Research Assistant Professor, Non-Pharmacologic and Integrative Approaches to Acute Pain in Emergency Care

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Job Title:

Research Assistant Professor, Non-Pharmacologic and Integrative Approaches to Acute Pain in Emergency Care

Department:

Medicine | Emergency Medicine

The Ohio State University College of Medicine and the Wexner Medical Center seek a research faculty member to join the Department of Emergency Medicine at the rank of Research Assistant Professor. The position sits within Population Health and Health Services (HealthNow), the department's emergency department (ED) based population health research program, and focuses on non-pharmacologic and integrative approaches to acute pain in emergency care.

Position Overview

Research Assistant Professor, Non-Pharmacologic and Integrative Approaches to Acute Pain in Emergency Care. The Research Assistant Professor will develop and lead a line of research on complementary, integrative, and non-pharmacologic interventions for patients treated in the ED, with a primary focus on acute pain. Pain is the most common reason people come to an ED, and treatment still depends on a small set of medications, several of which carry risk of misuse. Approaches such as mindfulness-based interventions and virtual reality have a growing evidence base in outpatient and chronic pain settings, but much less is known about whether they can be delivered during an ED visit, which patients will engage with them, and how to measure that engagement in a short and often interrupted encounter.

The successful candidate will work across emergency care, pain research, behavioral intervention, and implementation science. The position is embedded in an established ED research infrastructure that has run federally funded recruitment, enrollment, and longitudinal follow-up in this department for years, including an NIH/NINDS-funded prospective cohort study of acute pain (MODEL-pain). The candidate will be expected to build a program of research that complements the department's existing work on acute pain and opioid decision-making while remaining scientifically distinct from it.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Research Assistant Professor will design and lead clinical studies of non-pharmacologic pain interventions in the ED. This includes intervention development and adaptation for the ED setting, feasibility and pilot testing, and the development and psychometric evaluation of ED-specific measures. They will prepare and submit competitive extramural grant applications, including NIH career development (K) and research project (R-series) awards, and will manage funded projects in line with sponsor and institutional requirements. They are expected to publish in peer-reviewed journals and present at national and international meetings. The role also includes contributing scientific expertise to ongoing departmental studies of acute pain, such as study design, data analysis, regulatory submissions, and first-author manuscript leadership.

The position involves mentoring and supervising students, trainees, and research staff, and working with collaborators in the Department of Emergency Medicine, the College of Nursing, the College of Public Health, the College of Pharmacy, and the OSU Center for Integrative Health. Service responsibilities include participation on departmental and institutional committees, teaching, and clinical implementation related to the program of research.

Requirements

Education and Training:

• PhD or other research doctorate in public health, behavioral science, health services research, nursing, psychology, or a related field.
• Postdoctoral research training in emergency care, pain, behavioral intervention, or population health research.
• MPH or equivalent graduate training in epidemiology and biostatistics is preferred.

Experience:

• Demonstrated experience developing and testing mindfulness-based or other behavioral or integrative health interventions, including pilot or randomized controlled trial designs.
• Experience conducting clinical research with patients in the ED or other acute care settings, including recruitment, enrollment, and follow-up.
• Experience with non-pharmacologic approaches to pain, including digitally delivered interventions (for example, tablet-based or virtual reality delivery).
• Experience working on NIH-funded research and evidence of progress toward independent funding, such as a submitted or in-preparation career development award.
• Experience mentoring or supervising students and research staff.
• Evidence of effective collaboration on interdisciplinary research teams.

Methods and Technical Skills:

• Qualitative and mixed methods, including focus groups, individual interviews, and thematic analysis.
• Instrument development and psychometric evaluation.
• Quantitative analysis of trial and observational data using standard statistical software (for example, Stata, R, or SAS).
• Familiarity with feasibility, acceptability, and implementation outcome frameworks such as RE-AIM.
• Working knowledge of human subjects protections, IRB submissions, and good clinical practice.

Scholarly Achievements:

• A record of peer-reviewed publications in emergency medicine, pain, integrative health, behavioral medicine, or public health, including first-author work.
• Presentation of research findings at national or international conferences.
• Experience in scientific writing, including grant applications, research protocols, and manuscripts.

Leadership and Communication:

• Ability to lead study teams and manage research projects in a busy clinical environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for scientific writing, presentations, and teaching.

Additional Requirements:

• Commitment to translating research findings into emergency care practice, with attention to patients who face barriers to accessing care.

Department Description

The Department of Emergency Medicine is one of the oldest academic departments of emergency medicine in the country, founded in 1990 with Dr. Douglas Rund as the inaugural chair. Through 2016, we have had 286 graduates of our residency program, now practicing across the country. Research is a core mission of the Department of Emergency Medicine with investigator support from multiple NIH and industry grants spanning clinical, basic science and translational research realms. We are a growing, vibrant department composed of dedicated and accomplished faculty, bright energetic residents and fellows and a supportive administrative team.

Faculty Defined

Clinical faculty (regardless of rank) - Persons with titles of assistant professor-clinical, associate professor-clinical and professor-clinical. These faculty will have earned a Doctor of Medicine (MD), Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), doctorate (PhD) or other terminal degree in the relevant field. Clinical faculty members are not eligible for tenure and are appointed for terms of three to five years. They may be reappointed to successive terms. Their principal career focus is the delivery of exemplary clinical care, and may include teaching, and/or research.

Tenure-Track faculty (regardless of rank) - Persons with the titles of assistant professor, associate professor, or professor who are eligible for tenure or who have obtained tenure. These faculty will have earned a doctorate (PhD), Doctor of Medicine (MD), Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) or other terminal degree in the relevant field of study. Their primary career focus centers on research, service, and teaching. Tenure-track faculty with MD, DO or MD/PhD degrees may also be involved in clinical care.

