Year 1: Coursework
Participants use the Canvas online learning platform to access their coursework. Courses are taught by experts in study design (Module 1); economic, psychometric, and decision-analytic studies (Module 2), and statistical techniques applicable in health services research with a focus on working with R (Module 3). Data science topics are interspersed throughout the modules. Course content consists of reading material, didactic videos by the faculty, faculty-participants group discussions, and assignments with feedback from faculty.
Year 2: Mentor and Biostatistical Support, Data Access, Manuscript Submission
Participants are matched with expert clinical mentors and a UrogynCREST alumni peer mentor. Mentors and biostatisticians work with participants to develop a Statistical Analysis Plan. Ongoing interaction ensures that projects adhere to the highest standards of scientific validity and remain on track. Biostatisticians will provide consultation and analytics support to help participants achieve their research objectives. The participant is expected to obtain an existing dataset, properly store the dataset (with assistance from the Duke Data Repository team), and prepare the dataset for analysis. Participants will also prepare the analysis materials for scientific transparency and reproducibility. At the completion of the 2nd year, participants submit their project-based manuscript to a peer reviewed journal.
Participants are required to attend quarterly virtual meetings with program leaders and two virtual Advisory Committee meetings.
UrogynCREST Projects from Previous Cohorts
Click on each heading to view projects.
- Vaginal Complications after Cystectomy
- Prediction of Postoperative Surgical Site Infection in Urogynecologic Surgery
- Postoperative Complications after Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery versus Rectal Prolapse Surgery Only
- Surgical Retreatment after Native-tissue Apical Prolapse Surgery with Hysterectomy versus Hysteropexy
- Postoperative safety of same-day discharge in minimally invasive pelvic organ prolapse surgery: A nationwide study in elderly women
- Reoperation and readmission following stress incontinence surgery
- Postoperative complications in patients undergoing combined rectal prolapse and pelvic organ prolapse surgery versus rectal prolapse surgery only in a Medicare population
- Prediction of postoperative surgical site infection in urogynecologic surgery
- Transition to Surgery after Pessary among Female Medicare Beneficiaries with Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- Mortality and Reoperation Following Midurethral Sling versus Urethral Bulking in Older Women
- Incontinence as a Predictor of Dementia
- Factors Associated with Use of Psychotherapy for Bladder Dysfunction
- Assessing the Role of the Pelvic Floor as a Contributor to Voiding Dysfunction
- Characteristics of Urinary Tract Infections in Female Medicare Beneficiaries
- Modeling for Obstetric Pelvic Floor Injury
- Transition to Surgery after Pessary among Female Medicare Beneficiaries with Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- Investigating Disparities to Treat OAB
- Health Disparities and Cost Associated with Hospital Revisits Following Surgery for Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- Impact of social determinants of health on treatment utilization for fecal incontinence among Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries
- Association between Racial and Economic Segregation and Adverse Outcomes after Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery for Black Medicare Beneficiaries
- Health disparities in hospital revisits following urogynecologic surgery
- Impact of Sociodemographic Factors and Frailty on OAB Therapy
- Examining the Role of Frailty among Older Women Undergoing Procedure-based Treatment for Urinary Incontinence
- Impact of Social Determinants of Health on Treatment Utilization for Fecal Incontinence
Locating and Accessing Databases: Participants select the dataset based on their research question, the characteristics of the dataset, and its rules of use. Data dictionaries are available to verify variables for research proposals. Each data repository will have a required process for requesting, housing, and using data that participants are responsible for following after acceptance into the UrogynCREST Program
The trans-NIH Biomedical Informatics Coordinating Committee (BMIC) is a rich resource for locating data repositories. Some publicly available databases that many urogynecologists are familiar with are:
- NIDDK public repository: LURN and MAPP Research Networks, BE-DRI, SISTEr, PRIDE, ValUE, TOMUS, BACH, VIEW, ICDB
- NICHD public repository (DASH): CARE, OPUS, OPTIMAL, E-OPTIMAL, SUPeR, Colpocleisis, ESTEEM, HMS-ESTEEM, CAPABLe, ROSETTA, ABC, NOTABLe, Consortium of Safe Labor (CSL)
- US Census: American Community Survey Data
- European: https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets?locale=en&query=incontinence&page=1
Participants may consider using institutionally-purchased databases such as CMS Medicare, Medicaid, or NSQIP.
Dissemination and Networking: Participants present their research to peers, at the biannual Advisory Committee meetings, as well as at scientific conferences such as AUGS' Annual Scientific Meeting. By the end of the program, they are expected to have at least one accepted or submitted manuscript of UrogynCREST-related research. Annual reports are submitted to the NIH detailing participants’ progress. Networking among participants is encouraged throughout the program, and participants build connections that facilitate multi-center studies and collaboration on further manuscripts, research projects, and grant applications.