About EHSRC

The Endowed Health Services Research Center (EHSRC) was established on 2002 as part of a NIH National Center on Minority Health Disparities endowment to strengthen and increase the diversity of the biomedical and behavioral workforce, committed to improving the health and health services of Hispanics. It is the first endowed health services research center at the School of Medicine and it is located near to the unique medical center of tertiary and comprehensive care in Puerto Rico.

The focus and scope of the EHSRC include enhancing the research agenda regarding health disparities that impact Hispanics. The priority research areas are the following:

Quality of health care

Primary and managed care research

Health care delivering systems and models

Health care program evaluation

In May 2011, the EHSRC of the School of Medicine received the designation as a Center of Excellence of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), in order to contribute to the important work of achieving well-being and full development of children worldwide. The designation that covers the EHSRC is recognition of the outstanding performance of its director, Dr. Juan Carlos Zevallos and to the School of Public Health of the Medical Sciences Campus of the University of Puerto Rico and its Dean, Dr. José Cordero.

Centre of Excellence is the first in the Caribbean, and will facilitate the process of allocation of UNICEF resources for programs of research, prevention and protection of the child population in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.