Pre postdoc nurse_fellowships_tips

1. Tips for VA Pre and
Postdoctoral Nurse
Fellowship Applications
Maude Rittman, Ph.D., RN
North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System
Gainesville, FL
Jill E. Bormann, Ph.D., RN
VA San Diego Healthcare System
San Diego, CA
(created January 2007)

2. Information for Applicants
 Check VA’s web page at
http://www.va.gov/oaa/
 Contact Dr. Mary B. Dougherty at
Mary.Dougherty@va.gov or
(202) 461-9498

3. Overview:
 Getting Started Writing
 VA Facility Information
 Applicant Information
 Training Program
 Presentation of the Application

4. Tips for Applicant
 Develop a clear understanding of your
strengths and goals
 Emphasize the significance of your
research within the VHA and for the
veteran population
 Start writing 3 months in advance and
set early deadlines of drafts
 Obtain assistance in writing, if needed

5. Getting Started Writing
 Review specifics in Program Announcement
and have a clear division of labor with mentor
in writing application
 Establish a core document using headings as
specifically stated in guidelines
 Use tables with columns for goals, activities,
target dates, and faculty. This blueprint helps
identify gaps in plan and that the plan is
realistic.

6. VA Facility Information
 Facility Support – Clinical and patient
data, involvement of nurses in
education, resources provided to
applicant
 Nursing Research – Facility’s
accomplishments, list of nursing
research studies, nursing publications,
academic affiliations of nursing staff

7. VA Facility Information
continued…
 List related areas of research at facility
 Report funding for Nursing Research
and Other Research
 Present information that makes your
facility stand out in relation to your
interests

8. Applicant Information
 Present strengths of applicant, mentor,
& project director—how they
compliment each other
 Emphasize how fellowship will extend
applicant’s knowledge and skills in a
specialized area of theory and research
 Demonstrate commitment of affiliated
academic institutions

9. Applicant Information
continued…
 Provide evidence that applicant has
potential to obtain grant funding after
completing (postdoctoral) fellowship
 Highlight strong match between
applicant and mentor

10. Training Program
 Demonstrate plan for strong
collaboration between VA and affiliated
university research team members
 Emphasize the significance of research
within the VHA
 Demonstrate how applicant will remain
active in VHA research after completion
of fellowship

11. Training Plan
continued…
 Present clear goals and objectives that are
linked with specific knowledge, skills, and
activities (see sample Program Curriculum in
next slide)
 Demonstrate how the training plan can be
accomplished during period of fellowship
 Include activities that will increase applicant’s
understanding of VHA research system
 Provide a specific, detailed evaluation plan

12. For Pre-Doc: Description of
Proposed Dissertation Research
1. Title and Purpose(s) of the Study
2. Background/Preliminary Studies
3. Significance
4. Study Design/Methods
5. Proposed time line for completion of each
stage
(not to exceed 10 pages)

13. Sample of a Post-Doc Program
Curriculum – Goal: Increase
knowledge of outcomes measurement
 Learning objectives
 Evaluate outcome measures commonly used in research with
HIV/AIDS patients
 Knowledge/Skills
 Skills of critiquing instruments used in outcomes research
 Learning Experience
 Course: Theory of Measurement & Evaluation
 With mentor, critique selected outcome HIV measures
 Training Staff
 Faculty in Evaluation & Measurement Department
 Mentor, Dr. Smith

14. Example of Fellowship Evaluation
 Short Term Goal
 Increase knowledge of health care economic
 Performance Criteria
 Demonstrates understanding of health care economics
 Integrates economic theory into design of HIV outcome studies
 Evaluation Method
 Successfully completes course & independent Study by (date)
 Submits research proposal that incorporates economic theory
 Evaluator
 Faculty in courses
 Mentor

15. Presentation of the Application
 Use a Cover Page
 Use Color Print
 Create Table of Contents

16. Thank you!