Dr. Roger Edwards is a Professor and Chair of the Health Professions Education Department.

He brings nearly four decades of experience in academia, government, and the private sector related to the diffusion and implementation of health-related innovations. Prior to joining the Institute, he has taught graduate public health students, undergraduate pharmacy students, medical students, physicians, and nurses in a range of public health administration, policy, economics, and research/evaluation topics.

He has supervised a variety of students individually and in groups for scholarly projects including over 90 MPH individual student capstones and PharmD student group capstones as well as physician fellows at Harvard Medical School and Tufts Medical School. He has also led continuing professional education for various health professionals including development of free, online tutorials related to breastfeeding in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Over 30,000 physicians and nurses have completed these tutorials for credit and the sites during the past seven years.

He has over 40 peer-reviewed publications and over 100 professional conference presentations in a variety fields spanning maternal and child health, health professions education, rehabilitation, technology, health services research, health policy, public health, various health professions, system dynamics, and other topics. 

  • AB, Human Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
  • MS, Health Services Research, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
  • ScD, Health Policy & Management, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA

Research Interests

Roger Edwards’ current research is focused on health professions educational program evaluation and continuous quality improvement efforts to support innovation in health professions education. He is especially interested in how systems thinking and complexity theory can inform research and guide improvement in health professions education.

Jafri FN, Yang CJ, Kumar A, Torres RE, Ahmed ST, Seneviratne N, Zarowin D, Bajaj K, Edwards RA. In Situ Simulation as a Tool to Longitudinally Identify and Track Latent Safety Threats in a Structured Quality Improvement Initiative for SARS-CoV-2 Airway Management: A Single-Center Study. Simul Healthc. 2022 Jan 26. doi: 10.1097/SIH.0000000000000633. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35085181.

Kua, J., Lim, W., Teo, W., Edwards, R.A. (2020). A scoping review of adaptive expertise in education. Medical Teacher, epub 28 Nov 2020.

Palaganas JC, Edwards RA. 6 Common Pitfalls of Feedback Conversations., Academic Med. 2020 in press.

Jafri FN, Mirante D, Ellsworth K, Shulman J, Dadario N, Williams K, Yu S, Thomas J, Kumar A, Edwards, RA, Torres R, Straff DJ.A Microdebriefing Crisis Resource Management Program for Simulated Pediatric Resuscitation in a Community Hospital: A Feasibility Study. Simulation in Healthcare. Epub 2020 Aug 24.

Merewood A, Bugg K, Burnham L, Krane K, Nickel N, Broom S, Edwards RA, and. Feldman-Winter L, Addressing Racial Inequities in Breastfeeding in the Southern United States., Pediatrics, 143(2) 2019.

Ribeiro IB, Ngu JMC, Lam NBK, Edwards, RA, Simulation-Based Skill Training for Trainees in Cardiac Surgery: A Systematic Review, Ann Thorac Surg, 105(3,3) 2017, 972-982.

Edwards RA, Venugopal S, Navedo D, Ramani S, Addressing needs of diverse stakeholders: Twelve tips for leaders of health professions education programs, Medical Teacher, 2019 Jan;41(1):17-23. Epub 2017 Nov 16.

Colchamiro, R,* Edwards, RA,* Nordstrom, C,* Eshelman, J, Ghiringhelli, K, Forgit, J, Tolan, E, Mainello, K, Foley, J “Mobilizing Community Resources to Enhance Post-Discharge Support Infrastructure for Breastfeeding in Massachusetts – Results of a Catalyst Grant Approach” Journal of Human Lactation, 2015;31(4):631-40. (August 13, 2015 epub).* indicates co-lead authors.

Edwards, RA, Colchamiro, R, Tolan, E, Browne, S, Foley, M, Jenkins, L, Mainello, K, Vallu, R, Hanley, LE, Boisvert, ME, Forgit, J, Ghiringhelli, K, Nordstrom, C. Online Continuing Education for Expanding Clinicians' Roles in Breastfeeding Support. Journal of Human Lactation, 2015;31(4):582-86. (May 26, 2015; epub).

Edwards RA, Kirwin J, Gonyeau M, Matthews SJ, DiVall M, Lancaster J. A reflective teaching challenge to motivate educational innovation. American Journal of Pharmacy Education Theme Issue on Faculty Development 2014;78(5):Article 103.

Edwards RA. Pharmacists as an underutilized resource for improving community-level support of breastfeeding. Journal of Human Lactation (July 1, 2013 epub) and 2014;30(1):14-19, doi:10.1177/0890334413491630

Edwards RA, Bickmore T, Jenkins L, Foley M, Manjourides J. Use of an interactive computer agent to support breastfeeding. Maternal and Child Health Journal 2013;(Jan 18 epub) and 17 (10):1961-1968.

DiVall M, Edwards RA, Stevens C, Zilberman E, Watanabe M, Kirwin J. Student perceptions about developing an evidence-based public health program directed toward a vulnerable population. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning 2013;5(2):76-84.

See CV for complete list of Publications and Presentations

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