Ryan Pedigo, MD

Harbor-UCLA Medical Center

"Asynchronous Personal Finance Intervention For Health Professionals"
SAEMF Education Research Grant

$100,000

Abstract

With the SAEM Education Research Grant, I will enroll in the Master of Health Professions Education (MHPE) program at the University of Michigan. This is a fully distance-based program that would allow me to continue my educational activities at my home institution while still receiving mentorship locally. We have identified a personalized program that complements the knowledge I have already acquired from my prior activities and embark on a 2-year competency-based curriculum that will position me to be a more productive and effective medical educator and researcher.

The goal of the project is to design an asynchronous curriculum in an evidence-based fashion regarding personal finance for health professionals. Existing evidence indicates medical students and graduates recognize their need for financial literacy and financial planning competency, but lack knowledge and perceive that they lack access to credible unbiased financial advising. My training and experience in financial advising for trainees has enabled me to prepare and deliver lectures in financial education for physicians that have been well received, but I recognize that an asynchronous curriculum would enhance our ability to fuller reach our community. The goal of the study is to provide completely free, unbiased information about student loan management, retirement planning, and budgeting that would be aimed at ascertaining if we can change behavior and attitudes about personal finance. The curriculum will be best suited to medical students, residents, and junior faculty but components of the curriculum may be beneficial to more senior faculty as well.

This new project will be able to reach and inform trainees in the health professions across the country, as well as be designed in such a way that exposes me to multiple research methodologies including evidence-based curriculum design, educational theory, qualitative and quantitative methodology, and statistical analysis.

Research Results

Dr. Pedigo is in the second year of his project.