The National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics (NAAOP) is accepting applications for its annual 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, ten-week summer program (late May to early August) based in Washington DC. The deadline to apply is February 19.
The Fellow will learn about O&P policy, advocacy, and how NAAOP and other organizations function on behalf of the O&P community and within the broader rehabilitation and disability policy and advocacy environment at the federal and state level.
The Fellowship also includes exposure to O&P clinical and business settings and state-based public policy and advocacy at no cost to the Fellow. The NAAOP Fellow will shadow Peter Thomas, JD, NAAOP’s general counsel, who will assign and oversee the work.
Finalists will be interviewed via videoconference, and one candidate will be selected. If the finalist selected cannot accept 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 for a ten-week period, although he or she will have paid time off during Independence Day week. NAAOP will provide an office, phone, and computer in its DC offices.
NAAOP will also assist the Fellow in exploring reasonably priced summer housing options with area colleges for those with no other housing alternative. The NAAOP Fellow will be responsible for their own housing costs, but NAAOP housing subsidies will be available if necessary.
To download the application, visit the NAAOP website.
Applications must be submitted electronically to Fellowship@naaop.org.
