Description
Applications for the 2027-28 cohort will open on August 4 and close at 3 PM ET on November 3, 2026.
RWJF Health Policy Fellows
healthpolicyfellows.org
Program Description/Background
Your voice could be exactly what’s needed in Washington, DC.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Health Policy Fellows program offers mid-career health and health care leaders with deep subject-matter expertise a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shape health policy at the highest levels of government.
This Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan fellowship includes a 3.5-month policy orientation, followed by a placement as a senior advisor in a legislative or executive branch office or committee.
Successful applicants typically have at least 10 to 15 years of full-time work experience and foresee contributing to health policy for at least 10 years after the fellowship.
The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) conducts and administers the fellowship, with funding support from RWJF.
The fellowship requires a full-time commitment with a minimum 12-month residence in Washington, DC, which prepares individuals to impact the health of the nation.
The fellowship begins in early September with an intensive three-and-a-half-month orientation arranged by the NAM, during which time the fellows meet with national leaders well-versed in health and health care policy; think tanks and interest groups; key executive branch officials; and members of Congress and their staff. Fellows also participate in seminars on health economics; the congressional budget process; priority issues in federal health policy; and the process for federal decision-making. The concentrated orientation is designed to prepare the fellows for immediate success in federal legislative and executive branch positions.
The NAM will assist all fellows in setting up placement interviews in a federal government office in Washington, DC. Fellowship placements generally begin in January. During these assignments, fellows are full-time, contributing participants in the policy process with members of Congress, a congressional committee, or in the executive branch. Solely under the supervision of the office in which they are placed, fellows typically will:
Help develop legislative or regulatory proposals;
Organize hearings, briefings, and stakeholder meetings;
Meet with constituents; and
Brief legislators or senior administration officials on a range of health issues.
Fellowship assignments are supplemented throughout the year by non-partisan seminars and group discussions on contemporary federal policy topics, as well as media/strategic communications training and leadership development activities. Fellows prepare a formal presentation on a health policy issue with which they have been engaged. Fellows also take part in meetings with the NAM and other health policy organizations throughout the year.
Fellows may request approval from the national program office (NPO) at the NAM to extend the Washington, DC, stay past the 12-month residential period in August (until December), when the legislative session ends.
After the Washington, DC residential experience, fellows become part of a nationwide alumni network and typically return to Washington, DC, each year to attend an alumni retreat and the NAM Annual Meeting, and to be briefed on issues and trends in health and health care policy.
Funding Details
Stipend: $175,000 per fellow over a period of 12-24 months (for up to eight fellows).
Housing/Relocation: Fellows will be directly reimbursed for relocation and approved housing expenses through separate funds within limits specified by the NAM and RWJF.
Eligibility Criteria
Exceptional mid-career professionals, with 10+ years of experience, from academic institutions, not-for-profit organizations or government (including military; U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs; U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps; and state offices who are not considered government officials under Section 4946 of the Internal Revenue Code);
Applicants must have earned an advanced degree (masters or doctoral degree);
In addition, applicants must have deep experience and subject-matter expertise in a health-related discipline. Examples include but are not limited to medicine; nursing; public health; law; dentistry; economics and other social sciences (especially disciplines related to factors that influence population health, such as housing, transportation, nutrition, wealth, employment, education, and environmental and community conditions); health services and social work/behavioral health; and other health professions.
Applicants whose official job description or responsibilities are primarily government relations or advocacy are not eligible.
Individual candidates for receipt of award funds must be U.S. citizens, or permanent residents at the time of application. Because the RWJF Health Policy Fellows are placed in assignments in the federal government, changes in federal policy or law may necessitate that RWJF consider adjustments in eligibility and grant terms, as well as placements in the program.
Additionally, individual candidates for receipt of award funds cannot be related by blood or marriage to any Officer or Trustee of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, or be a descendant of its founder, Robert Wood Johnson.
Who Should Apply?
The Ideal Candidate
Ideal candidates for this fellowship have a record of exceptional professional accomplishment and are recognized experts within their profession, community, institution, and/or organization. The fellowship strongly encourages individuals with diverse backgrounds, ideologies, and perspectives to apply. Candidates who come from professional backgrounds and disciplines that have not historically been represented are encouraged to highlight how their unique experiences support the goals of the program.
Because of the unique nature of working on Capitol Hill or in the executive branch and the uncertainty that often accompanies the political process, individuals who are flexible, team players, and fast learners tend to be more successful. A positive attitude, confidence, sense of humor, humility, critical thinking, listening skills, discretion, and patience are highly regarded. Those with strong emotional intelligence and networking skills will be able to maximize the value of this experience in their subsequent roles as leaders and influencers committed to building a healthier and more equitable future for the nation.
Mid-career
Since we know that lives and careers follow many paths, we do NOT define "mid-career" in terms of age or years since graduation. Typically, our fellows have at least 10-15 years of full-time practice/work experience (beyond training/residency) and who are committed to contributing to the health policy field for at least 10 years after the fellowship. Successful applicants to this program have gained deep subject-matter expertise in an area of health or health care and have a demonstrated track record of leadership activities and distinguished professional accomplishments.
To Apply
Applications for this solicitation must be submitted electronically via the RWJF online system. Visit www.rwjf.org/cfp/hpf18 (between August 4 and 3 PM ET on November 3, 2026) and use the "Apply Online" link. If you have not already done so, you will be required to register at my.rwjf.org before you begin the application process.
Please direct inquiries to:
Phone: (202) 334-1506
Email: info@healthpolicyfellows.org
Additional Resources
Apply: www.rwjf.org/cfp/hpf18
Learn more: https://healthpolicyfellows.org/become-a-fellow
Attend a virtual Info Session or Applicant Info Session: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8554108/RWJF-Health-Policy-Fellows-2026-Information-Sessions
Subscribe for updates: https://healthpolicyfellows.org/subscribe
Follow the program on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/rwjf-health-policy-fellows
