Guidelines and Instructions for References

Reference letters for the Congressional Healthcare Policy Fellow Program applicants are confidential and must be submitted directly to the program director. Letters should be sent as an attachment by email directly to Fellow Program Director at Virginia Commonwealth University at gmatzke@vcu.edu.

The overarching goals of the Congressional Healthcare Policy Fellow Program are to increase the capacity of pharmacists to inform the discussions and influence the decisions of individuals and institutions that determine health care policies, and to provide scientific knowledge and policy analysis to support decision-makers who are confronting increasingly complex healthcare and technological issues. The Fellow Program aims to:

• educate pharmacists on the intricacies of federal policymaking;
• foster positive exchange between pharmacists and policymakers;
• empower pharmacists to conduct policy-relevant research that addresses challenges facing society; and
• increase the involvement and visibility of pharmacists in the public policy realm.

The Congressional Healthcare Policy Fellow Program is extremely competitive. Thus it is to the applicant’s advantage if you provide the information outlined below in a clearly identifiable fashion in your letter of recommendation. Please make sure you address each of the following:

1. How long and in what capacity you have known the candidate.
2. The applicant’s technical and professional accomplishments and relative standing of the applicant among his/her peers.
3. The applicant’s ability to communicate, both orally and in writing, and to interact productively with individuals and groups, especially non-scientific audiences.
4. The applicant’s maturity and judgment.
5. The applicant’s interest and experience in applying his/her expertise to the resolution of societal issues.
6. The applicant’s professional future, including possible impacts as the result of their participation in the fellow program.
7. Any other comments that may be relevant to the Congressional Healthcare Policy Fellow Program selection committee.