2017 Summer Intramural Fellowship Program

Position Title

Junior Service Fellow (multiple positions)

Open Period

January 11, 2017–February 28, 2017

Position Information

Temporary, Full Time, Not to Exceed 89 days

Salary Level

$26.34 per hour

Duty Location

Rockville, MD

Who May Apply

United States Citizens with at least a Master's degree.

Job Summary

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), a component of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is soliciting applications for time-limited Fellowship opportunities. AHRQ's mission is to produce evidence to make health care safer, higher quality, more accessible, equitable, and affordable, and to work with HHS and other partners to make sure that the evidence is understood and used.

Fellowship Program Description

The AHRQ Intramural Fellowship Program provides opportunities for individuals to work with leading health services researchers in the conduct and support of research on "real life" issues that support the Agency’s mission and contribute to improvements in health care. Fellows also are afforded the opportunity to work with administrative protocols, gain access to AHRQ-sponsored data sets, and apply statistical analysis methods to broaden the Fellow’s understanding of health services research and the Agency's effect on the health care system.

Junior fellows generally are involved as part of a team responsible for conducting research and performing research-related activities. At this level, research studies generally have clear and specific objectives and involve investigations having a limited number of variables and self-directed work in planning and carrying out research activities.

Topics for Research Projects

Work with staff in the Office of the Director on specific research projects relating to AHRQ’s new priority initiative aimed at helping our health systems become learning health systems, which can conduct population health management and partner with patients around personalized care decisionmaking.

Work with staff in the Office of the Director to help in the implementation of the 2017 AHRQ research summit, which will be about the learning health care system. The project will help develop and coordinate the meeting agenda and content.

Work with staff in the Center for Evidence and Practice Improvement to use statistical software to analyze Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data from 2005 to 2015 to evaluate the use of preventive services 3 years prior to and 5 years after health insurance expansion.

Work with staff in the Center for Evidence and Practice Improvement to develop and initiate a comprehensive evaluation strategy to assess the use and impact of resources developed by the John M. Eisenberg Center for Clinical Decisions and Communications Science and the effectiveness of the Eisenberg Center’s translation, dissemination, and engagement activities.

Work with staff in the Center for Evidence and Practice Improvement to identify and prepare a series of case studies to document how Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) reports impact patient care, and explore effective methods of tracking the impact of EPC identification of evidence gaps on research funding and applications.

Work with staff in the Center for Evidence and Practice Improvement to assist with a project that will help primary care teams create (with patients with multiple chronic conditions and their families) meaningful and achievable care plans that improve health, optimize the use of resources, and increase patient and clinician satisfaction.

Work with staff in the Office of Extramural Research, Education, and Priority Populations to assist in evaluation planning, metric development, and preliminary program outcome analyses for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund (PCORTF) Training Program Evaluation.

Work with staff in the Office of Extramural Research, Education, and Priority Populations to design and conduct a study to examine a Maternal and Child Health (MCH) focused topic using the Hospital Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) or Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data.

Work with staff in the Office of Extramural Research, Education, and Priority Populations to assist with a project to collect and analyze grant data tracking the number of research applications reviewed and funded in the past 5 years.

Work with staff in the Center for Delivery Organization and Markets to examine the impact of consolidation of physicians across hospitals, systems, Affordable Care Organization, etc., on quality indicators, low value care, and costs across markets, and the attributes of various types of health systems and their performance across markets.

Work with staff in the Center for Delivery Organization and Markets on a project to use data to characterize the health care system and markets of nursing homes that provide post-acute care and long term care.

Work with staff in the Center for Delivery Organization and Markets to examine the relationship between Affordable Care Organization (ACO) participation and hospital utilization, cost, and quality. This project includes conducting literature searches; prepare analytic files, participate in study design, conduct empirical analyses, and prepare tables, graphs, and charts to support draft manuscripts.

Work with staff in the Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends on a project to use Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) and other data sources to examine the effect of state Medicaid physician payment levels on the care of adults dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. This project will examine the effect of different state Medicaid physician fees on the quantity and quality of health care services received by adults participating in both the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

Work with staff in the Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends on a project to use Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) as well as other data sources to examine the effect of different state Medicaid payment levels on the costs of ambulatory care for Medicaid patients.

Qualification Requirements

Only U.S. citizens or citizens who have gained U.S. citizenship through naturalization may be considered. Applicants who are non-immigrant visa holders or immigrant green card holders (i.e., permanent residents) are ineligible for consideration. Successful applicants should possess an advanced degree (a master’s degree or higher level degree) with a concentration in health services research, health policy (e.g., public health, economics, sociology, biostatistics, epidemiology, or political science), or a health-related or research field. In addition, applicants should possess and be able to demonstrate a fundamental understanding of research, statistics, and scientific terminology and an ability to communicate information orally and in writing.

Junior Fellows will be assigned a senior-level researcher, who will provide guidance and direction regarding the assigned research projects as well as the principles and protocols that guide the conduct of health services research. Additionally, the senior-level researcher will establish a curriculum for the Fellow to ensure a successful experience with the Agency. The curriculum will include, but is not limited to:

Identification of background materials relevant for research assignments to ensure the Fellow’s success;
Attendance at Agency seminars and brown bag lectures and external experiences to clarify the Agency’s role in the field of health services research and the broader health care community;
Information regarding the Agency’s programs, vision, and activities to fully understand AHRQ’s research endeavors and goals.

*This Fellowship opportunity does not convey any Federal benefits due to the temporary nature of the appointment and travel and relocation and housing expenses will not be paid.

Evaluation Method

Applicants who meet the qualification requirements described above will be further evaluated by determining the extent to which their work or related experience, education, training, etc., demonstrate that the applicant possesses the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities associated with the Fellowship assignment.

Application Procedures

Applicants should submit the following documentation:

Résumé articulating relevant experience including amount of hours and the month and year the experience was gained; and
Unofficial transcripts documenting educational experience (official transcripts will be required if selected for this opportunity).
Proof of citizenship to include a copy of birth certificate, passport, or naturalization paperwork

Application materials must be sent to:

2017SummerInternship@ahrq.hhs.gov

Applications must contain all of the documentation cited above and be submitted by the closing date to be considered.

Questions may be referred to:

Karen Webb

301–427–1516

AHRQ provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and/or hiring process, please contact the Office on Civil Rights, Diversity and Inclusion (OCRDI), at 301–443–5636. The decision on granting a reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.

Additional information regarding the Agency and its activities may be obtained by visiting our web site at www.ahrq.gov.

AHRQ IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Page last reviewed February 2017
Page originally created January 2017

Internet Citation: 2017 Summer Intramural Fellowship Program. Content last reviewed February 2017. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/cpi/about/careers/2017-summer-fellowship.html