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2025 Application Timeline


  • January 21, 2025: Application cycle opens
  • March 17, 2025: Application cycle closes at 5:00 p.m. ET
  • May 2025 â€“ June 2025: Interview of selected candidates
  • July 2025: Announcement of selected Scholar(s)
  • Fall 2025: Program start date
  • August 2026: Program end date

Questions? Contact AcademyHealth staff

Eligibility Requirements


Required Qualifications:

  • The Program is geared toward mid-career researchers who seek to enhance their expertise in cancer care, work with NCI mentors, and develop peer-reviewed publications and presentations.
  • Applicants must have a doctoral degree (e.g., Ph.D., Sc.D., D.N.P., Dr.P.H., PharmD);  a clinical degree with a research masters in a relevant area such as economics, epidemiology, health services, or another public health or social science (e.g., M.S.W., M.H.s, M.P.H.); or a clinical degree with a track record of health services research.
  • Applicants must have a demonstrated track record of independent research in their fields of study and a publication record of first or senior authored publications relevant to health care delivery research, including peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and gray literature.
  • Applicants are required be employed at a U.S.-based institution and be able to commit 20-35% full-time equivalent over the one-year fellowship

Preferred Qualifications

  • Record of research independence documented by service as a Principal Investigator, Site Principal Investigator, or lead of a major sub-project funded through a large, multi-year contract or grant (R01 or comparable) from an organization such as NIH, AHRQ, NSF, PCORI, ACS, RWJF, etc.  This excludes career awards and pilot projects.

Required Application Materials


Applications must include:

  • A completed Application Form, including:
    • Curriculum Vitae. (Not to exceed 20 pages, single-sided) Include publications and major presentations; previous fellowships, scholarships, honors and awards; and previous and current grant funding of the applicant.
    • Work Plan. (Not to exceed two pages, single-sided. A third page, solely listing references, is permitted.) Provide a description of the project that the Scholar proposes to lead during the one-year program.
    • Outline of Career Goals. (Not to exceed one page, single sided) Statement about how serving as a Scholar will advance the applicant’s career goals.
  • Supporting documentation, including:
    • Two letters of recommendation. Applicants must indicate referee information as part of the application. All letters must be:
      • On official letterhead 
      • Signed by your reference

*Applicants should include their full name on all supporting application materials. Please note: candidates may be asked to complete a telephone interview.

Find more detailed information in the Application Packet.

Selection Criteria


The selection committee will evaluate the applications based on:  

  • Relevance and potential contribution of the proposed activity to address an important healthcare delivery question or gap in the cancer continuum;
  • Clarity of the description of proposed activity;
  • Feasibility of completing the activity in a one-year timeframe;
  • Relevance of long term career goals to the healthcare delivery research field;
  • Prior research productivity, including funding and published manuscripts; and
  • Written and oral communication skills, interpersonal skills, and ability to collaborate with peers.

Privacy Policy 


AcademyHealth is committed to ensuring your privacy and understands your need for appropriate protection and management of any personally identifiable information ("personal information") you share with us. Personal information means any information that may be used to identify an individual, including, but not limited to, a first and last name, a home or other physical address and an email address or other contact information, whether at work or at home.

All AcademyHealth applications will be kept confidential and will only be used for the purpose of evaluating applicants. By submitting your application to AcademyHealth for consideration, you acknowledge that AcademyHealth will not return submitted materials to applicants.