Description/Background 

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Health Policy Fellows program seeks to build and maintain strong and diverse leadership and a workforce skilled in health policy.  For the past 50 years, fellows have had the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with key players in federal health policy and use that leadership experience to improve health, health care, and health policy. 

Since 1973, this non-partisan fellowship has offered direct, hands-on policy experience with the most influential congressional and executive offices in the nation’s capital to exceptional mid-career health professionals, behavioral/social scientists, and others with an interest in health and health care who: 

• Possess the skills and commitment to using the fellowship experience to provide leadership in improving health, health care, and health policy at the national, state, or local level; 

• Bring a depth of expertise and knowledge about health and health care to the policymaking process; and 

• Can offer an informed perspective on important and complex challenges facing health policymakers. 

More than 300 fellows from across the nation have gained an insider's perspective of the political process, develop unmatched leadership skills, and build a professional network that lasts a lifetime. 

The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) conducts and administers the fellowship, with funding support from RWJF. 

The Program 

The fellowship requires a full-time commitment with a minimum 12-month residence in Washington, DC, which prepares individuals to influence the future of health and healthcare across the nation. 

The fellowship begins in September with an intensive three-and-a-half-month orientation arranged by the NAM, during which time the fellows meet with national leaders well-versed in health, healthcare policy, health equity, social determinants of health, and structural racism; think tanks and interest groups; key executive branch officials; and members of Congress and their staffs.  

The NAM will assist all fellows in setting up placement interviews. Each fellow is, however, solely responsible for selecting and securing their placement in a federal government office in Washington, DC, no later than January 15, 2025. 

Fellowship placements generally begin no later than January 31. During these assignments, fellows are full-time, contributing participants in the policy process with members of Congress, a congressional committee, or in the executive branch. Solely under the supervision of the office in which they are placed, fellows typically will: 

• Help develop legislative or regulatory proposals;
• Organize hearings, briefings, and stakeholder meetings;
• Meet with constituents; and,
• Brief legislators or senior administration officials on a range of health issues.

Job Requirements: 

Eligibility Criteria 

• Exceptional midcareer professionals from academic institutions, not-for-profit organizations or government (including military; U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs; U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps; and state offices who are not considered government officials under Section 4946 of the Internal Revenue Code);
• Applicants must have earned an advanced degree (masters or doctoral degree);
• In addition, applicants must have deep experience and subject matter expertise: in a health-related discipline. Examples include, but are not limited to: medicine; nursing; public health; health professions; law; dentistry; social sciences (especially disciplines related to factors that influence population health such as housing, transportation, education, employment. etc.); health services; social work/behavioral health;
• Applicants whose official job description or responsibilities are primarily government relations or advocacy are not eligible.
• Individual candidates for receipt of award funds must be U.S. citizens, or permanent residents at the time of application. Because the RWJF Health Policy Fellows are placed in assignments in the federal government, changes in federal policy or law may necessitate that RWJF consider adjustments in eligibility and grant terms, as well as placements in the program.
• Additionally, individual candidates for receipt of award funds cannot be related by blood or marriage to any Officer or Trustee of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, or be a descendant of its founder, Robert Wood Johnson.

Selection  

By mid-January 2025, the advisory board will select finalists from the applicants for in-person interviews in Washington, DC., which will be held in mid to late February 2025. Applicants who are selected for interviews will receive details about the remainder of the process upon invitation. 

To Apply 

Applications for this solicitation must be submitted electronically via the RWJF online system. Visit 

www.rwjf.org/cfp/hpf16 and use the "Apply Online" link. If you have not already done so, you will be required to register at my.rwjf.org before you begin the application process. 

Please direct inquiries to: 

Phone: (202) 334-1506 

Email: info@healthpolicyfellows.org  

Applications close at 3:00 PM ET on November 5th, 2024. 

About The National Academy of Medicine

Description/Background The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Health Policy Fellows program seeks to build and maintain strong and diverse leadership and a workforce skilled in health policy. For the past 50 years, fellows have had the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with key players in federal health policy and use that leadership experience to improve health, health care, and health policy. Since 1973, this non-partisan fellowship has offered direct, hands-on policy experience with the most influential congressional and executive offices in the nation’s capital to exceptional mid-career health professionals, behavioral/social scientists, and others with an interest in health and health care who: Possess the skills and commitment to using the fellowship experience to provide leadership in improving health, health care, and health policy at the national, state, or local level; Bring a depth of expertise and knowledge about health and health care to the policymaking process; and Can offer an informed perspective on important and complex challenges facing health policymakers. More than 300 fellows from across the nation have gained an insider's perspectiv...e of the political process, develop unmatched leadership skills, and build a professional network that lasts a lifetime. The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) conducts and administers the fellowship, with funding support from RWJF.

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