Bryant Shuey, assistant professor of medicine, University of Pittsburgh, is one of five fellows selected for the National Academy of Medicine (NAM)’s State Health Policy Fellowship (SHPF) program announced on Oct. 9, 2025.
The fellows will spend one year working in state legislative and executive branch offices in Colorado, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin, where they will contribute to the development and implementation of state health policies and programs.
Shuey’s placement, in the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) Office of Drug Surveillance and Misuse Prevention, will involve addressing substance use-related issues.
“Drug overdose is a leading cause of death among Pennsylvanians. Through supporting DOH efforts in overdose prevention policy, I am to improve the lives of all Pennsylvanians touched by drug-related harms,” he said. “We will also host the NAM State Health Policy fellowship site visit in Harrisburg in the spring of 2026 for fellows to learn about Pennsylvania’s health policy priorities.”
Shuey’s clinical experience informs his research, public health and policy interests. His research examines how state, insurer and federal policies shape health outcomes. He has identified gaps in whole-person care for people with substance use disorders, demonstrated how opioid limit laws affect opioid prescribing, and exposed shifting alcohol use patterns. “I am excited to work with state leaders in supporting policies and programs that help people impacted by substance use,” he said.
The fellowship program, designed to strengthen state health policy capacity, is a collaboration between NAM and the National Academy for State Health Policy.
The fellowship will be administered in partnership with the University of Colorado’s Eugene S. Farley Jr. Health Policy Center, the University of Pittsburgh Health Policy Institute, the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment at the Medical College of Wisconsin, The University of Texas System and Emory University in Georgia. Support from these organizations, along with Arnold Ventures, makes this fellowship possible.
“State policies play increasingly important roles in determining health care and health for local populations. These fellows are stepping into a vital position at that intersection of health and policy,” said Victor J. Dzau, president of NAM. “Their leadership and dedication will serve their host states and demonstrate the power of preparing health professionals to influence state policy in ways that touch millions of lives.”
“Dr. Shuey’s research examines population results of policy as well as trends in substance use,” said Jane M. Liebschutz, chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh. “He will leverage the experience and skills acquired in the NAM fellowship to expand the reach and impact of his research.”
“We are pleased to support this NAM fellowship to train future leaders like Dr. Shuey on the important roles states play in the health policymaking process,” said A. Everette James, director of the Health Policy Institute, University of Pittsburgh. “State agencies license our providers, pay for services through Medicaid and manage a wide range of disease prevention and health promotion programs.”
The other 2025-26 SHPF fellows are:
Kimberly C. Avila Edwards, associate professor, Department of Pediatrics, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin
Erin Poe Ferranti, associate professor of nursing, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University
Kellie C. Snooks, assistant professor of pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin
Kristina Wilson, associate professor of clinical practice in orthopaedics and medical director, Sports Medicine Center, Children’s Hospital Colorado
“These fellows represent the best of what this program has to offer: talented professionals eager to bring their knowledge into the state policy arena and learn from the experience,” said Gregg Margolis, director of NAM’s health policy fellowships and leadership programs. “Their work this year will show how meaningful it is when health experts and policymakers collaborate closely at the state level.”