Research Collaborations with VA

Eleven soldiers wearing different uniforms depicting the history of the Army Welcome to the W. G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center - Salisbury, NC

On April 11, 2014, the CHHS Associate Dean for Research and a group of CHHS faculty met with the WG Hefner VA Medical Center Director of Research and Education, Dr. Hurley to discuss collaborating in research with the VA.

Requirements for conducting research at the VA:

  • An Affiliation agreement, this is in place already.
  • To conduct research and have access to VA data, a faculty member (must be a US citizen) must have a Work without Compensation (WOC) status at the VA. Steps of how to set up the WOC status was provided and will be circulated to all interested parties. So as not to overwhelm the VA, these applications will be handled and coordinated through the Research Office.
  • Obtaining WOC status takes time, especially for persons with certification; the process can take from 1.5 to 6 months for certified persons e.g. a social worker, nurse etc. For non – licensed persons, it takes a shorter time, about 1.5 to 3 months. Please contact Vikki Cherwon to begin the process.