US fellowships in global health: What you need to know

School is never a replacement for hands-on work experience. Thankfully, a number of fellowship programs can help students transition from the classroom to a career in global health. Although many of these fellowships require students to be situated abroad, all of them are sponsored by U.S.-based organizations. Non-U.S. citizens may apply to most of these programs if they are attending a graduate or postgraduate school or have work authorization in the United States. An exception is the Global Health Corps Fellows Program, which allows nationals of Burundi, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania or the U.S. to apply. Global health fellowships focus on a range of work, from conducting academic research to implementing health aid initiatives. Most programs require an advanced degree in public health, medicine, business or international development, and some offer opportunities for undergraduates and midcareer professionals to get their feet wet in this field. The size of these programs also varies greatly. The U.S. Agency for International Development’s Global Health Fellows Program had over 60 fellows last year while Harvard University’s Yerby Postdoctoral Fellowship takes five candidates per year. The list below provides some of the available global health fellowships. Please note that application deadlines are subject to change. Allan Rosenfield Global Health Fellowship Program The Allan Rosenfield Global Health Fellowship Program provides multidisciplinary training to recent graduates of an Association of School of Public Health member institution. Fellows work at the headquarters of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or one of its 50 overseas postings, and focus on global health issues like HIV/AIDS or building local capacity. They receive an annual expense stipend of $39,750 and travel allowance. The fellowship is exclusive to U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and lasts for one year with a possible one-year extension. Yerby Postdoctoral Fellowship Program The Yerby Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is geared toward expanding diversity by selecting five qualified minority candidates with an interest in scholarly research per year. Fellows are embedded in one of the nine health departments-including population and international health-of Harvard University’s School of Public Health. Each fellow is assigned a faculty mentor and receives a competitive salary with benefits for one year; the fellowship is renewable for a second year. The 2009 deadline for applying to the program is Dec. 15. USAID Global Health Fellows Program The USAID Global Health Fellows Program aims to develop a pool of diverse technical experts committed to strengthening the global health programs of the agency and its partner institutions. Candidates, all of whom must be U.S. citizens, apply for various positions either at USAID’s headquarters or foreign missions. The fellowship requires an advanced degree and a minimum commitment of two years with a possible extension to four years. The program also allows undergraduate and graduate students as well as midcareer professionals to apply for up to two domestic internship positions at USAID’s headquarters, with assignments lasting a minimum of 12 weeks, or for an eight-week overseas internship with the One World Foundation. The overseas internships are administered by the One World Foundation and may not involve USAID projects. Global health fellows are compensated based on a candidate’s previous experience while interns are paid a fixed rate. The program recruits fellows on a rolling basis, and for 2008, took in 60. It selected 14 out of 1,300 applicants for the latest internships at USAID headquarters. The competition for the next round of domestic internships at will open later in 2009. Christine Mirzayan Science & Policy Fellowship If the analytical process of policymaking is your interest, then the Christine Mirzayan Science & Policy Fellowship may be the right fit. The National Academies – a U.S.-based nonprofit that harnesses the intellect of scientists, engineers and doctors to shape government decision-making – offers this 12-week fellowship to graduate or postgraduate students, who will work on research projects covering a variety of topics including health. Mirzayan fellows are also paired with a mentor and participate in regular workshops that discuss controversies in science and public policy. The application deadline for the fall program (Sept. 9-Nov. 25, 2009) is May 1 and for the winter session (Jan. 12-April 3, 2010) is Nov. 1. Comparative Health Policy Postdoctoral Fellowship Participants to this fellowship will work in the Asia Health Policy Program of the the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center at Stanford University’s Freeman Spogli Institute, while completing their own research. Potential topics include (but are not limited to) comparative analysis of healthcare financing and delivery; population health and burden of disease; the implications of demographic change; long-term care; and health policy processes. The program is open to so-called “junior” scholars-or those who earned a doctorate after 2006-from various disciplines such as sociology, political science, economics, anthropology, public policy, law, health services research and related fields. Fellows receive an annual stipend between $42,000 and $45,000 depending on experience, and $2,500 for research expenses. The program has already selected the fellows for the 2009-2010 term. David A. Winston Health Policy Fellowship The one-year David A. Winston Health Policy Fellowship provides an opportunity for postgraduate or postdoctoral students to gain direct exposure to the health policy development process in the public and private sectors. Each year, the fellowship selects two candidates, who will receive a monthly stipend and allowance for related expenses. Preference is given to applicants who have not worked on health policy in Washington. Non-U.S. citizens with F-1 visas may apply for the program. Candidates need to be nominated by their university program dean by October 2009 and submit their application by November 2009 (date to be determined). Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation Fellowship The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation Fellowship offers recent graduates and graduate students with strong quantitative skills an opportunity to train with faculty and senior researchers on a variety of global heath projects. Through research, training workshops, course work, and field experience in developing countries, it aims to produce the next generation of scholars and leaders in global health measurement and evaluation. It also provides an opportunity to pursue a fully funded Master of Public Health program. Created by the University of Washington, the fellowship requires a two-year commitment and pays a stipend of $35,004. The fall 2009 cohorts have already been selected. Catholic Relief Services International Development Fellowship Although not entirely focused on global health, the one-year CRS International Development Fellowship allows participants to work in the relief organization’s health-related programs on the field. Each year, approximately 20 candidates are selected for this program out of around 500 applications. All applicants must have U.S. work authorization and either a graduate degree in an international development-related field or a bachelor’s degree with at least five years of international development or management experience. Fellows receive a living stipend, accommodations and health insurance. A key requirement is professional language proficiency in French (preferred), Spanish, Arabic, or Portuguese. The 2009-2010 application cycle is already closed. Overseas Fellowships in Global Health and Clinical Research This one-year clinical research training experience places 25-30 public health graduates at a National Institutes of Health-funded research center in Asia, Africa or Latin America. The Overseas Fellowships in Global Health and Clinical Research is jointly administered by the University of Vanderbilt, Association of School of Public Health and Association of American Medical Colleges. Fellows receive $25,000 per year in living stipend, and travel allowance. Applications will be available starting July 2009 and are due in early December 2009. The fellowship is open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are attending advanced-level studies in medical schools or doctoral programs at schools of public health in the United States. Global Health Corps Fellows Program GHC matches fellows to a position with a partner organization based on their skill set and academic concentration. Partner organizations include the Clinton Global Initiative, Partners in Health and Village Health Works. Fellowships are based either in the U.S. or in specific African countries. Candidates for this one-year program must be under 30 years of age. Fellows receive a living expense stipend, and a completion award sum at the end of their term. No prior experience in health is required. Application for U.S. applicants closed on April 7 but the deadline for non-U.S. citizens, particularly those from Burundi, Malawi, Rwanda and Tanzania, is May 1. 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