Postdoctoral Fellowship Opportunities

Postdoctoral fellowship students work closely with Program faculty on projects where they learn first-hand how to apply the principles of outcomes research to real-life problems. These fellowships provide students with a year of study at the University of Washington, usually combined with a period of applied research at the sponsoring company.

Current Fellowship Opportunities

University of Washington/Allergan Fellowship

The University of Washington/Allergan Fellowship in Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research and Policy combines the resources of a leading academic center for pharmaceutical economics and policy with the dynamic, real-world training of a major pharmaceutical company recognized for its commitment to innovation. Fellows will train for one-year at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, Washington working closely with experienced faculty. The second year practicum will be conducted in the Department of Global Health Outcomes Strategy and Research at Allergan Inc. in Irvine, California. The fellow is awarded a Master’s Degree from the University of Washington at the conclusion of the two-year program.

After completion of the two year program, fellows will have a clear understanding of:

• General principles of economics and in particular how economics influences the use, cost, and availability of pharmaceuticals.
• The complex structure of drug policy and how it determines relationships between consumers, health care providers, insurers, payors, and government agencies.
• The breadth and scope of analytical methods needed for the assessment of patient-reported outcomes, as it is influenced by the use of pharmaceuticals, and the limitations of such methods.
• Research design and methodology in clinical trials and epidemiology, including development of research protocols in pharmaceutical-related outcomes assessment.
• Formulary development, maintenance and evaluation in institutional, managed care, and state-level government programs.

Fellowship Structure - First Year

The first year of the fellowship is at the University of Washington School of Pharmacy in Seattle. The objective of the first year is to provide the fellows with the research tools necessary for pharmaco-economic and policy assessment. Fellows will be given an overview of pharmaceutical economics and general health policy, and taught methods of economic assessment, health services and clinical research design, and statistical analyses.

Fellows also will engage in ongoing projects with Allergan throughout the first year applying skills from previous pharmacy training as well as integrating new techniques developed from University of Washington courses. Applying learning to solve real-world problems is a constant focus of the fellowship. Fellows will attend quarterly meetings at Allergan Headquarters in Irvine, California.

Fellow's actual course of study will be developed on an individual basis with Program Director Dr. Sean Sullivan, but will consist of courses in Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes, and Health and Pharmaceutical Policy.

Suggested Course of Study for Allergan Fellowship/ 3 Quarter MS degree

Fellowship Structure - Second Year

The second year of training will be at Allergan in Irvine, CA with the Department of Global Health Outcomes Strategy and Research team. The preceptor is Dr. Jan Hansen. This part of the program is designed to allow fellows to learn about the role of pharmacoeconomic research in the drug development and commercialization process within the industry setting. The research may be on an existing or experimental product, a therapeutic class of drugs, or a disease state of interest to Allergan. Fellows may be required to submit further research proposals to Allergan for approval and funding.

In addition to completing their individual research project(s), fellows will participate in ongoing pharmacoeconomic evaluations or other projects in collaboration with Allergan staff. They will have the opportunity to interact with other departments at Allergan to learn how economic analyses are used by the pharmaceutical industry, and will also learn how Allergan uses clinical, epidemiologic and pharmacoeconomic data to support the utilization of its products. Fellows will be expected to present the results of any individual research projects to the University of Washington faculty, graduate students, and other post-doctoral fellows as well as to their colleagues at Allergan.

Benefits and salary

Funding for the fellowship is provided by Allergan. The annual stipend is generous and is increased the second year. In addition, the fellowship includes health benefits, tuition, and expenses for travel to appropriate academic or company meetings.

Eligibility

Applicants applying for this fellowship must have a degree in pharmacy or health-related discipline and have some research experience (preference will be given to those with a high academic standing). Excellent written and verbal communication skills are also essential. Applicants will be required to submit their curriculum vitae, a letter describing their career goals, and three letters of recommendation. Selection of fellows will be made by a steering committee composed of University of Washington faculty members and representatives from Allergan.

Application Information

You must apply to both the University of Washington Graduate School, as well as the Department of Pharmacy. The Graduate School has an on-line process by which you can apply to both. The application process can be found here.

For additional information regarding the Department of Pharmacy process, please see this page.

The application deadline is December 31, and the start date of the Fellowship is July 1.

If you have any questions, please contact Penny Evans.

Former Post-PharmD Fellows