How do I apply to the fellowship?
What is the VAQS Fellowship?
The VA Quality Scholars program is a two-year fellowship that develops the next generation of health professionals to improve healthcare through innovations, quality improvement, and patient safety. The VA Quality Scholars program consists of 10 sites across the United States, as well as an affiliate site in Toronto, Canada. Each site in the US consists of a partnership between a VA hospital and an academic institution. The Coordinating Center at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, Texas administers a 2-year, national curriculum along with a range of experiential training opportunities to the interprofessional, pre and postdoctoral fellows at each of the sites. Upon completing this program, fellows will demonstrate competence in:
- Interprofessional Collaboration and Teamwork
- Improvement Methods and Skills
- Organization and System Leadership for Quality and Safety
- Research
- Teaching and Learning
You will attend weekly didactic sessions, experiential learning sessions. You will learn how to analyze problems in systems and clinical care, and how to address them through improvement science methods. You will learn to analyze data through statistical process control charts, to assess improvement interventions, and to measure processes and outcomes.
Will I have a mentor?
What is the scholarly expectation of me from the program?
Scholarship is foundational to the VAQS fellowship. Fellows are expected to develop and implement a portfolio of quality improvement efforts with at least one significant activity or project that will result in a documented impact on VHA clinical care or operations.
Am I expected to start my own project or am I placed on an existing team?
You will have the opportunity to present your work nationally at the Summer Institute (annual program conference).
What is the classroom commitment?
We have national didactic classes every Friday at 1:00 PM CST. Each site may have additional classroom commitment requirements.
Is there funding for travel to national meetings?
Fellows are expected to attend the annual VAQS Summer Institute, typically held in August every year (fully funded). However, there is no guaranteed funding for other professional meetings.
Are there funds or tuition support to pursue other degrees during the fellowship?
What resources will I have to support my research? Do I have a dedicated on campus work space?
This is site dependent. Please reach out to your site of interest for more information.
Can I get a job in the VA afterwards?
We encourage you to stay in the VA! This fellowship positions you well for a competitive resume. Many graduates of this program are hired by the VA for high level quality improvement and other positions.
Do I have a commitment to work at the VA afterwards?
Will I be able to maintain clinical skills and activities?
This is site dependent. Please reach out to your site of interest for more information.
Will I be eligible to receive health insurance benefits?
Yes, as a Federal employee, you may be able to enroll in health, dental, vision and life insurance. See the following web site:
https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/Guide-Me/New-Prospective-Employees/
Do I receive vacation and sick time?
You accrue annual and sick leave each year.
What is Summer Institute?
The purpose of the VA Quality Scholars Summer Institute is to provide a face to face format for highly specialized national faculty and fellows in the areas of quality improvement and patient safety to interact, learn from one another and from national leaders in quality improvement and patient safety. There is an expectation that fellows will attend the annual summer institute, however there is no guarantee that there will be funding other conferences.