All students receive tuition support for four years and stipends for at least three years. Second and third-year students are required to work ten hours a week on research projects. A major source of outside fellowship support may be a National Research Service Training Award (NRSA). Funded by US Department of Health and Human Services, NRSA is distinctive in being one of the first programs to recognize the need to train physicians and other doctoral students in the principles of health services research. NRSA fellowships provide tuition support plus a stipend which varies depending on the student’s previous training.