Program

Progress in health outcomes research requires the constant entry of well-trained investigators into the field. The PhRMA Foundation recognizes that the training of such individuals is long and expensive, requiring four to five years of post baccalaureate study and research. To provide some assistance in this training sequence, the PhRMA Foundation program aims at supporting promising students during their thesis research. The program provides a stipend and funds to cover costs incidental to the training. Applications will be accepted for a minimum of one year and a maximum of two years.

The program is designed for candidates who expect to complete the requirements for the Ph.D. in the field of health outcomes in two years or less from the time the fellowship begins.

The program assumes that the fellows will devote full-time (including summers) to their research. The PhRMA Foundation fellowship may not be used as a supplement to funds from other fellowships, traineeships or assistantships. The focus of the program is to assist in the pre doctoral training of the candidate. It should not be viewed as a program to fund a research project.

Applications, however good, which do not meet the aims of the program will be disapproved.

Eligibility

The fellowship program of pre-doctoral support is designed to assist full-time, in-residence Ph.D. candidates in the fields of health outcomes who are enrolled in U.S. schools of medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing or schools of public health. The program seeks to support advanced students who will have completed the bulk of their pre-thesis requirements (two years of study) and are starting their thesis research by the time the award is activated. Students just starting in graduate school should not apply.

A candidate enrolled in an M.D./Ph.D. program should not be taking required clinical course work or clerkships during the tenure of the fellowship.

Before an individual is eligible to apply for a PhRMA Foundation award, the applicant must first have a firm commitment from a U.S. university. Applications must be submitted by an accredited U.S. school, and all applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Applications are to be submitted via the Foundation website and received by October 1, 2010.  Applications will not be accepted after the deadline date.

Award

The award is made to the university on behalf of the fellow. The fellowship provides a stipend of $25,000 a year payable quarterly for a minimum of one year and a maximum of two years. Of the $25,000 awarded annually, $500 a year may be used for incidentals directly associated with the thesis research preparation (e.g., secretarial help, artwork, books, travel, etc.). Awards may be activated beginning January 1, 2011 or on the first day of any month thereafter, up to and including August 1, 2011. The second year of funding, if applicable, will be contingent upon a satisfactory review of the award recipient's progress during the first ten months of funding.  A progress report will be due to the Foundation prior to the beginning of the second year of funding.  The progress will be assessed by the Health Outcomes Advisory Committee.  The decision will be based on adherence to the goals of the announcement of the overall program, and also in keeping with the originally proposed research on which the award was based.  In addition to the progress report, the foundation must receive certification from the thesis advisor that satisfactory progress is being achieved.

The program, therefore, is designed to provide students stipend support during thesis research. An individual may not simultaneously hold or interrupt any other fellowship providing stipend support during the PhRMA Foundation fellowship. During the tenure of the fellowship, the fellow must be a full-time in-residence student. These funds are not transferable. 

The stipend may be continued for up to three months after completion of the requirements for the doctorate, provided that the student remains in the department during this period and has obtained no other stipend or salary support. This provision applies only if there is sufficient time remaining within the agreed upon period of the fellowship and upon specific request to the Foundation, detailing how the time would be used.

Indirect costs are not provided to the institution and PhRMA Foundation grant funds may not be used for this purpose.