You can help improve research relevance and enhance quality of projects to advance health care and quality of life in our communities.

Who can apply?

Any person who has all of the following:

• Experience as a patient or has cared for a family member with a serious health condition.
• Willingness to think about health problems others may have.
• Curiosity about finding new ways to solve problems.
• Answer yes to all of the following questions:
  
  •  Am I willing to learn how to best serve as a research advisor?
  • Do I enjoy working with people who are different from me?
  • Am I ready to speak up and share suggestions I think could improve care for patients and family members?
  • Am I ready to speak up and share suggestions I think could improve a research study?
  • Can I bring a positive attitude to discussions?
  • Am I willing to keep any information I may hear as a patient expert private and confidential?
  • Can I listen to and think about what others say, even when I disagree?
  • Am I willing to think beyond my own personal experiences?
  • Am I willing to talk about the positive and negative care experiences I or as family member of a patient had so that we can improve care?
  • If I had any negative experiences, am I coping well and ready to respectfully share my ideas about how things could have gone differently?

These questions are adapted from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s “Guide to Patient and Family Engagement in Hospital Quality and Safety.”