UCLA/RAND Post-Doctoral Program

The UCLA/RAND Health Services Research Training Program is supported by a grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research Quality (AHRQ). The program is designed to provide training and experience to a select group of post-doctoral fellows in the field of health services research. Fellows, in turn, are expected to pursue a career in the field of health services research.

The post-doctoral training program is jointly housed in the RAND Health Sciences program and the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. Post-doctoral fellows have the option of pursuing a Masters degree in the UCLA Department of Health Services. To be eligible to receive a post-doctoral award, the prospective candidate must have obtained a Ph.D., medical degree, or other professional doctoral degree. Awards will last two years. The fellowship provides a stipend, which currently ranges from $38,496 to $53,112, depending on the number of years of post-doctoral experience.  Health insurance is also provided.  If Post-doctoral fellows pursue a Masters degree in the UCLA Department of Health Services, most tuition and fees are covered during the fellowship.  Travel money is also available for fellows to attend professional meetings.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 20, 2012

APPLICATION FORM

There are four components of the post-doctoral program:

Program Requirements

• Training in health services research methods and policy analysis
• Research experience through ongoing research projects at RAND or UCLA
• Preparation of a research proposal
• Preparation of at least one article for submission to a peer reviewed journal

Fellows will be required to attend at least eight courses at UCLA or RAND, including three courses in health services research methods, two in statistics, and three in health services issue areas. Those pursuing a Masters degree must complete a total of 12 courses.

Upon arrival, fellows will align with an ongoing research project at RAND or UCLA. RAND and UCLA have numerous ongoing projects in the health services research area. These fall into several areas, including:

• Access/utilization among the underserved
• Assessing quality, effectiveness, outcomes
• Health behaviors
• Delivery system innovations
• Hospital and physician payment
• Health care cost containment
• Comparative effectiveness analysis
• Private health insurance
• International comparisons

By the end of the first year, the fellow will identify a research idea and write a proposal. The proposal may be addressed to the principal investigator of an ongoing research project, or to an outside funding agency. By the end of the program, the fellow will prepare an article on research conducted during the fellowship, and submit it to a peer reviewed journal. This can either be done alone, or in collaboration with the research director or other member of the fellow's research team.