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VA Advanced Fellowship in Health Systems Research

Train as a health systems researcher embedded within an elite learning health care system!

For more information, see our website: https://www.durham.hsrd.research.va.gov/Fellowship_HSR.asp or contact ADAPT Education Coordinator Elizabeth Strawbridge (Elizabeth.Strawbridge@va.gov) to apply.

For the 2026 - 2027 academic year:

Priority deadlines

MD/DO applicants: rolling basis

PhD Candidates: January 20, 2026

Applications received after this date will be considered as slots are available

Fellows conduct high-quality, mentored health systems research at the Center of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT) at the Durham VA Health Care System in Durham, NC. Fellows build learning health system competencies and gain experience in health systems research methodologies. This fellowship uniquely offers robust mentorship from ADAPT faculty, clinical opportunities within the Durham VA, and access to educational opportunities through our affiliation with Duke University School of Medicine.

Mentored research projects may include:

• Analysis of existing data from health systems trials or administrative VA databases
• Systematic reviews and other evidence synthesis
• Pilot evaluations of healthcare delivery redesign strategies
• Focused analysis on qualitative and/or quantitative primary data from VA patients or providers.

Eligibility requirements:

• Clinical (e.g. psychology, nursing) or non-clinical (e.g. public health, health policy, health services research) doctoral-prepared students with a successful defense of their dissertation by the beginning of the postdoctoral training year.
• Board-eligible or certified Physicians (MD or DO)
• U.S. citizenship

Durham VA Quality Scholars Fellowship Program

For questions about the Durham VAQS program, please contact Karen.Goldstein@va.gov or Eleanor.McConnell2@va.gov or see https://www.vaqs.org/. To learn more about applying for this fellowship opportunity, please contact Elizabeth.Strawbridge@va.gov

Priority will be given to applications received by November 30^th, 2025.

The Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System is one of just 12 sites nationally to participate in this highly-renowned national VA health care quality improvement fellowship program. Since selection as a new fellowship site in 2018, the Durham program has developed a vibrant community of clinicians dedicated to the fostering of rigorous quality improvement engagement and scholarship.

The VA Quality Scholars Program offers a two-year fellowship which uses a unique interdisciplinary approach that applies advanced quality improvement, clinical and research approaches to improve health care delivery systems and patient outcomes. The program’s intent is to develop the next generation of leaders who will improve patient safety and healthcare delivery through innovation and quality improvement.

The Durham VA Quality Scholars program is built around four main areas of focus:

1.    Quality Improvement Practice

2.    Implementation Science

3.    Informatics

4.    Statistical Methodology

Over the two-year fellowship, fellows will:

• Complete a rigorous national quality improvement curriculum run by the VAQS coordinating center in Houston, TX.
• Acquire additional academic and professional training tailored to individual interests and skill sets to prepare the fellow for future leadership in quality improvement/implementation science
• Participate in meaningful local and national quality improvement projects linked to fellow’s clinical area of interest and expertise
• Attend and present at annual meetings of VAQS fellows, senior scholars and experts from the field
• Receive mentorship from national leaders in QI and implementation science based at the Durham VA
• Maintain 20-25% clinical service

VAQS is funded by the Office of Academic Affairs in the Veterans Health Administration. This fellowship is open to physicians, doctorally-prepared nurses, physical therapists and psychologists who will have completed their clinical training by entry into the program in July 2026 and are eligible for independent practice.