White River Junction/ Dartmouth VA National Quality Scholars Fellowship Program

White River Junction/ Dartmouth VA National Quality Scholars Fellowship Program

The VA Quality Scholars (VAQS) Fellowship Program, established in 1999, is a two year interdisciplinary program designed to teach physicians the skills to critically assess the medical literature, conduct and publish original research, and lead the improvement of health care delivery.  The purpose is to develop the next generation of leaders working to improve health care quality and outcomes through research, implementation, teaching and administration.  Individual mentoring and a core curriculum are critical components of the program.

Fellows will be provided with exceptional training and experience in both outcomes research and quality improvement and leadership.

Outcomes Research, learning to:

• Design, conduct, and evaluate research on the effectiveness of healthcare practices
• Successfully approach grant writing and funding

Quality Improvement & Leadership, learning to:

• Design, lead, and evaluate clinical quality improvement efforts
• Lead and administer clinical programs and facilities

Curriculum Components:

• Individualized project and career mentoring
• Masters degree (MS or MPH) at The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice (TDI)
• Weekly research-in-progress conferences
• Biweekly curriculum on quality improvement led by national experts
• National meeting attendance and presentations
• Flexible clinical opportunities

Who Can Apply?

Residents, fellows, or physicians in practice in any clinical discipline, who will have completed ACGME-accredited residency (and/or fellowship) training; are Board Eligible or Board Certified; and have an active, unrestricted U.S. license to practice. Opportunities also exist for surgical residents in training.