International Journal of Health Policy and Management

International Journal of Health Policy and Management

Next Frontiers in Embedded Research Career Pathways; A Response to Recent Commentaries

Document Type : Correspondence

Authors
Meghan McMahon 1, 2
Bahar Kasaai 3
Rhonda Boateng 1, 2
Nida Shahid 1, 2
Richard H. Glazier 1, 4, 5, 6, 7
1 Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute of Health Services and Policy Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
2 Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
3 Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute of Population and Public Health, Montréal, QC, Canada
4 Institute of Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Toronto, ON, Canada
5 MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
6 University of Toronto Department of Family and Community Medicine, Toronto, ON, Canada
7 Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
10.34172/ijhpm.9680
Keywords
Health Services and Policy Research
Health Workforce
Career Development
Learning Health Systems

Our career pathways study tracked the early employment outcomes of the first three cohorts of embedded researchers in the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s (CIHR’s) Health System Impact Program (HSIP).1 The HSIP was launched in 2017 with a clear mandate: to help PhD trainees and graduates in health services and policy research develop impact-oriented career readiness for a range of sectors and roles, within and beyond academia.2 ...(Read more...)

  1. Kasaai B, Thompson E, Glazier RH, McMahon M. Early career outcomes of embedded research fellows: an analysis of the health system impact fellowship program. Int J Health Policy Manag. 2023;12:7333. doi:34172/ijhpm.2023.7333
  2. Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (IHSPR). Health System Impact Program. 2025. https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/51211.html.
  3. Embrett M, Sim M. Life after the HSIF: lessons from diffusion of innovation for sustaining the impact of embeddedness: Comment on "Early career outcomes of embedded research fellows: an analysis of the health system impact fellowship program.” Int J Health Policy Manag. 2024;13:8663. doi:34172/ijhpm.8663
  4. Feng P. Embedded research fellows: charting new paths for impact: Comment on "Early career outcomes of embedded research fellows: an analysis of the health system impact fellowship program.” Int J Health Policy Manag. 2025;14:9024. doi:34172/ijhpm.9024
  5. Wood B, Daneshmand R. Strengthening the workforce for equity-centered learning health systems: reflections on embedded research and research generalism: Comment on "Early career outcomes of embedded research fellows: an analysis of the health system impact fellowship program.” Int J Health Policy Manag. 2024;13:8611. doi:34172/ijhpm.8611
  6. Yano EM. Training an embedded workforce to realize health system impacts and the promise of learning health systems: Comment on "Early career outcomes of embedded research fellows: an analysis of the health system impact fellowship program.” Int J Health Policy Manag. 2024;13:8667. doi:34172/ijhpm.8667
  7. Lopatina E, Singal D, Manhas KP. Reflections on the health system impact fellowship and the future of embedded research: Comment on "Early career outcomes of embedded research fellows: an analysis of the health system impact fellowship program.” Int J Health Policy Manag. 2024;13:8615. doi:34172/ijhpm.8615
  8. Murphy GT, Sampalli T, Embrett M, et al. Training it forward: the role of embedded research fellows in the network of scholars program in Nova Scotia: Comment on "Early career outcomes of embedded research fellows: an analysis of the health system impact fellowship program.” Int J Health Policy Manag. 2024;13:8653. doi:34172/ijhpm.8653
  9. Chukwu OA, Nadigel J, Kasaai B, Boateng R, Glazier RH, McMahon M. Understanding the training, mentorship, and professional development priorities of early career embedded researchers. Int J Health Plann Manage. 2024;39(5):1277-1297. doi:1002/hpm.3800
  10. Yano EM, Resnick A, Gluck M, Kwon H, Mistry KB. Accelerating learning healthcare system development through embedded research: career trajectories, training needs, and strategies for managing and supporting embedded researchers. Healthc (Amst). 2021;8 Suppl 1:100479. doi:1016/j.hjdsi.2020.100479
  11. Bornstein S, Heritage M, Chudak A, Tamblyn R, McMahon M, Brown AD. Development of enriched core competencies for health services and policy research. Health Serv Res. 2018;53(Suppl 2):4004-4023. doi:1111/1475-6773.12847
  12. McMahon M, Boateng R, Glazier RH, et al. Enriched core competencies for health services and policy research—an update. Learn Health Syst. 2025:e70032. doi:1002/lrh2.70032
  13. Kasaai B, Thompson E, Glazier RH, McMahon M. Enrichment of core competencies to maximize health system impact: an analysis of an embedded research training program. Learn Health Syst. 2024;8(2):e10399. doi:1002/lrh2.10399
  14. Marshall DA, Sidhu S, Oddone Paolucci E, et al. A national curriculum and community of practice for health services and policy research training: insights from the Health System Impact Fellowship National Cohort Training Program (HSIF NCTP). Learn Health Syst. 2025;9(4):e70025. doi:1002/lrh2.70025
  15. Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (IHSPR). Career Profiles of Health System Impact Fellow Alumni. 2022. https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/52169.html.
  16. Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (IHSPR). 2017-19 Embedded Research Impact Casebook. 2022. https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/52737.html.
  17. Kneale D, Stansfield C, Goldman R, Lester S, Edwards RC, Thomas J. The implementation of embedded researchers in policy, public services, and commercial settings: a systematic evidence and gap map. Implement Sci Commun. 2024;5(1):41. doi:1186/s43058-024-00570-3
  18. Field M, Mulligan C, D'Souza N, Mazurka R. Transforming mental health systems: the role of embedded researchers in advancing learning health systems. Learn Health Syst. 2025;9(4):e70021. doi:1002/lrh2.70021
  19. Vitous CA, Burgan KW, Donnelly JP, Bowersox NW, Kawentel LM. Funding model for embedded research: impacts, challenges, and lessons learned for investigators. Learn Health Syst. 2025;9(4):e70015. doi:1002/lrh2.70015
  20. Coates D, Mickan S. Challenges and enablers of the embedded researcher model. J Health Organ Manag. 2020;34(7):743-764. doi:1108/jhom-02-2020-0043
  21. Hudson MF. Short- and long-term strategies for navigating research-ambivalent organizational cultures besetting embedded researchers. Learn Health Syst. 2023;7(2):e10329. doi:1002/lrh2.10329
  22. Isaacson A, Simpson LA. Governance and funding best practices for embedded research programs. Healthc (Amst). 2021;8 Suppl 1:100433. doi:1016/j.hjdsi.2020.100433
International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Volume 14, Issue 1
2025
Pages 1-3

  • Received Date 07 December 2025
  • Revised Date 15 December 2025
  • Accepted Date 17 December 2025
  • First Published Date 27 December 2025
  • Published Date 27 December 2025