Penn PORTAL (Patient-Oriented Research and Training to Accelerate Learning) is designed to advance progress toward an integrated learning health system (LHS) at Penn and in the wider Philadelphia region through rapid-cycle testing and integration into clinical operations.
A key part of this mission is to train LHS scientists with per
sonal, disciplinary, and institutional diversity who become health system operations leaders and independently funded LHS investigators. Penn PORTAL also strives to catalyze LHS research by building and connecting data assets and supporting the LHS scientists to complete stakeholder-prioritized projects that are informed by evidence in changing human behavior, designed for implementation from the outset, and evaluated using rigorous methods.
The program is funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, with staff support provided by multiple centers at Penn including the Palliative and Advanced Illness Research (PAIR) Center, Penn Medicine Nudge Unit, and Center for Healthcare Improvement & Patient Safety.
LHS Pathways
The Penn PORTAL program provides two pathways for research and training in LHS science:
- LHS Scientist Investigators: early-career clinician and non-clinician investigators seeking to become independent and externally funded LHS scientists, and
- LHS Clinician Leaders: faculty clinicians and other health care professionals who are interested in pursuing training and mentorship in LHS science.
Faculty, research scientists, and other health care professionals at Penn are eligible to apply. Applications open in the winter for appointments beginning the following summer. Please visit the Penn PORTAL page on the PAIR website for more information, including a list of previously funded LHS scientist investigators and clinician leaders.
Apply to the Program
Penn PORTAL is soliciting applications for cycle 2 LHS scientist and investigators. This is a two-year appointment from July 2025 to June 2027.
The request for proposals (RFP) for cycle 2 is open from December 2, 2024, until January 31, 2025. Please visit the website linked below for details about the program and application.