Lisa Krois, MPH¹, Jeanene A Smith, MD, MPH¹, and Sherril Gelmon, DrPH². (1) Department of Administrative Services, State of Oregon, Office of Oregon Health Policy and Research, Public Services Building, 255 Capitol St NE, 5th floor, Salem, OR 97310, 503-731-3005 ext 354, lisa.krois@state.or.us, (2) College of Urban and Public Affairs, Portland State University, P.O. Box 751-PA, Portland, OR 97207-0751

The Oregon Health Research & Evaluation Collaborative (OHREC) provides professional development opportunities to early career health policy and research students at the office for Oregon Health Policy and Research (OHPR). OHREC’s Professional Development Program offers opportunities for Oregon students studying medicine, public health, and health services management to cultivate practical skills and gain professional experience relevant to health services research, learning to translate research into language understood by policy-makers.

Participants in the program design, implement and analyze health services related research significant to Oregonians. Students gain valuable tools for communicating these research findings to stakeholders and policy-makers by working with OHPR, which staffs several health policy public commissions and provides information to the Governor’s office, and the Oregon Legislature

The program enables students to utilize academic training in the "real world" under the mentorship of experienced state agency staff and distinguished health service researchers collaborating with OHPR. OHREC is able to leverage scarce resources by mentoring highly skilled students and providing a link that is often missing in professional education of community health professionals -- a relationship that is beneficial to all involved.

OHREC's Program, and the success of its' partnership with local academic institutions, is due in large part to four contributing factors: committed faculty members willing to contribute extra time, availability of OHPR resources including staff and grant monies for student stipends, innovative approaches for contracting between state agencies and state universities, and continuous assessment to ensure that the relationship remains beneficial to all parties.

Our presentation will discuss the importance of collaboration in the teaching of future community health professionals in translating research to policy-makers.

Learning Objectives: