Skills Development and Academic Productivity of Scholars in the NIH Mixed Methods Research Training Program for the Health Sciences

The Mixed Methods Research Training Program (MMRTP) for the Health Sciences is a mentoring-based program to train faculty in mixed methods research. We administered a Mixed Methods Skills Self-Assessment instrument with domains of "research questions," "design/approach," "sampling," "analysis," and "dissemination." For each item (i.e., skill), we requested three ratings on a 5-point Likert-format scale drawn from an educational competency ratings scale: "My ability to define/explain," "My ability to apply to practical problems," and "Extent to which I need to improve my skill." To assess productivity, we administered a survey with questions related to grants funded, grants submitted, publications, presentations, instances of serving as an institutional resource for mixed methods, and other comments. The results showed that 29 scholars in the first two cohorts represented a diverse set of disciplines and research topics. Although scholars expressed a strong interest in learning mixed methods skills, they came into the program with limited professional experiences with mixed methods. Scholars reported statistically significantly increased confidence in ability to define or explain concepts and in ability to apply the concepts to practical problems. Only practical applications of case studies and ethical principles of research did not show statistically significant improvement after the retreat. Scholars reported substantial productivity in mixed methods and described leadership in mixed methods at their institutions. Participation in an interactive program statistically significantly improved the confidence of scholars. The MMRTP holds promise to bridge the gap between complex research questions in the health sciences and investigators suitably trained in mixed methods.