FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who is Health Policy Research Scholars for?

Doctoral students from a variety of disciplines—such as urban planning, political science, economics, anthropology, education, social work, geography, and sociology—who are committed to using policy change to advance population health and health equity.

Applicants must be:

  • Full-time doctoral students who are entering the second year of their programs in fall 2022 and do not expect to graduate before spring/summer 2025.
  • From historically marginalized backgrounds and/or populations underrepresented in specific doctoral disciplines.
  • Pursuing a research-focused discipline that can advance a Culture of Health.
  • Interested in health policy and interdisciplinary approaches.

What do scholars receive?

  • Annual award funding of up to $30,000 for up to four years or until they complete their doctoral program (whichever is sooner).
  • Mentoring and training in health policy and leadership.
  • Professional ties to public health and policy leaders and innovators from diverse fields.
  • Opportunity to compete for an additional dissertationgrant of up to $10,000.
  • Membership in a network of scholars and alumni for research and advocacy collaborations.

HPRS is for students from historically marginalized backgrounds and/or populations underrepresented in specific doctoral disciplines. Examples of eligible individuals include, but are not limited to: first-generation college graduates; individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds; individuals from communities of color; and individuals with disabilities.

In 2023, HPRS is selecting up to 40 doctoral students who are beginning their second year in fall 2023 and do not expect to graduate before spring/summer 2026.

No, only U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or individuals granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”) status or Temporary Protected Status (“TPS”) by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at the time of application are eligible to apply. Changes in federal policy or law may necessitate that we consider adjustments in eligibility and grant terms. Additionally, home institutions must be based in the United States or its territories for their students to be eligible.

Yes. In 2023, we are selecting up to 40 doctoral students who are starting their second year of studies in Fall 2023 and do not expect to graduate before spring/summer 2026.

It means students from historically marginalized backgrounds and/or populations underrepresented in specific doctoral disciplines. Applicants who feel their situation fits are encouraged to apply and explain why they feel they are eligible in the application form. See above for more about eligibility.

Yes, but note that this program is designed for students who do not have a policy or public health background and that some of the training and activities will be redundant to activities in your doctoral program. The program also will limit the number of public health and policy students accepted into each cohort.

All students are required to participate in and complete online activities during the academic year and attend all activities in the summer, fall and winter. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all events will have the option for in-person or virtual attendance. Any required in-person meetings are pending a safe resolution of the pandemic.

Many applicants select their doctoral advisors as their home institution mentors. Your home institution mentor must be a faculty member at your home institution who is able to support you throughout the HPRS program. This includes participating in periodic calls and webinars and supporting you to ensure that you receive awarded funds. Your home institution mentor must also submit a reference as a part of the HPRS application. Your home institution mentor does not need to have a background in health policy or public health.

For the second reference you may choose anyone you like. They may be someone that you have worked with academically or professionally and do not need to be from your current institution.

No, our eligibility criteria must be complied with in full. Applications that do not meet all eligibility criteria will be screened out and not sent for further review.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all events will be hybrid with the option for in-person or virtual attendance. Any required in-person meetings are pending a safe resolution of the pandemic. However, much of the curriculum is intended to be completed from your own institution. Any and all changes to the program curriculum, timeline, or experience will be communicated frequently and clearly.

Unfortunately, late submissions are not accepted for any reason.

While it can feel important to include all of your experiences and activities, brevity is important. Pare down the activities and experiences you showcase to the most representative of you as a candidate. Think about and only include what is most important for the reviewers to know about you, and remove anything else that may not be relevant to the HPRS application. One of the easiest ways to shorten a CV is to cut long descriptions of your older roles to a brief summary. If you’ve got a lot of experience, you can list your oldest roles to save space.

One issue behind wordy resumes is usually an excessive amount of helping verbs and articles. To tighten up your resume, watch for helping verbs such as “have,” “had,” “may,” and “to be” and articles such as “a,” “an,” and “the.” All together, these words can add a great amount of length to your resume.

For further tips that may help as you edit our CV, check here

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