[Health services research as a job market: A document analysis of job advertisements].

Abstract

Introduction: Since the mid-2010s, health services research (HSR) in Germany has been increasingly institutionalized. However, little is known about actual career paths within the field. The aim of this study was to describe the HSR job market in Germany, both in general terms and specifically for graduates of health services research master degree programs.

Methods: Over a period of three months in spring 2022, four employment websites and the websites of the German Network for HSR were searched for job advertisements containing the term "health services research". Using document analysis, the job advertisements identified were analyzed with regard to a) employer characteristics, b) job characteristics, and c) significance of HSR.

Results: Of the 1,474 job advertisements identified, 360 were included in the analysis. These were mainly from hospitals (31.94 %, n = 115), companies (29.44 %, n = 106), and universities (23.33 %, n = 84). The majority of the positions offered required a Master's degree or a higher qualification (57.22 %, n = 206), and for 76 positions (36.89 %) there was the additional requirement of a completed vocational training and/or main occupation in patient care. Most of the 91 job offers for graduates of a HSR master's program were temporary (65.93 %, n = 60) and in the field of science and research (89.01 %, n = 81). About half were full-time positions (46.15 %, n = 42).

Discussion: The study shows an increasing number of job advertisements including the search term "health services research", a broad understanding of the term and associated heterogeneous qualification requirements and job characteristics.

Conclusion: Our findings contribute to a better understanding of HSR as a professional field in Germany. The results provide guidance for students, graduates, and teachers in HSR.