Health Outcomes Pre-Doctoral Fellowships provide generous funding for PhD candidates. (Pictured: Foundation alumna O’Mareen Spence, MPH, of the University of Maryland, Baltimore 2019.)
KEY DETAILS
Predoctoral Fellowship in Health Outcomes Research
This award provides support to promising students (U.S. and non-U.S. citizens) during advanced stages of training and thesis research and for the career development of scientists prepared to engage in health outcomes research.
Application deadline: February 3, 2020 @ 11:59 PM EST (Application submission and reference letters of support are due by the deadline.)
Click HERE to apply.
Award notification is April 15, 2020.
Eligibility: Applicants (U.S. and non-U.S. citizens) attending schools of medicine, pharmacy, public health, nursing, and dentistry are eligible for this award. This program supports full-time, in-residence students who will have completed most of their pre-thesis requirements (at least two years of study) and be engaged in thesis research as PhD candidates by the time the award is active.
Funding: $25,000 per year, up to two years.
This award is intended solely as a stipend and may not be used otherwise. If necessary the institution may supplement the award to a level that is consistent with other postdoctoral fellowships it offers. Indirect costs to the institution will not be covered, and funds may not be used for this purpose.
Important: Please click on topics in blue, above, to learn the full details about this award.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Pharmacoeconomics, Real World Data and Health Outcomes Program (Health Outcomes Research) spans a broad spectrum of issues related to health-care delivery, from studies evaluating effectiveness of a pharmaceutical intervention, to the impact of reimbursement policies on outcomes of care. It also ranges from the development and use of patient-level real-world data and tools to perform patient-based assessments to analyses of ways in which results of Health Outcomes Research are disseminated to providers or consumers to encourage behavior change.
Health Outcomes Research incorporates a variety of methods, data, and tools from different disciplines. The application of Health Outcomes Research principles in evaluating the design, delivery, safe use and effectiveness of pharmaceuticals includes but isn’t limited to the following general areas:
Pharmacoeconomics evaluates behavior of individuals, organizations, and markets concerning use of pharmaceutical products, services, and programs. The discipline frequently focuses on costs (inputs) and consequences (outcomes) of pharmaceutical use.
Clinical Outcomes Assessment (COA) includes Patient Reported Outcomes, Clinician-Reported Outcomes, Performance Outcomes and Observer-Reported Outcomes. COA focuses on the value assigned to duration of life as modified by the impairment of physical, social, and psychological functional states, symptoms, satisfaction, perceptions, and opportunities influenced by disease, injury, treatment, or policy.
Patient-level Real-World Data and Analytic Tools: Health Outcomes Research depends on the evolving and increasing use, and evaluation of technologies, analyses and patient-level prospective databases (e.g. electronic medical records, health insurance claims data, registries, patient health-networks, patient health status monitoring) to assist in better understanding diseases and interventions.
Analyses and terminology under the umbrella of health outcomes include:
Biomarkers and Genetic Epidemiology Health Services Research
Burden of Disease Health Technology Assessment
Clinical Outcomes Assessment Patient Engagement in Research
Comparative Effectiveness Research Pharmacoeconomics
Compliance/Adherence Pharmacoepidemiology
Cost-Benefit Analysis Real-World Data and Evidence
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Value Assessment
Cost Utility Analysis
Aims
- To provide stipend support to promising students during advanced stages of training and thesis research.
- To support the career development of scientists prepared to engage in health outcomes research.
ELIGIBILITY and REQUIREMENTS
- Applicants (U.S. and non-U.S. citizens) attending schools of medicine, pharmacy, public health, nursing, and dentistry are eligible for this award.
- Applicants must have a firm commitment from a sponsor (a.k.a. mentor) at an accredited U.S. university.
- This program supports full-time, in-residence students who will have completed most of their pre-thesis requirements (at least two years of study) and be engaged in thesis research as PhD candidates by the time the award is active.
- Students beginning graduate school should not apply. A candidate enrolled in an MD/PhD program should not be taking required clinical coursework or clerkships while the fellowship is active.
