Health Policy Fellowship

The RAPID Consortium, in partnership with the Civika Universal Health Care Lab, provides a Health Policy Fellowship program focused on community based drug rehabilitation. The fellowship provides a stimulating learning experience in collaboration with various government agencies and places fellows at the nexus of health, science, and policy design. The Civika UHC Lab Health Policy Fellowship program, which seeks to build and maintain strong diverse leadership and a workforce skilled in health policy, is critical to that vision. The Civika UHC Lab Health Policy Fellowship program seeks outstanding mid-career health professionals, behavioral and social scientists, graduate students, and other qualified individuals with an interest in health and health care who:

(1) Possess the skills and commitment to use the fellowship experience to provide leadership in improving health, health care, and health policy at the national, state or local level.

(2) Bring a depth of expertise and knowledge about health and health care to the policy making process.

(3) Can offer an informed perspective on important and complex challenges facing health policymakers.

Fellows accelerate their careers as leaders in health policy by actively participating in the formulation of national and local health policies in executive branch offices and local governments. Beginning in August 2017, fellows will engage leaders of health care policy such as: key executive branch officials responsible for health policy and programs, and members of city policymakers and their staffs. The primary policy goals will focus on community-based drug rehabilitation programs. The fellowship requires, a minimum, a 10-month commitment to work with one or more selected national agencies or sectors, to support health policy development activities. The program will select up to 50 fellows from across the Philippines. Fellows are also expected to participate in online discussions on health economics, major health policy issues, the government budget process, current priority issues in drug rehab policy, and the process of health policy decision-making.

Health Policy Fellow Expectations:

While on assignment, fellows will be contributing participants in the ongoing policy process with members of local governments. Solely under the supervision of the office in which they are placed, fellows typically will:

• Help develop policy proposals

• Organize briefings, dialogues, and stakeholder consultation

• Meet with constituents

• Brief policymakers on drug-related issues

Fellowship assignments are supplemented throughout the year with opportunities to participate in seminars and group discussions on drug abuse policy topics, as well as media training, and leadership development. Fellows are asked to prepare a formal presentation on a health policy issue with which they have been engaged. Fellows are also invited to take part in selected activities with the RAPID Consortium.

Health Policy Fellowship Criteria:

The Ideal Candidate

The program highly values individuals who come from all walks of life. A diversity in perspectives on topics such as professionalism, gender, ethnicity, and politics allows the fellows to approach potential challenges from different angles. The dynamic nature of working with government, on the local and national level, compels candidates to be flexible, quick studies, and team players. The uncertainty of the legislative process also requires for applicants to persistently support their views, tenaciously reach for their goals, and patiently allow for due process. Finally, the ideal candidate has strong interpersonal skills allowing them to network confidently both in person and on social media. They have the ability to synthesize information quickly, actively listen to a range of viewpoints, and utilize discretion while confidently making their views known. Applicants possessing these traits and sense of humor tend to more easily assimilate into the process and maximize the value of their experience in subsequent roles as leaders in promoting the health of the nation.

Members of the Civika UHC Lab Health Policy Fellowship advisory board will assess each applicant, based on the following criteria:

• Professional achievements

• Potential for leadership in health policy

• Potential for future growth and career advancement

• Potential for significant contributions to building a Culture of Health

• Interpersonal and communications skills

• Individual plans for incorporating the fellowship experience into specific career goals

The advisory board will select finalists from the applicants and interview them face-to-face or via phone call.

Fellowship Benefits

This program will help fellows build a portfolio at the frontiers of policy design in community drug rehabilitation, an initiative that has yet to serve over one million drug surrenderers under Oplan Tokhang. This fellowship favors those who already intend to do policy work as part of their full time jobs or as part of their coursework as students. While it does not offer financial aid or support, RAPID and Civika will be willing to help fellows solicit support from their organizations or partners should operating funds be needed for policy work. Fellows can benefit by gaining access to data sets, decision-makers, and resource persons. Fellows will be doing invaluable work across the boundaries of national agencies, helping translate hypothetical inter-agency collaboration into actual, practical policies.

How To Apply

Please download the application form and E-mail the completed application to uhclfellowships@gmail.com.

Any questions or concerns can be directed to rodan.mecano@csi.civika.com.

Download: Health Policy Fellowship Application