Gallery

Some favorite examples of published research that showcase the methodology

See qualitative research in practice

Qualitative Researchers

Need inspiration? Look no further than these amazing scientists.

Ryan Pettaway, DrPH

Dr. Petteway is an assistant professor in the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health. His applied research integrates social epidemiology and participatory methods to examine place, “placemaking,” and health, making use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to democratize and enhance research/practice processes. He takes an intergenerational approach to his research and employs exclusively participatory methods—conceptual, procedural, and methodological characteristics of his work that reflect the value he places on equitable and decolonized community engagement.

Learn more about Dr. Pettaway

Photo by Story Catchers/Facebook/Yorktown This Week

Kelley Bird-Naytowhow

Great perspective on discovering qualitative research as a career and becoming a Story Catcher working with Indigenous youth.


Read:

Maggrah, J. Indigenous man leads youth with research and Indigenous values. Yorktown This Week. October 11, 2020.

Photo: OHSU

Erika Cottrell, PhD, MPP

Dr. Cottrell directs the Health Experience Research Network (HERN), which seeks to amplify patient and caregiver voices in health research by documenting the patient experience around diseases and conditions. HERN is part of the DIPEx international effort to share patient stories and create resources for patients of diverse identities with particular attention to the intersection of systemic racism and health. Dr. Cottrell is at OHSU her seminar "Amplifying Patient Voices in Clinical Research through HERN" on January 27, 2022 is publicly available.

Mixed Methods Scientists

Qualitative will give you an incredibly rich dataset. It is unparalleled. Though if you really want to blow your grant/manuscript reviewers out of the water, find ways to weave qualitative methods with quantitative data to triangulate your research question. Qualitative helps to bring your research data to life. Dr. Raina Croff is doing this, weaving memory-provoking walking tours for older adults with clinical health measures. Bringing both approaches -- so is Dr. Alexandra Shields to study epigenetics associated with trauma, coping, and resilience.

Raina Croff, PhD

Dr. Croff runs the SHARP Study: The Sharing History through Active Reminiscence and Photo-imagery study (SHARP), which aims to maintain or improve cognitive health among older African Americans through increasing physical and social activity. SHARP is culturally celebratory, engaging participants in Black history building to motivate and sustain engagement. Dr. Croff is at OHSU!

Alexandra Shields, PhD

Dr. Shields studies "the intersection of genomics research and genomic medicine with the interests of minority and low-income communities. She is particularly interested in how social disadvantage “gets under the skin” to produce increased risk of disease, and how religion, spirituality, or other sources of resiliency might buffer against the adverse effects of stress." Example papers using interviews to understand clergy and spiritual care and focus groups about perceptions of nicotine addiction susceptibility

Amazing former students of this class

Many of our past students have used their course projects to conceptualize or plan future work. Explore these amazing areas of work.

Kellee Parker, DO

Dr. Parker was an OCTRI TL1 Scholar and Pediatric Oncology Fellow at OHSU. Dr. Parker completed her research fellowship with the OCTRI HERN team. She completed 40 interviews of families whose children experienced a cancer event.

Taylor Vega, MD, MCR and Ximena Levander, MD, MCR

Fall 2019 students who published new research based on their class project:


Vega TA, Levander XA, Seaman A, Korthuis PT, Englander H. “Sobriety equals getting rid of hepatitis C": A qualitative study exploring the interplay of substance use disorder and hepatitis C among hospitalized adults. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. 2021 Feb 25:108337.