Research Faculty (regardless of rank) - Persons with the titles of research assistant professor, research associate professor, or research professor. These faculty will have earned a doctorate (PhD) or other terminal degree in the relevant field of study. Research faculty members are not eligible for tenure and are appointed for terms of one to five years. Their principal career focus is research.

The Ohio State University College of Medicine

The Ohio State University College of Medicine, with more than 5,000 learners, is the only academic medical center in central Ohio. Recognized as a Tier 1 school for research in the 2025–2026 U.S. News & World Report “Best Medical Schools” list, it ranks among the top 16 medical schools for research in the nation. It also remains in Tier 2 for primary care, further demonstrating its strength across the academic spectrum. Known for its innovative curriculum, cutting-edge research, and excellence in clinical care through The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, the college continues to advance its mission of education, discovery and community impact. With more than 2,700 faculty across 20 clinical departments, eight basic science departments, and the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Ohio State is shaping the future of academic medicine - locally, nationally and globally.

The Wexner Medical Center

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center consists of The Ohio State University Health System, the College of Medicine, the Health Sciences Library and the Faculty Group Practice. The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is committed to providing world-class care. At the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, we're proud to be celebrating our 33rd consecutive year ranked in the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals list. This year, the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center has 9 nationally ranked specialties out of 15 and four selected as high performing. U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center as the top hospital in Columbus. The Wexner Medical Center is rated as high performing in 17 out of 22 common procedures and conditions, including abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, aortic valve surgery, arrhythmia, COPD, colon cancer surgery, diabetes, gynecological cancer surgery, heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure, leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, lung cancer surgery, pacemaker implantation, pneumonia, prostate cancer, spinal fusion, and transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Our new hospital tower, opened in February, 2026, is the largest single facilities project ever undertaken at Ohio State. It’s designed to enhance a unified Ohio State Wexner Medical Center campus providing world-class patient care, leading-edge research and outstanding clinical training.

• 820 large, private rooms to elevate patient-centered care, nearly doubling the number of beds we have today

• Enhanced connections between the new inpatient hospital and the OSUCCC – James

• More than half an acre of terrace space and a quarter acre of green space for a small park

• 148 additional beds for patients of the OSUCCC – James

• 51 neonatal intensive care unit bassinets

• State-of-the-art diagnostic, treatment and inpatient service areas; imaging; operating rooms; and critical care and medical/surgical beds

The University Ohio State is a top-20 public university, and its Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is one of America’s leading academic health centers and recently ranked No. 4 on Forbes’ list of best U.S. employers for diversity. Eligible Ohio State employees receive comprehensive benefits packages, including medical, dental and vision insurance, tuition assistance for employees and their dependents, and state or alternative retirement options with competitive employer contributions.

Ohio State is a dynamic community where opportunity thrives, and individuals transform themselves and their world. Positions are available in countless fields and specialties. Become a Buckeye and contribute to an incredible legacy that serves to guide our future and shape a better tomorrow.

The Ohio State University is committed to enhancing academic excellence. Recruiting, supporting, and retaining faculty of the highest caliber is a core component of this commitment. The Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) has established Dual Careers and Faculty Relocation (DCFR) to focus on supporting new and prospective faculty and their loved ones. Service offerings include dual careers partner consultations, identifying potential employers and/or employment opportunities, consultation and resources related to relocation, as well as identifying opportunities to engage on campus and in the surrounding community. While employment opportunities are not guaranteed, resources and consultation are provided to support the partners of new and prospective faculty as they are considering or transitioning to The Ohio State University.

In addition to being responsive to dual-career opportunities, we strongly promote work-life balance to support our community members through a suite of institutionalized policies. Ohio State is an NSF ADVANCE institution.

Columbus, Ohio

Located in Ohio’s capital city, Ohio State’s Columbus campus is near the center of a rapidly growing and diverse metropolitan area with a population of over 1.5 million. The area offers a wide range of affordable housing, many cultural and recreational opportunities, excellent schools, and a strong economy based on government as well as service, transportation, and technology industries. Additional information about the Columbus area is available here. In addition to its Columbus campus, Ohio State has four regional campuses including Ohio State Lima, Ohio State Mansfield, Ohio State Marion, and Ohio State Newark, in addition to Ohio State ATI in Wooster.

Additional Information:

Location:

Graves Hall (0277)

Position Type:

Term (Fixed Term)

Scheduled Hours:

40

Shift:

First Shift

The Ohio State University believes in diversity in people and ideas. What Ohio State does matters. And how we do it matters. When we are at our best, we make a real difference to people. Our size, breadth, geography, history and standard of excellence position us to drive the future of higher education. We believe that the university should be a place where people can work and learn together in a safe environment, free of violence, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. As such, finalists for any faculty position that carries tenure must sign an authorization and disclosure form, which will allow current or prior employer(s) to share information to the University regarding any findings of employment-related misconduct or disciplinary proceedings against a candidate and/or any pending investigations related to alleged misconduct. Such information shall include findings and pending investigations with respect to sexual harassment, violence, or harassment; research misconduct; financial fraud or misconduct; foreign influence violations, grant misuse or misconduct; and/or any other type of finding or pending investigation relating to a candidate’s employer’s policies and rules governing faculty conduct that may reasonably be expected to affect a candidate’s appointment. If the University becomes aware of any past finding of misconduct or pending investigations that were not disclosed, Ohio State will treat that as a serious omission and reserves the right to rescind an offer or terminate employment.

Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check. A drug screen or physical may be required during the post offer process.

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