The Atlantic Regional Training Centre (ARTC) in Applied Health Services Research has received unconditional approval for its innovative advanced degree programs following an extensive review.

ARTC is a co-operative partnership of the four Atlantic provinces and four universities: Memorial University of Newfoundland, Dalhousie University, the University of New Brunswick and the University of Prince Edward Island.

Launched in December 2003, the centre offers a top quality program leading to a master's degree in applied health services research and has recently introduced a doctoral program.

“Both programs provide graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to tackle complex health policy issues and contribute to the future of health services in Atlantic Canada,” said Cathy Peyton, program manager, based at Memorial University.

The review, by the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, recommended the renewal of the centre for a further eight years, with funding of $1.6 million.

“The Atlantic Regional Training Centre has achieved an extraordinary accomplishment,” said the reviewers. “It has established a free-standing joint graduate program across four universities and four provinces. Indeed, ARTC can serve as a model of interprovincial collaboration not only in higher education, but in other fields as well.”

The reviewers were also impressed with the centre's success in attracting high quality, confident students. “While graduates to date are few, they have already begun to assume roles in the decision-making structures of the Atlantic region.”

The centre's innovative approach to education combines Internet-based courses with face-to-face research workshops and an intensive internship. During their internship, students are placed with decision-makers so that they understand the policy environment and how to make research a key component of that environment.

At Memorial, ARTC student Emma Housser is doing her internship with the Canadian Cancer Society and the Department of Health and Community Services. Her general area of research is developing a cancer control strategy for Newfoundland and Labrador, and she is specifically interested in studying the out-of-pocket costs faced by prostate cancer patients.

Each site accepts three students per year for a total cohort of 12 students per year. Ms. Peyton said there is a great deal of interest in professional development courses from health system personnel, and she hopes ARTC can move forward in offering such courses.

"We are not just university-based, we work with an advisory board that includes deputy ministers of health from the four provincial governments and CEOs of health care organizations plus community representatives. By engaging external partners we have created the resources to offer our program."

Dr. Doreen Neville, Memorial University's principal investigator with the ARTC, said students from the program "bring a culture of research to health system organizations and in turn the students benefit from the expertise the decision makers provide."

ARTC is one of five regional training centres in Canada funded by the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. For more information about ARTC, visit its website.