ATTENTION ALL O&P CONSUMERS: The National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics (NAAOP) is soliciting applications for its inaugural health policy/advocacy fellowship. NAAOP is a national nonprofit association advocating for consumers/patients requiring orthotic and prosthetic care, as well as the providers who serve them. The NAAOP Fellowship is a paid, 10-week summer program based in Washington, D.C. The fellow will learn about orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) policy, advocacy, and how NAAOP and other O&P organizations function on behalf of the O&P community and within the broader rehabilitation and disability policy and advocacy community at the federal and state level. The fellowship also includes exposure to (1) O&P clinical and business settings, and (2) state-based public policy and advocacy at no cost to the fellow.
One fellow will be selected for the summer of 2018 through a competitive process using the application on the www.naaop.org website. The deadline to electronically submit this application is March 31, 2018 by 12:00 Midnight. Three finalists will be interviewed via videoconference and one will be selected. If the finalist selected cannot accept the fellowship for any reason, the next highest ranked fellow will be offered the position.
Selection Criteria: All applicants must:
Personally use a custom fabricated orthosis or prosthesis;
Have an interest in public/health policy and advocacy;
Demonstrate an interest in advancing O&P care;
Have excellent writing, speaking, and analytical skills (see application for additional factors).
The NAAOP Fellow will receive a stipend of $500 per week. NAAOP will provide the fellow with an office, phone, and computer in its offices at NAAOP’s counsel, the Powers Law Firm, 1501 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005. NAAOP will assist the fellow in exploring inexpensive summer housing options with area colleges for those with no other housing options. The NAAOP Fellow will be responsible for his/her housing costs.
The NAAOP Fellow will shadow NAAOP’s General Counsel, Peter Thomas, who will assign and oversee the fellow’s health policy and advocacy work. That work will focus on O&P policy but also include exposure to the broader rehabilitation and disability policy environment. Other O&P organizations will host the fellow for a day of activities. The fellow will also be exposed to policy and advocacy speakers, attendance at Congressional hearings, participation in coalition and “think tank” meetings/presentations throughout Washington, and meetings with organizations in the broader rehabilitation and disability field.
Application Deadline: 12:00 Midnight, Saturday, March 31, 2018
Applications must be submitted electronically to Fellowship@naaop.org.
Fellowship Selection Announcement: By the end of April, 2018
Fellowship Term: 10-weeks (late May or early June through early to mid-August)
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