Martin Wegman, M.D./Ph.D. student and Institute for Child Health Policy fellow, has been awarded a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NIH F30) from the National Institute of Mental Health. The fellowship, which totals more than $40,000 per year for the next four years, will support Wegman as the lead investigator on a project entitled “Comparative effect of managed care quality and costs of care for Medicaid adults with disabilities.” The research examines Medicaid policies that aim to increase coordination and integration of services for people with both mental and physical health conditions while simultaneously lowering costs. To ensure that this vulnerable population is not put at even greater risk, Wegman will examine how the quality of care delivered in this new system changes in light of potential cost savings.
“I am passionate about improving the health and social circumstances of those most marginalized in society,” Wegman said. “To be fortunate with success in this challenging funding climate further emboldens me to pursue a career targeting these areas of great need.”
The fellowship will allow Wegman, who is now completing an NIH TL1 Predoctoral Fellowship, protected time to conduct research, analyze results and disseminate his findings under the guidance of several mentors, including Elizabeth A. Shenkman, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Health Outcomes and Policy; Bruce Vogel, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Health Outcomes and Policy; Keith Muller, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Health Outcomes and Policy; Ronald Shorr, M.D., director of the Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center at the Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center; and Eric Rosenberg, M.D., division chief for general internal medicine at the University of Florida.