The purpose of the Randall Lewis Health & Policy Fellowship program is to ensure the development of public health and health administration, health policy, urban planning, and data professionals who possess the necessary skills to influence positive change in public policy, systems, and the built environment in our local communities.

The Fellowship is a collaboration between participating cities, agencies, businesses, health systems, local not-for-profits, county departments of public health and universities. Students in the following disciplines are encouraged to apply: MPH, MHA, MBA MPP, MUP, Data Science and, Doctoral Fellows!

This opportunity is administered by Partners for Better Health (PBH) with the generous support of Mr. Randall Lewis. To date, the good works of 250 fellows have positively impacted communities throughout Southern California and beyond. The UCI Graduate Division serves as the point of contact between PBH and UCI fellows.

Award Information

A stipend is paid to the fellows upon completion of hours, projects, and final deliverables ($6,500 for 2024-25)
Professional Development
- fellows are matched with a “hosting site” according to their skill sets, interests and training

Important Dates

“Intent to Apply” (internal UCI review) closes on July 11, 2024
External applications will be accepted from April 1 until July 15, 2024
The fellowship is an 8-month (400-hour) commitment beginning in September through May.
Fellows will present their work at an annual poster session and professional networking event held in late April each year.

Note
Although applications are accepted until July 15, it is in your best interest to apply as soon as possible. Matching opportunities with fellowship host sites begins in April.

Eligibility Criteria

UCI Graduate Division Requirements

Applicant should satisfy the minimum fellowship eligibility requirements for fellowships:
- full-time enrollment
- achieve a letter grade of B, S or above for three most recent quarters
- earn no more than two incomplete (I) grades in the last three quarters
  - note: you do not need to have 3 quarters completed at the time of application but you do need to be a current student
- maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
- demonstrate satisfactory academic progress towards your degree objective
Be a full-time student for the duration of the fellowship (September – May of the award year)

External Requirements for the Randall Lewis Health & Policy Fellowship

The Randall Lewis Health & Policy Fellowship is a prestigious and competitive fellowship for master and doctoral level students interested in health policy and related disciplines

We Accept Applications for MPH, MHA, MBA MPP, MUP, Data Science and, Doctoral Fellows
Registration in a practicum/internship course or related academic coursework within the university
Interest in helping create healthier communities
Willingness to collaborate with others, learn from their mistakes, and translate theory into practice

Application Process

Step 1: Students Submit an “Intent to Apply” to UCI Graduate Division

Submit “intent to apply” to the Graduate Division by using the Randall Lewis Application – Intent to Apply form
- Be prepared to provide a letter of recommendation from your Graduate Advisor
  - This letter should be one of the two letters that you provide directly to PBH as part of the Randall Lewis Health & Policy Fellowship Application
  - It should not be addressed to the UCI Graduate Division
- Please provide a research statement describing your academic/research interests in less than 300 words, written for a committee of non-specialists in the field. The statement should highlight any potential plans for impact in the community.

Step 2: Approved Applicants Apply Directly to the Randall Lewis Health & Policy Fellowship

UCI applicants apply directly (after Graduate Division approval)
- Access the Randall Lewis Fellowship Student Application
Profile Photo (300 mb)
Resume
Cover Letter
2 Letters of Recommendation
University Transcript
Short Response Questions
- What are your academic/research interests?
- What are your non-academic or work-related interests/hobbies?
- Community Involvement Synopsis
- Tell us about yourself and why you would make a good Randall Lewis Fellow?

Forms

UCI Graduate Division Intent to Apply Form: https://uci.questionpro.com/t/AaSycZ2Yt6

Partners for Better Health, Randall Lewis Health & Policy Fellowship Application: https://p4bhealth.org/fellowship-student-application/

Stipulations

All fellows are expected to complete the following over the course of their fellowship year:

Participate in an orientation session
Fellows are matched with a hosting site for an 8-month (400-hour) commitment beginning in September through May
Attend Fellowship meetings and trainings. Fellows meet as a group at least 6 times during the fellowship. We offer our fellows GIS training, mentoring, coaching, resume and interview preparation and much more during the learning session. It is also a great opportunity to network with other fellows all over southern California. These sessions require travel within the Southern California region. Some sessions may be conducted over zoom.
Submit a Scope of Work developed in conjunction with their site preceptor.
Prepare a poster for presentation and a two-page handout.
Attend a minimum of two external professional meetings, workshops or conferences per fellowship year.
Attend the annual Fellowship Forum & Poster session. Fellows will present their work at an annual poster session and professional networking event held in late April each year.
Submission of a final narrative detailing the fellow’s experience and impact (approximately 1000 words).

Important Notes

UCI Graduate Division serves as the liaison between UCI applicants/fellows and Partner for Better Health (PBH)
This is an externally funded fellowship; UCI does not receive or release any funding to students
Students are not considered employees of the fellowship
UCI Fellows must maintain minimum fellowship eligibility requirements (as stated above) throughout the duration of the fellowship to be considered eligible

Contact

UCI Contact: Turner Dahl at tdahl@uci.edu

PBH Contact: Jaynie Boren at jaynieboren@HC2strategies.com