Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

Training Program in Patient Safety and Quality

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who may apply to this training program?

2. What must applicants do before applying?

3. What kind of support does this training program give to its trainees?

4. How long are trainee appointments? Can trainees be reappointed?

5. What application materials are required?

6. When are applications accepted for this training program?

7. What will be required of trainees accepted into this program?

8. How do faculty become part of the AHRQ Training Faculty?

9. What is required of mentors in this training program?


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1. Who may apply to this training program?

Predoctoral trainees 

who are already enrolled in or accepted into a graduate program in one of the participating departments of the five participating GCC member institutions.

Postdoctoral trainees

preferably in their first or second years as a postdoc

who are already affiliated with the lab of a member of the AHRQTP Training Faculty.

US Citizens and Permanent Residents ("Green Card" holders) 

who already have their Green Card

Those who must have a visa to study in the US are not eligible. 

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2. What must applicants do before applying?

Applicant must choose one primary and one secondary mentor, both of whom must be members of the AHRQTP Training Faculty. 

One mentor must be from informatics or human factors engineering, and the other mentor must be from biomedicine. 

It is preferable that the mentors are from two separate institutions in the GCC, to benefit from the complementary strengths of the GCC institutions and the training faculty. 

Prior collaboration between the two mentors is not required. In fact, new collaborations between mentors are encouraged.

Applicants and their mentors must prepare a mentoring plan that clearly describes how the two mentors will collaborate to give the trainee training in both of their disciplines. The interdisciplinary nature of the project is very important to a successful application. 

Applicants and their mentors must prepare a curriculum plan that is consistent with the AHRQTP curriculum requirements.

Applicants must prepare a statement of health information technology patient safety and/or quality improvement reseach interests.

Applicants and their mentors must contact the Institutional Training Representative for their institution to discuss their proposed project, before starting an application. They must receive a recommendation from the Institutional Training Representative in order for the application to be considered by the Training Committee.

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3. What kind of support does this training program give to its trainees?

Stipends: The AHRQ pays the maximum allowed stipends under NRSA regulations. Neither the grant administrator nor the mentor is permitted to pay higher stipends than those named below.

If the stipend is lower than the trainee's department usually pays, the primary mentor and/or the primary mentor's department must supplement the stipend from non-federal funds. Funds from the NIH, HSF, DOD, DOE are not allowed to be used as supplements; however, Welch funds, or unrestricted departmental funds are allowed.

The predoctoral stipend  is $20,976 per year in FY10.

The postdoctoral stipend is $37,368 per year and higher, depending on years of experience since receipt of the doctorate.

Partial support for tuition, fees, and health insurance (trainee only) is available. The actual amount of support available may change from year to year.

The remainder of tuition, fees, and health insurance expenses must be paid by the primary mentor and/or the primary mentor's department.

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4. How long are trainee appointments? Can trainees be reappointed?

All appointments are for 12 months. No appointments will be made for fewer than 12 months.

Trainees are eligible to be reappointed depending on their progress and the availability of funding. They must compete against new applicants. Reappointment is neither automatic nor guaranteed.

Predoctoral trainees may be reappointed for a total of three years.

Postdoctoral trainees may be reappointed for a total of two years.

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5. What application materials are required?

For a list of required application materials, please see Application Information and Forms.

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6. When are applications accepted for this training program?

There will be a call for applications every year sent to all training faculty of this grant, several weeks before the application deadline.

Check the other GCC/Keck Center training programs for information about each program’s openings and application deadlines.

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7. What will be required of trainees accepted into this program?

Full time work on your proposed project, including during the summer months.

Attendance at the Keck Seminars on the Rice University campus, Friday's, 4:00-5:00 pm, during the academic semester; attendance will be taken.

Attendance at the monthly AHRQTP Keck Fellows meeting.

Attendance and poster presentation at the Keck Annual Research Conference every fall in the Houston area (Oct. 29-30, 2009).

Attendance at the annual AHRQ NRSA Trainees Conference, usually held in June (Subject to funding availability, travel support will be available for trainees to attend this conference.).

Completion of an approved Responsible Conduct of Research course.

Annual written and oral progress reviews, with both mentors present, before the AHRQ Steering Committee.

Other curriculum requirements.

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8. How do faculty become part of the AHRQ Training Faculty?

Faculty must apply to join the AHRQTP Training Faculty in advance of the trainee application deadline. Due to agency requirements, faculty must have peer-reviewed grant funding (as the PI) to qualify for membership in the training faculty.

Please note that membership in the Keck Center does not automatically include one a member of the AHRQ Training Faculty: one must apply in advance for membership.

Prospective faculty should first contact their Institutional Training Representative to discuss their research interests and how it relates to this training program. Faculty should supply an electronic copy of their CV, current funding (agency, dates, amounts, if they are PI or co-PI), and a statement of their research interests as it relates to this AHRQ Training Program.

Information will then be forwarded to the Program Director, the Steering Committee, and the GCC/Keck Center Administrative Program Director, Amy Jackson (amyjackson@rice.edu).

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9. What is required of mentors in this training program?

Mentors must supervise and support their trainee's research and training.

Primary mentors and/or their departments must have non-federal funds available to supplement their trainee's stipend, tuition, fees, and health insurance, as necessary.

Secondary mentors are not required to help financially support the trainee.

Mentors must participate in the annual Keck Annual Research Conference in the fall (Oct. 29-30, 2009).

Mentors must participate in their trainee's application interview, and in their trainee's annual progress review.

Faculty may be primary mentors for one predoctoral trainee and one postdoctoral trainee each year.

Faculty may be secondary mentors for one additional predoctoral trainee and one additional postdoctoral trainee.

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