Dissertation Defended, Dr. Jingqiu Ren
We have a new doctor in the house! Please join us in congratulating Dr. Jingqiu Ren for passing her dissertation defense on May 23rd, 2023. Dr. Jingqiu Ren’s dissertation is titled Where Have All the Healthcare Workers Gone? Examining Healthcare Worker Internal Migration and Its Impact on Community Health in the U.S.
Dr. Ren is investigating the healthcare professionals’ spatial distribution and geographical mobility. While health equity research typically focuses on patient barriers, the location of healthcare providers also affects accessibility and community health outcomes. Dr. Ren is using 2005–2019 American Community Survey (ACS) data and spatial data and methods to demonstrate spatial clusters of healthcare worker migration patterns and to consider the spatial dependency of characteristics in neighboring areas affecting healthcare worker migration flows. Additionally, conceptualizing healthcare worker migration destinations as a network formed by professional connections facilitated by teaching hospitals, Dr. Ren assessed the impact of migration network positions of localities on local health outcomes, highlighting the significance of attracting and retaining healthcare workers for communities. Gaining insights into the destinations of healthcare workers, their demographics, and the factors associated with their migration can provide valuable guidance to policymakers and stakeholders in the healthcare industry for effectively addressing healthcare workforce mobility and meeting the healthcare needs of communities.
Dr. Ren’s dissertation committee was chaired by Dr. Ernesto Amaral. Her committee members include Dr. Theresa Morris, Dr. Mark Fossett, Dr. Joe Feagin (as substitute), and Dr. Xinyue Ye (Urban Planning).
Congratulations, Dr. Ren!