USA Scholarships
PhRMA Health Outcomes Pre Doc Fellowship 2027
PhRMA Foundation Health Outcomes Pre Doctoral Fellowships, formally the Value Assessment and Health Outcomes Research (VA-HOR) Predoctoral Fellowship, fund thesis-stage PhD students who study how treatments perform in real populations. Proposals may address patient-reported outcomes, real-world evidence, health equity, value assessment methods, decision tools, or empirical health policy, but every application must include meaningful engagement with patients, caregivers, or clinicians. The Foundation pays $30,000 per year for 12, 18, or 24 months as a stipend to the university on your behalf; up to $1,000 per year may cover thesis incidentals or travel to a US scientific conference. You must attend an accredited US university full time in residence, have completed qualifying exams, hold at least one publication or poster, and remain in the PhD program beyond April 1, 2028. Funding may start between April 1 and December 1 of the award year. The VA-HOR program uses a single application deadline in the fall (October 30 at noon Eastern in recent cycles) with awards announced by March.
What is the PhRMA Foundation Health Outcomes Pre Doctoral Fellowship?
Value assessment and health outcomes research sits at the intersection of policy, economics, and what patients actually experience after they leave the clinic. The PhRMA Foundation''s VA-HOR predoctoral fellowship pays thesis-stage PhD students to work in that space, with a hard rule that real stakeholders help shape the questions, not just appear in a paragraph at the end of the aims page.
The stipend is $30,000 per year for up to two years of support, paid to your university rather than as a research grant to your advisor. That distinction matters: the money is for you as a trainee, and the Foundation expects you to stay enrolled full time while you finish qualifying work and dissertation chapters tied to medicines, care delivery, or health equity outcomes.
October is the critical month. VA-HOR does not use a letter-of-intent stage like some drug-discovery tracks. You need references uploaded, a six-page research strategy, signed training plan, and SciENcv biosketch ready before noon Eastern on October 30. If your cohort is comparing fellowships, read the faculty Health Outcomes Starter Grant guide on this site for the career stage above yours, and start patient-engagement planning months before the portal opens.
Eligibility
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✓Full-time PhD student at a US universityYou must attend an accredited US university as a full-time, in-residence graduate student. Students who have only started coursework without thesis research should not apply.
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✓Qualifying exams completedApplicants must have completed all qualifying exams by the application deadline and be engaged in thesis research when the award would activate.
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✓Publication or poster recordYou need at least one authored publication or a poster presentation. Applicants with neither are ineligible under current VA-HOR rules.
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✓Patient or clinician engagement in the proposalResearch plans must include meaningful and authentic engagement with patients, caregivers, or clinicians. Proposals without that engagement are treated as nonresponsive.
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✓PhD completion timelineDo not apply if you expect to complete PhD requirements before April 1, 2028. MD/PhD students cannot be in required clinical clerkships while the fellowship is active.
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✓Training-grant and NIH-F restrictionsYou may apply from an institutional training grant if you agree to forgo that slot if PhRMA funds you. Recipients of NIH-F awards are ineligible. Only one applicant per research group may apply in VA-HOR (predoc or postdoc, not both).
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✓No overlapping stipend supportYou cannot hold another fellowship that pays stipend support while the PhRMA predoctoral award is active. The university may supplement to match its standard predoctoral levels.
Benefits
- Annual stipend $30,000 per year
- Award length 12, 18, or 24 months
- Thesis incidentals or US conference travel Up to $1,000 per year
- Research focus Value assessment and health outcomes
- Second-year funding Progress report after 10 months
- Tuition or indirect costs Not covered from stipend
- PI grant overlap Not for work already funded by advisor grants
Document checklist
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✓ProposalCentral applicationComplete every required section in ProposalCentral, including demographics, budget summary, and institutional assurances. Incomplete submissions are disqualified.
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✓Research plan with specific aimsSubmit a one-page specific aims page plus up to six pages of research strategy covering rationale, methods, statistics, timeline, and references. Follow PhRMA font and margin rules.
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✓Research impact questions and training planUse Foundation templates from the program instructions. The training plan must be signed by you and your thesis advisor.
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✓SciENcv biosketch and extended letterUpload a SciENcv biosketch and a two-page extended letter on your career interests and path.
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✓Thesis advisor reference letterYour advisor must confirm doctoral candidacy, assess your progress, describe your scientific question, and attach an NIH biosketch.
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✓General reference lettersProvide one to three general references familiar with your scientific career. Collaborators must submit support letters if listed on the project.
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✓Bibliography and budget justificationKeep publications current in ProposalCentral and request 12, 18, or 24 months of stipend support consistent with Section 1.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the PhRMA Health Outcomes Pre Doctoral Fellowship?
It is the PhRMA Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship in Value Assessment and Health Outcomes Research (VA-HOR). The programme supports PhD students whose thesis work evaluates how health interventions deliver clinical, patient-centered, and economic value.
How much is the PhRMA Health Outcomes Pre Doc Fellowship stipend?
The Foundation provides $30,000 per year for 12, 18, or 24 months. Up to $1,000 per year may be used for thesis incidentals or travel to a US scientific conference.
Who is eligible for the PhRMA VA-HOR predoctoral fellowship?
Full-time in-residence PhD students at accredited US universities who have passed qualifying exams, hold at least one publication or poster, and propose research with meaningful patient or clinician engagement qualify if they will remain in the program beyond April 1, 2028.
When is the PhRMA Health Outcomes Pre Doc Fellowship deadline?
Recent cycles use October 30 at 12 p.m. (noon) Eastern. The application portal usually opens in August. Confirm dates on the Foundation program page each year.
Does the VA-HOR predoctoral fellowship require patient engagement?
Yes. Proposals without meaningful and authentic engagement with patients, caregivers, or clinicians are considered nonresponsive and will not be funded.
Can I apply from an NIH T32 training grant?
You may apply if you state you will forgo the institutional training slot if PhRMA funds you. You cannot hold an NIH-F award or another stipend-paying fellowship simultaneously.
How do I apply for the PhRMA Health Outcomes Pre Doc Fellowship?
Apply through ProposalCentral when the VA-HOR predoctoral opportunity is open. Complete all sections, upload letters, and submit before the noon Eastern deadline.
When does PhRMA notify VA-HOR predoctoral awardees?
The Foundation targets award notifications by March following the October application deadline.
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