Newswise — WASHINGTON, DC (September 17, 2014)–The National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC), in conjunction with Milken Institute School of Public Health (Milken Institute SPH) at the George Washington University, is now accepting applications for a Post-Doctoral Fellow in Health Care Policy.

“As our health care system continues to evolve, it will be important to understand how it is impacting care decisions and patient outcomes, the connections between how big data and real-world evidence are being utilized in health benefit designs, and how patient differences are considered in decision-making. With the environment shifting from fee-for-service to performance based, we need to understand whether we are moving in an optimal direction,” said NPC Chief Science Officer Robert Dubois, MD, PhD. “It’s an exciting and challenging time in health care, and this opportunity will place a post-doctoral fellow at the heart of the debate.”

This is the second fellowship opportunity on which NPC and Milken Institute SPH have partnered. In 2013, the two organizations awarded a two-year fellowship to Chuck Shih, PhD, to address the policy implications of comparative effectiveness research. Given the rapid changes in the health care environment and full implementation of the Affordable Care Act, the latest fellowship will focus more broadly on understanding health care policy related to pharmaceuticals. This fellowship opportunity is especially unique as it seeks to bridge the gap between academic programs that train researchers and organizations that analyze health policy. “The research opportunities and the connections that I have been able to make through the NPC/Milken Institute SPH Fellowship have allowed me to further develop my understanding of the complex research and policy challenges confronting our health care system,” said NPC/Milken Institute SPH Policy Fellow, Chuck Shih, PhD.

The NPC/Milken Institute SPH Fellowship in Health Care Policy is open to post-doctoral researchers with a desire to understand and study health care. Candidates should be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and be within five years of having completed their doctoral degree. The fellow would be an employee of NPC and would have an adjunct faculty appointment in Milken Institute SPH Department of Health Policy.

“This fellowship is an exciting opportunity to look at a broad range of questions related to pharmaceuticals and health care policy,” said Paula M. Lantz, PhD, professor and chair of the Milken Institute SPH Department of Health Policy. “We look forward to the continued partnership with NPC and the fellowship, which will offer expanded attention to this important policy area.”

For more information about the Fellowship and to apply, visit www.npcnow.org/fellowship. Applications are now being accepted and will be reviewed beginning on January 15, 2015, and will continue until the position is filled. The fellowship will run from July 2015–June 2017.

About the National Pharmaceutical Council:The National Pharmaceutical Council is a health policy research organization dedicated to the advancement of good evidence and science, and to fostering an environment in the United States that supports medical innovation. Founded in 1953 and supported by the nation’s major research-based pharmaceutical companies, NPC focuses on research development, information dissemination, and education on the critical issues of evidence, innovation and the value of medicines for patients. For more information, visit www.npcnow.org and follow NPC on Twitter @npcnow.

About Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University:Established in July 1997 as the School of Public Health and Health Services, Milken Institute School of Public Health is the only school of public health in the nation’s capital. Today, nearly 1,400 students from almost every U.S. state and more than 43 countries pursue undergraduate, graduate and doctoral-level degrees in public health. The school also offers an online Master of Public Health, MPH@GW, and an online Executive Master of Health Administration, MHA@GW, which allow students to pursue their degree from anywhere in the world.