# Preparing for a Career in Health Services Research

## Opportunities for Minority Students

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The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)supports training opportunities to help individuals prepare for acareer in health services research. AHRQ is particularlyinterested in fostering the professional development of minorityhealth services researchers. 

Health services research affects a wide-range of issues,including consumer education; patient outcomes and effectivenessof care; health care quality; health care for minority, elderly,and other special populations; health care costs and financing;information for health care policymakers; and access to care andhealth care delivery. 

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## Contents

What is health services research?Is a career in health services research rightfor you?What kinds of training are available?Who may apply for a NRSA institutionaltraining grant?What are the requirements for a NRSAindividual fellowship?Who is eligible for a dissertation grant?How can I get more information andapplication materials?Where can I get more information aboutAHRQ's Minority Health Program?About AHRQ

## What is health services research?

Health services researchers focus on some of the most complexand challenging issues currently affecting health care in theUnited States. Findings from health services research inform thehealth care policymaking process, lead to improvements inclinical practice, and help shape the manner in which health carewill be delivered and paid for in the future. 

Health services researchers examine health care quality andeffectiveness, patient outcomes, access to care, health carecosts and financing, primary and managed care, new technologies,and other critical topics. Health services researchers arepursuing careers in many settings, including academia,professional organizations, health policy groups, clinicalsettings, and in Federal, State, and local agencies. 

## Is a career in health services researchright for you?

If you are interested in research on the questions andproblems that are in the forefront of today's health care arena,a career in health services research may be right for you. AHRQis seeking qualified applicants, particularly minorityapplicants, who are interested in training opportunities toprepare them for a career in health services research. 

## What kinds of training are available?

AHRQ supports both predoctoral and postdoctoral trainingthrough the National Research Service Award (NRSA) program. AHRQawards NRSA training grants to institutions for predoctoral andpostdoctoral training and individual NRSA fellowships toapplicants who have completed their doctoral degrees. Inaddition, AHRQ supports dissertation grants for doctoralcandidates. Minority candidates are strongly encouraged to applyfor these fellowships and grants. 

## Who may apply for a NRSA institutionaltraining grant?

NRSA institutional training grants assist domesticinstitutions in supporting predoctoral and postdoctoral academictraining of qualified individuals who have demonstrated aninterest in health services research. These training grants areawarded by AHRQ to institutions, not individuals. The awardsallow trainees to gain 1 or more years of full-time, supervisedexperience in applying research methods to the evaluation ofhealth services in preparation for a career in health servicesresearch. 

Candidates for predoctoral training grants must have abaccalaureate degree and be enrolled in a Ph.D. program or aprogram leading to an equivalent degree. NRSA grants may not beused to support studies leading to an M.D. Candidates forpostdoctoral training grants must have a Ph.D., M.D., D.D.S.,Dr.P.H., Sc.D., D.N.Sc., or other doctoral degree. Tuitionbenefits are provided, as well as stipends to help traineesdefray living expenses during the research training experience.For a brief description of all programs and appropriate points ofcontact for each, select AHRQInstitutional Training Programs. 

## What are the requirements for a NRSAindividual fellowship?

NRSA fellowships are awarded to individuals and monitored byAHRQ. These postdoctoral fellowships provide for 1 or more yearsof academic training and supervised experience in applyingquantitative research methods to the systematic analysis andevaluation of health services. Applicants must have a Ph.D.,M.D., D.D.S., Sc.D., Dr.P.H., or equivalent doctoral degree froman accredited domestic or foreign institution. This is an ongoingAHRQ program announcement, and applications are acceptedthroughout the year. 

Recipients of AHRQ-supported NRSA fellowships receivestipends to help defray living expenses. Sponsoring non-Federal,nonprofit institutions receive an allowance to cover some of theawardee's expenses. Prior to making formal application for thisprogram, you must be accepted by an appropriate institution and asponsor who will supervise your training and research experience.

## Who is eligible for a dissertation grant?

AHRQ supports, through its small grant program, researchundertaken as part of an academic program to qualify for adoctorate. To be eligible for a dissertation grant, you must beenrolled in a doctoral program which requires a dissertationbased on original research in disciplines relevant to healthservices research. All requirements for the doctoraldegree—other than the dissertation—must be completed bythe time of the award. 

Dissertation grant application receipt dates are May 1 andNovember 15, annually. If you think you may be interested in anAHRQ-supported dissertation grant, you are strongly encouragedto discuss your project with the AHRQ coordinator listed belowbefore applying. 

## How can I get more information andapplication materials?

To find out more about the NRSA individual fellowships andtraining grants sponsored by AHRQ, obtain a list of institutionsparticipating in the training grant program, or get moreinformation about the Agency's dissertation grant program,contact:

Debbie Rothstein, Ph.D.Office of Extramural Research, Education and Priority PopulationsAgency for Healthcare Research and Quality540 Gaither Road, Suite 2000Rockville, MD  20850Telephone:  (301) 427-1525

Training information online includes: Research Training and Career Development, NationalResearch Service Award: Individual Postdoctoral Fellowships,and AHRQInstitutional Training Programs. You can also access information on Funding Opportunities. 

You can request a print copy of the AHRQ FundingOpportunities Fact Sheet from AHRQ InstantFAX. For instructionson using AHRQ InstantFAX, use the telephone handset from yourfax machine to call (301) 594-2800. Use the key pad on thereceiver when responding to prompts. AHRQ Instant FAX operates24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

## Where can I get more information aboutAHRQ's Minority Health Program?

AHRQ's Minority Health Program focuses on both healthservices research issues and problems that are important tominority individuals and populations and on increasing theparticipation of minority researchers in health servicesresearch. To find out more about AHRQ's minority researchportfolio, contact: 

Kaytura Felix-Aaron, M.D.Senior Advisor for Minority HealthAgency for Healthcare Research and Quality540 Gaither Road, Suite 2000Rockville, MD  20850Phone: (301) 427-1395KFaaron@ahrq.gov

## About AHRQ

AHRQ is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and HumanServices. It was established in 1989 as the Federal focal pointfor health services research and to continue and build upon thework of the former National Center for Health Services Researchand Health Care Technology Assessment, which had been inexistence since 1968. 

AHRQ's mission is to support research designed to improve thequality of health care, reduce its cost, and broaden access toessential services. AHRQ develops and disseminatesresearch-based information to increase the scientific knowledgeneeded to enhance consumer decisionmaking, improve health carequality, and promote efficiency in the organization of public andprivate systems of health care delivery. 

AHRQ is based in Rockville, MD, and has a staff of about 250professional, technical, and support personnel, including manyhealth services researchers. 

If you would like to know more about AHRQ and want to keepabreast of its activities, call the agency's PublicationsClearinghouse at 800-358-9295 to subscribe to *ResearchActivities* (select to access issuesonline). *Research Activities* is AHRQ's free monthlydigest of recent research findings, funding opportunities,upcoming conferences, and other timely and important informationfor the health services research community. 

**AHRQ is committed to increasing thenumber of minority health services researchers through enhancingawareness of the training opportunities available to minorityapplicants**

*AHCPR Publication No. 97-0040**Current as of November 1998*

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**Internet Citation:**

*Preparing for a Career in Health Services Research: Opportunities for Minority Students*. November 1998. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/minortrg.htm

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