The VA Health Services Research & Development Postdoctoral Fellowship (HSR&D) is a multidisciplinary, two to three-year fellowship directed toward increasing skills and knowledge in health services research. An integral part of the HSR&D fellowship is its mentorship program, which includes faculty from the VA Puget Sound Health Care System and the University of Washington who provide expertise in an abundant variety of research areas.
Fellowship Type(s):
Psychology Fellowship, Research Fellowship
Department Faculty
Sarah Campbell, PhD
Charles C. Engel, MD, MPH
John Fortney, PhD
Katherine Hoerster, PhD, MPH
The fellowship is co-directed by John Fortney, PhD and Emily Williams, PhD, MPH.
Dr. Fortney, professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is a nationally known health services researcher who specializes in identifying and overcoming barriers to mental health care for rural populations and developing and disseminating telemedicine-based interventions to improve care for rural primary care patients.
Dr. Williams is an Associate Professor and the Director of Doctoral Program in the Department of Health Services. She is an addictions health services and disparities researcher and implementation scientist researcher whose work is focused on increasing access to evidence-based treatments for unhealthy alcohol and other substance use in primary care settings, as well as specialty settings serving patients with HIV and Hepatitis-C, and understanding equity in this care for vulnerable patient populations. Both co-directors also serve as core investigators at the Seattle Denver Health Services Research & Development Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care at VA Puget Sound.
Fellows are expected to engage in full-time research on publishable health services research projects, participate in related educational activities, take selected coursework at the University of Washington, and participate in the VA research review meetings.
In order to be eligible, all applicants must have a PhD in a field related to health services, US Citizenship, and specific aims for a VA-related research project. Applicants must provide a statement of professional goals and objectives, a current CV, transcript of graduate course work, and three letters of support.
Pre-Application Phone Call
If you plan to apply and you meet the eligibility requirements, we recommend a pre-application telephone call with Co-Director Fortney and/or Williams. Please be prepared to discuss your research interests and career goals on this call. The purpose of the call is to determine your fit for the program and to assess how well your research interests and goals met the aims of the program. This is not a required part of the application process, but it is highly recommended.
Formal Application Steps
To apply, please assemble the following documents:
- Specific aims for a VA-related independent research project developed with a center faculty mentor (2-3 pages)
- Statement of professional goals and objectives (1-2 pages)
- Current curriculum vitae
- Letters of support from three professional references. The letters should indicate suitability for the VA Postdoctoral position and the accompanying Senior Fellow position at University of Washington
- Official transcript of graduate course work
Please submit all application materials via email to:
Erica Tartaglione
Fellowship Coordinator​
VA Puget Sound – Seattle HSR&D
1660 S. Columbian Way (S-152)
Seattle, WA 98108
206-764-2611
Erica.Tartaglione@va.gov
For questions concerning the fellowship or to set up a pre-application phone call, please contact:
John Fortney, PhD
PhD Fellowship Co-Director
Seattle HSR&D Center for Innovation
206-764-2821 / 206-685-6955
fortneyj@uw.edu
