UCLA / RAND Post-Doctoral Training Program

The post-doctoral training program is jointly housed in the RAND Health Sciences program and the UCLA 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 grant covers all tuition and fees, as well as a stipend, which currently ranges from $38,496 to $53,112, depending on the number of years of post-doctoral experience. The fellowship covers Individual health insurance and travel money is available for fellows to attend professional meetings.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 20, 2012

APPLICATION FORM

There are four components of the post-doctoral program:

• 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 8 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.