Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)-sponsored National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32)

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary funder of the National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32). AHRQ's mission focuses on enhancing the quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of healthcare in the United States. This opportunity is administered by AHRQ's Office of Extramural Research, Education, and Priority Populations, reflecting the agency’s investment in the development of a robust pipeline of independent health services researchers. The primary objective of the NRSA F32 fellowship is to support promising postdoctoral candidates by providing them with high-quality research training in health services research. The program is tailored to individuals with the potential to become independent investigators and aligns closely with AHRQ’s mission to address pressing issues in health services and behavioral research. Emphasis is placed on supporting a diverse cadre of researchers who are equipped to explore healthcare delivery, quality improvement, and outcomes measurement, particularly among AHRQ’s designated priority populations. The fellowship funds mentored training experiences designed to strengthen an applicant’s foundation in research design, methodology, and analysis. Each applicant must develop an individualized training plan in collaboration with experienced faculty sponsors. While the fellowship does not support independent clinical trials, applicants may engage in research within clinical trials led by their mentors. The experience must include opportunities for dissemination of findings, engagement with the research community, and acquisition of skills critical to research independence. Eligible applicants are U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals, or permanent residents who hold doctoral-level health professional degrees. They must affiliate with a U.S.-based public or private nonprofit institution with the capacity to provide an appropriate research training environment. Eligible institutions include public and private institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations. For-profit organizations and foreign institutions cannot serve as the primary applicant institutions but may participate as collaborators or subcontractors. Funding is awarded under the NRSA mechanism and includes stipends, tuition and fees, and institutional allowances. The exact amount is determined by current federal guidance. Fellows may receive up to three years of support at the postdoctoral level, within the total limits established by the NRSA program. Indirect costs are not permitted. Although there are no cost-sharing or matching requirements, applicants are encouraged to demonstrate institutional support to indicate long-term sustainability. All expenditures must comply with AHRQ and broader federal funding policies. Applications are accepted on a recurring basis with standard deadlines of April 8, August 8, and December 8. The current notice expires on August 9, 2025. Submissions must be made electronically via Grants.gov, NIH ASSIST, or institutional system-to-system platforms. Prior to submission, applicants must complete registrations with SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons. Peer review typically occurs four months after the application deadline, and the earliest potential start dates range from five to eight months thereafter. In evaluating proposals, AHRQ considers the applicant’s qualifications, the quality of the training and research plan, the research environment, and attention to priority populations. Contact for programmatic issues is the Division of Research Education at trainingTA@ahrq.hhs.gov. Financial queries should be addressed to Galen Gregor at Galen.Gregor@ahrq.hhs.gov or 301-427-1457, and scientific review questions may be sent to Dr. Armaz Aschrafi at DSR@ahrq.hhs.gov.