Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Program

The Postdoctoral Fellowship Program provides advanced training in outcomes research to nurses who have received a doctoral degree from an accredited university in nursing or a field relevant to nursing outcomes research and would like the opportunity to further develop their research career in the area of health outcomes.

The CHOPR Postdoctoral Fellowship is intended for U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents only. The program places a high priority on having diversity in background.

(June 2022) (Washington, DC) CHOPR Directors, Dr. Eileen T. Lake (left) and Dr. Matthew McHugh (right) with CHOPR Alum and colleague (center), Dr. Rebecca Clark.Featured Postdoctoral Fellow/CHOPR ALUMNA

Dr. Rebecca Clark (center), an Assistant Professor specializing in Perinatal Nursing, Midwifery, and Women’s Health at Penn Nursing, has been chosen as one of 16 nurse scientists for the Betty Irene Moore Fellowship. As the first nurse scientist from Penn to receive this honor, Dr. Clark has achieved remarkable success in her career. She previously served as the CHOPR Postdoctoral Fellow from 2019 to 2021 and currently holds active faculty membership and a Senior Fellow position at CHOPR. In the attached photo, Dr. Clark is seen with the CHOPR directors after her impactful podium presentation titled “Hospital Variation in Cesarean Rates for Low-Risk Black and White Women” at the AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting last year.

Current CHOPR postdoctoral fellows receive university funding to pursue meaningful research.

Dr. K. Jane Muir’s (left) Sigma Research Grant titled, “Evaluating Work Environment Variation, Patient Care Quality, and Nurse Job Outcomes in High Acuity Settings,” focuses on improving critical care in emergency and intensive care units.

Dr. Rachel French’s (right) LDI study “titled “Exploring an Innovative Approach to Address Treatment Gaps for Hospitalized People who Inject Drugs” explores a team-based approach to treat hospitalized patients who inject drugs.

Allison P. Squires, PhD, RN, FAAN, Associate Professor, Director, Florence S. Downs PhD Program in Nursing Research & Theory Development, NYU

“CHOPR has given me a solid foundational training in health outcomes research and ongoing opportunities from the network. Both have served me well.”

Joan Rosen Bloch, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, Associate Professor, Drexel University

“CHOPR gave me a nursing research network to call upon for advice that has been critical when working in an academic unit.”

Lesly Kelly, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor, Nursing & Health Innovation, Arizona State University

“I would not have traded my postdoc fellowship experience for anything and I believe it is what set me up for a successful academic career.”

M. Katherine Hutchinson, PhD, RN, FAAN, Professor, Connell School of Nursing, Boston College

“The training I received at CHOPR was life- and trajectory-altering. It has allowed me to pursue my own research agenda as well as training others to do the same.”

Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit the below listed items by email to:

Irene D. Hung, MPH
Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research
University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
375 Claire M. Fagin Hall
418 Curie Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19104-4217

Email: irenedh@nursing.upenn.edu

The application should include:

Cover letter describing goals for the postdoc training, their career goals, and a sentence or two about the topics the applicant would like to focus on for program of research;
CV with a list of publications;
Copies of any publications or samples of academic writing such as dissertation proposal or first chapter; and
Names/email addresses of 3 references who can speak to candidate’s research experience and expertise.

Program Benefits

Fellows receive stipends for coursework in advanced methodology and statistics.
The level of mentorship and guidance allows fellows to explore independent scholarship while planning a career trajectory in research. The CHOPR Faculty provides direction as the postdoctoral fellow strives to hone skills in grant development, project management, and manuscript preparation.
Fellows are given the tools to network with other interdisciplinary researchers and research centers across the school of nursing and the University of Pennsylvania.
Fellows gain access to a broad range of datasets spanning 15 years of researchand are encouraged to attend scientific conferences and meetings.

Admission Requirements

PhD (or equivalent) and interest in developing a research career with a focus on nursing outcomes research.
Completion of graduate level course work in advanced quantitative methods.
Written recommendations from at least three individuals who can speak to the applicant’s research potential, one of whom is a representative of the applicant’s dissertation committee.
Review of the applicant’s scholarly written work, including dissertation and publications.
Written statement of goals including justification of the fit within the conceptual area of nursing outcomes research.
An interview with CHOPR faculty.

Criteria to Consider Before Applying.

Match with the overall goals and objectives of the training grant and affiliated Center.
Match with the T32 and Center-affiliated faculty advisor.
Scholarly potential for nursing science inquiry that has a high impact.
Commitment to a research career in a research intensive environment.
Scholarly productivity during and/or after the research doctoral training.