Six Health Professionals Selected for Competitive Health Policey Fellowship Program

National Academy of MedicineWASHINGTON — The Institute of Medicine and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation selected six health professionals as the 2010-2011 RWJF Health Policy Fellows. The fellows will spend a year working in the executive branch or a congressional office with key responsibilities for health legislation and programs.

“The fellows’ commitment to improving the health of our country and their communities is especially relevant in our rapidly evolving health care system,” said Marie Michnich, Dr.P.H., director of the RWJF Health Policy Fellows at IOM. “In addition to the training they will receive when they arrive in Washington, the fellows bring a level of talent and expertise that is valuable to policymakers who must confront increasingly complex and challenging questions about access to quality and affordable health care.”

During the fellows’ year in Washington, D.C., they will assist policymakers with health-related legislative and policy issues; engage in seminars and discussions on developing health policy; and participate in leadership development programs. The experience will enrich their understanding of public policy practices and the ways government relates to the missions of their home institutions and local communities. After their stay, fellows may carry out additional activities with their grant funds to continue their development as health policy leaders.

Established in 1973 at IOM with a grant from RWJF, the fellowship program develops the abilities of outstanding midcareer health professionals in academic and community-based settings by providing them with an understanding of the health policy process. More than 200 fellows from universities, colleges, and other health-related organizations across the nation have participated in this program.

The Health Policy Fellows is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation with direction and technical assistance provided by the Institute of Medicine. Additional information can be found at www.healthpolicyfellows.org.

Representing a wide range of academic and community-based experience, the 2010-2011 fellows are:

  • ECHEZONA EZEANOLUE, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor and director, Nevada Care Program, department of pediatrics, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Las Vegas
  • JONATHAN JAFFERY, M.D., M.S., assistant professor of medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison
  • MATTHEW LEVY, M.D., M.P.H., medical director of community pediatrics and assistant professor, department of pediatrics, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
  • PAUL LIPKIN, M.D., director, Center for Development and Learning, Kennedy Krieger Institute; and associate professor of pediatrics, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
  • RHONDA OZANIAN, PH.D., senior health policy analyst, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, U.S. Department of Defense, Washington, D.C.
  • JANICE PHILLIPS, PH.D., manager of nursing research, Center for Professional Nursing Practice and Research, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago

Established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine provides independent, objective, evidence-based advice to policymakers, health professionals, the private sector, and the public. The National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council make up the National Academies.


Contact

Date: June 24, 2010
Contact: Christine Stencel, Media Relations Officer
Office of News and Public Information
202-334-2138; e-mail news@nas.edu

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