FUNDING
- This award is two years and provides $25,000 in stipend support per year.(*) Applicants may apply for 12, 18 or 24 months of funding. This must be stated in the application.
- Within this yearly award of $25,000, up to $1,000 per year may be used to provide for incidentals directly associated with the thesis research preparation.
- The fellowship provides no other subsidies (travel, tuition, fringe benefit costs, etc.).
- PhRMA Foundation funds may not be used for indirect costs to the university.
- Awards may be activated beginning July 1, 2020 or on the first day of any month thereafter, up to and including December 1, 2020.
- Payments will be made directly to the university on a quarterly basis.
- An individual may not simultaneously hold or interrupt any other fellowship providing stipend support while the PhRMA Foundation fellowship is active.
- (*) The second year of funding is based upon a receiving a satisfactory progress report from the applicant upon completion of the first ten months of funding.
- A financial report will be required upon completion of the first twelve months of funding.
- A final progress report and financial report will be required at the conclusion of the fellowship.
- Unspent funds are to be returned to the PhRMA Foundation.
- These funds are non-transferable.
APPLICATION COMPONENTS
Predoctoral Fellowship Application Checklist
Please make a copy of this list to reference during the application process, as incomplete applications will not be considered.
- General Registration Information
- Applicant CV or Biosketch
- Extended Letter
This letter is an opportunity to tell us who you are and to describe your career and future plans. Include a synopsis of your career, your professional interests, and your desired career path. The letter should not exceed two single-spaced pages (U.S. letter size 8.5” x 11” / 12-point font / .5” margin).
- Thesis Project Description (^)
The student’s detailed description of the thesis project, including objectives, rationale, methods of approach, preliminary results (if any exist), and a bibliography of major references. The first use of any abbreviation or acronym should be preceded by the full name or description. This statement (not including the bibliography) should not exceed six single-spaced pages (U.S. letter size paper 8.5” x 11” paper / 12-point font / .5” margin). Please use a format similar to the format specified for grants submitted to the National Institutes of Health. This proposal should be written by the applicant and submission of this document will serve as verification that it has been written by the student.
- Research Abstract
Submit a titled abstract of approximately 200 words concerning your proposed research plan.
- Transcripts
Unofficial copies should be scanned and uploaded along with the application.
- GRE or MCAT Results
Please upload your unofficial copy.
- References
Applicant should upload contact information for each reference (at least three people). The system will auto generate an email asking him/her to provide a letter of support by February 3, 2020 @ 11:59 PM EST.
All departments in which the candidate will train should be committed to this training and documented via letters from thesis advisor and/or department chair in these departments, or from appropriate personnel if the proposal includes an experimental rotation in an industrial research laboratory.
Department Chair
Applicant should upload contact information for the head of the administrative unit in which the applicant reports, e.g. department chair, program director, center director, institute director, etc. His/her reference letter should include an assessment of the applicant and proposed research as well as confirming the department is responsible for the training in this discipline.
Thesis Advisor
Besides an assessment of the applicant, proposed research program, and the training program, the thesis advisor will be asked to provide contact information and biosketch (NIH style no more than 3 pages). S/He should include their history of training/ mentoring, a description of the facilities, and any additional financial support that will be available to the candidate. S/He should list the number of other trainees who will be supervised during the candidate’s training period, provide a list of research support, including current grants, pending applications, total amounts involved, and the duration. Because the fellowship grants no research funds, this information is necessary to enable further perspective on the evaluation of the resources available for thesis research. The thesis advisor should also demonstrate the department’s focus on the discipline, and specifically state that your department is responsible for the pertinent training at your institution.
Up to Three Other Individuals Familiar with Applicant’s Scientific Career
Based on our policy, we do not provide written reviews.
2020 Health Outcomes Research Brochure
The application portal will be open in late December 2019. The deadline to submit an application including all letters of support (to be uploaded by the authors) is deadline is February 3, 2020 @ 11:59 PM EST.
