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The Comparative Health Outcomes, Policy, and Economics (CHOICE) Institute

MS Health Economics & Outcomes Research Industry Fellowships

Application Deadline: Monday, October 23, 2023

Apply today through the UW Graduate School online application.

Note: our program no longer holds fellowship interviews at the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear Clinical Meeting. Video interviews are coordinated internally and held the week of November 6 by Zoom.

Information Session

View the 2023 webinar recording and slides.

About our Programs

Our HEOR fellows work closely with faculty in the CHOICE Institute 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. The year of study leads to an MS degree in Health Economics & Outcomes Research. Course of Study for Fellows earning an MS degree.

We are recruiting for 8 fellowship positions with our 6 industry partners: 

  1. University of Washington/AbbVie Fellowship (legacy Allergan) 
  2. University of Washington/Bayer Fellowship
  3. University of Washington/Genentech Fellowship
  4. University of Washington/Seagen Fellowship
  5. University of Washington/Sanofi Fellowship
  6. University of Washington/Novo Nordisk Fellowship

Our training programs in health economics, outcomes research, and policy each combine the resources of a leading academic center for health economics and policy with the dynamic, real-world training of major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies recognized for their commitment to innovation.

Pictured: 2022-2024 CHOICE Fellows at the UWSOP Corporate Advisory Meeting

Year 1: University of Washington

  • Gain principles and methods of HEOR through rigorous courses in biostatistics, epidemiology, economic evaluation, and outcomes research
  • Complete MS thesis
  • Present research posters and/or publish manuscripts
  • MS degree in Health Economics & Outcomes Research awarded upon completion

Year 2: Industry

  • Demonstrate product value utilizing strategically-focused HEOR
  • Understand role of HEOR in drug development and commercialization
  • Collaborate cross-functionally (medical affairs/communication, market access/brand strategy, regulatory affairs, clinical development) and with external vendors

Eligibility

Applicants applying for these fellowships must have a degree in pharmacy 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. We are unable to sponsor non-immigrant visas for this program. You must hold U.S. citizenship or permanent residency status to apply.

Application Information

Applicants will apply for our fellowship programs through the UW Graduate School application for admission. As part of the application process they will submit a curriculum vitae, cover letter, and three letters of recommendation to be considered for an interview.  Selection of fellows will be made by a committee composed of University of Washington faculty members and representatives from the respective company.

Note: for the current application cycle (2024 entry) the UW will not be holding fellowship interviews at the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear Clinical Meeting. Video interviews will be coordinated internally the week of November 6 by Zoom.

Application Process Timeline:

  • Eligibility: Degree in Pharmacy by July 1, 2024
  • Application Opens: Friday, September 1, 2023
  • Application Deadline: Monday, October 23, 2023
  • Interview Notification: Monday, October 30, 2023
  • Interviews: Week of November 6, 2023 (via Zoom)
  • Offer Notification: Rolling, after interviews
  • Decision Deadline: December 13, 2023
  • Program Start Date: July 1, 2024

How to Apply:

  1. Login to the Graduate School application: https://apply.grad.uw.edu/portal/gr_app
  2. Select “Start Graduate Application”
  3. Complete all sections of the application along the left hand panel, starting with the Profile Information section.
  4. Under Program Selection, choose the following:
    1. Application type: Graduate
    2. Program: Pharmacy – Health Economics & Outcomes Research (MS)
  5. Review the Program Requirements and indicate the term and year you intend to enroll in the program
    1. Select Autumn 2024 (this is when the matriculation to the graduate program would begin).
  6. For the section, “Application Questions”, select which MS fellowship program(s) to which you would like to apply. You may choose a min. of 1 and a max. of 6. The selections are not ranked.
    1. Select all that apply: AbbVie Fellowship Program, Bayer Fellowship Program, Genentech Fellowship Program, Novo Nordisk Fellowship Program, Sanofi Fellowship Program, Seagen Fellowship Program
    2. To add another program, select “Add a fellowship program”. You may choose up to 6.
  7. Continue with completing all other sections of the application, including Application Materials and Recommenders.
  8. Review your application and check for any missing required fields or errors. When ready, click Submit Application. Your application is not submitted until you have paid the application fee.

A more detailed instruction guide can be found here.

Application Fee Waivers

The Graduate School application fee is $85. Financial Need Fee Waivers are available through the Graduate School for those who qualify. For more information on minimum income requirements and how to request a waiver: https://grad.uw.edu/prospective-students/how-to-apply/application-fee-waivers/

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: If applying to more than one position, do my letter writers need to address their letters specific for each one?

A: No, if applying for more than one position, the same letters will be used for all positions. Therefore, you should ask your letter writers to address them more generally to the Selection Committee and speak about your qualifications more broadly in regards to HEOR.

Q: Is it possible to do the Master degree( Year 1) without the fellowship? Do you offer a standalone Master’s program?

A: At this time we do not offer the stand-alone Master’s program, our Master’s students must be admitted to the 2 year fellowship program with one of our industry sponsors. The 2nd year must be completed immediately following completion of the MS degree in Year 1.

Q: As an international student, am I eligible to apply to your programs?

A: Due to the unique work/study program structure and timeline of our fellowships, international students (or those who would require an F-1 or J-1 student visa, or other visa sponsorship) are not eligible to apply. US Citizenship or US Permanent Residency status is a minimum requirement to apply.

Q: Am I eligible to apply if I received my Pharmacy degree from a school other than the University of Washington?

A: Yes. You are eligible to apply for our fellowship programs coming from an outside school. In fact, most of our incoming cohort are from institutions across the U.S. Generally, we will have at least one University of Washington PharmD graduate in the incoming cohorts (6 new fellows per year) but we accept applications from graduates of any regionally accredited institution.

Q: What type of stipend or benefits are included in this position?

A: All fellows receive a competitive stipend, health insurance, and are eligible for retirement benefits as a UW Postdoctoral Scholar Fellow. A comprehensive description of benefits is available in the UAW Postdoctoral Scholar (Postdoc) Union Contract. Fellows are paid UW employees for the duration of the two-year fellowship. Additionally, they will receive full tuition coverage for the Master of Science program in HEOR. Additional benefits vary by individual sponsoring company but generally also include relocation assistance and travel support to present at professional conferences.

For more information, please contact: 

Marina Gano
Graduate Program & Operations Manager
206-616-1383
uwsopchoice@uw.edu