored training and research program will begin Oct. 1 for faculty scholars, and July 1 for the fellow scholar.

Jacob Jentzer, M.D., Cardiovascular Medicine (Rochester), Faculty Scholar

• Research focus: Dr. Jentzer has focused on identifying high-risk, cardiac, intensive care unit patients, focusing on initiation of optimal care. As a scholar, he will develop novel algorithms for the early detection and staging of hemodynamic instability and shock in acutely ill, hospitalized patients with the goal of improving their outcomes by facilitating timely delivery of optimal therapy.
• Mentors: Kianoush Kashani, M.D.; Kalyan Pasupathy, Ph.D.; Vitaly Herasevich, M.D., Ph.D.; Malcolm Bell, M.D.; Curt Storlie, Ph.D.; Brian Pickering, M.D.; Che Ngufor, Ph.D.; Xiaoxi Yao, Ph.D.

Konstantinos Leventakos, M.D., Ph.D., Medical Oncology (Rochester), Faculty Scholar

• Research focus: Dr. Leventakos uses both qualitative and quantitative methods to study how to identify barriers to patient enrollment in clinical trials, and he uses implementation science methods to address these barriers. He is investigating how a multifaceted approach using artificial intelligence, research nurse coordinators and patient engagement tools can optimize cancer clinical trial enrollment.
• Mentors: Aaron Spaulding, Ph.D.; Aaron Leppin, M.D.; Curt Storlie, Ph.D.; Tufia Haddad, M.D.; Barbara Barry, Ph.D.

Timothy Lyon, M.D., Urology (Jacksonville), Faculty Scholar

• Research focus: Dr. Lyon focuses on identifying and addressing barriers in access to high-quality bladder cancer care in order to ensure that all patients are given a chance at an optimal treatment outcome.
• Mentors: Aaron Spaulding, Ph.D.; Dorin Colibaseanu, M.D.; Stephen Boorjian, M.D.; Elizabeth Habermann, Ph.D.

Ann Rusk, M.D., Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine (Rochester), Fellow

• Research focus: Dr. Rusk has a career interest in promoting health equity in Native Americans, specifically in addressing smoking cessation and pulmonary disease. Her research uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to assess smoking patterns existing in Native Americans, and uses systematic review of existing literature to formally assess culturally tailored smoking cessation interventions. Her long-term goal is to formulate effective smoking cessation programs for Native Americans.
• Mentors: Cassie Kennedy, M.D.; Christi Patten, Ph.D.; M. Hassan Murad, M.D.; Alanna Chamberlain, Ph.D.

The Kern Health Care Delivery Scholars Program is available as a one-year program for clinically trained, doctoral-level Mayo Clinic fellows and a three-year program for junior faculty. The program seeks to prepare the next generation in health services research by leveraging social sciences disciplines such as epidemiology, statistics and sociology.

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The Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science includes five schools:

• Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
• Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education
• Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences
• Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
• Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development

Tags: Aaron Leppin, Aaron Spaulding, Alanna Chamberlain, Ann Rusk, Barbara Barry, bladder cancer, Brian Pickering, cardiovascular medicine, Cassie Kennedy, Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, Che Ngufor, Christi Patten, clinical research, clinical trials, Curt Storlie, Dorin Colibaseanu, Education, education, Elizabeth Habermann, epidemiology, health sciences research, Jacob Jentzer, Kalyan Pasupathy, Kern Health Care Delivery Scholars, Kianoush Kashani, Konstantinos Leventakos, M. Hassan Murad, Malcolm Bell, Native American, News, oncology, People, pulmonary and critical care medicine, research education, Stephen Boorjian, Timothy Lyon, tobacco cessation, Tufia Haddad, urology, Vitaly Herasevich, Xiaoxi Yao