health Policy Fellowship and Elective

Health Policy Elective: The Health and Aging Policy Fellowship

The Health and Aging Policy Fellowship trains leaders in health policy to improve the health care of older adults. The program includes training on current policy issues, development of communication skills, mentorship with policy leaders, and professional networking opportunities. https://www.healthandagingpolicy.org/

Fellows are placed in a Congressional office as a legislative assistant, in an executive branch agency as a professional staff member, or in a policy organization as a professional staff member. Previous placements have included the Senate Finance Committee, the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the CDC, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the WHO, the NIH, the Congressional Budget Office, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the EPA.

This fellowship involves 9-12 months of work (1 day per week) with a federal office, policy organization, or legislator’s office. The fellowship allows for this work to take place remotely, in-person in DC, or as a hybrid of the two. If you are interested in doing this fellowship during your PGY3 or 4 year, you would need to select the remote option.

It is a year-long program with the following components:

  1. Six weeks full-time orientation in October and November

    • This orientation typically occurs in-person in DC and may require you to use at least some vacation time to attend

  2. One day per week of remote vs. in-person work with the assigned federal office, policy organization, or legislator’s office

    • This work can take place remotely

  3. Symposium for 1.5 days in DC in February or March, and another symposium for 1.5 days in May or June

Suggested Timeline

January:

  • Meet with Dr. Harold Pincus, Program Director to discuss the fellowship

  • Talk to alumni to hear their experiences in the fellowship

  • Meet with Dr. DeBonis to express your interest in the fellowship

February:

  • Write a proposal for elective credit to participate in the fellowship (contact Dr. Ann Crawford-Roberts for a sample proposal letter)

  • Submit proposal to Dulce and program directors

March: Prepare fellowship application; request recommendations

April: Submit fellowship application

June: Fellowship interviews

October-September: Participate in fellowship