SOP Announces Applied Health Outcomes Fellowship

The UNC School of Pharmacy is pleased to announce the establishment of a one-year, pre-doctoral fellowship sponsored by Applied Health Outcomes, one of the nation’s leading outcomes research and healthcare strategy consulting firms. Established in 1994, Applied Health Outcomes is the premier provider of strategies and services that measure and communicate the value of pharmaceuticals and other healthcare technologies through expertise, commitment and integrity.

Tim Regan, an Associate Director with Applied Health Outcomes, worked closely with Sherrie Settle, Administrative Director for Research and Graduate Education at UNC to finalize the program details earlier this month.

“Our new Graduate Research Fellowship in conjunction with UNC is an important milestone for Applied Health Outcomes,” said Regan. “Our doctoral fellowship along with our Health Outcomes Research Fellowship, Health Outcomes Research Internship, and other experiential programs for pharmacy students and PhD candidates throughout the country demonstrates our on-going commitment to training and mentoring future outcomes researchers and health economists.”

Melissa Butler, a third-year PhD student in the Division of Pharmaceutical Policy and Evaluative Sciences, has been selected as the 2005-2006 Applied Health Outcomes Graduate Research Fellow.

“I am extremely thankful and excited about working with Applied Health Outcomes as a graduate fellow,” said Butler. “Because of the quick turn around in the consulting business, I will be exposed to a multitude of research projects at all stages of the research continuum.”

The Applied Health Outcomes fellowship will provide Butler with a unique educational experience in an outcomes research consulting environment. Applied Health Outcomes has identified Michael Eaddy, PhD, PharmD as Melissa’s mentor within their organization. Dr. Eaddy will oversee the fellow’s activities, which will include:

• Serving as a project team member in database analysis and interpretation, conceptualization, and development of economic models
• Interacting with multiple project team members and clients, participating in proposal and business development activities, and providing support with client deliverables
• Conducting literature evaluations to quantify disease burden and/or market value framework
• Supporting the design and implementation of evidence-based, data-driven quality improvement programs and market research (Delphi panels, focus groups, patient surveys)
• Performing economic evaluations of clinical trial data.
• Preparing and submitting posters, manuscripts and other publications

“This experience will be a great networking opportunity, as I will be able to interact at various levels with the company’s clients,” said Butler. “This position will provide experiences I may not have been afforded otherwise at this stage of my career, so I am grateful.”

This year’s fellowship is a pilot program, designed to support a UNC graduate student in the Division of Pharmaceutical Policy and Evaluative Sciences. Next year, the application process will be opened to include candidates from other universities.

“After two successful three-month summer internships with Applied Health Outcomes, we are privileged to have Melissa Butler as our first doctoral fellow,” said Regan. “We look forward to having Melissa back with us to serve on several new project teams. This will allow her to complete her training at UNC with an additional 20 hours per week of health economics and outcomes research experience.”