PCORI's Advisory Panels: Application Review and Selection Process

Step 1: Online Application Center

PCORI will announce open calls for applications through the PCORI website, its weekly email to subscribers and other channels. Applications are accepted between November and March. Submit an application here. Applicants can apply for membership on up to two panels, but they may serve on only one panel at a time. Applications must be submitted by the deadline.

Step 2: Review Applications

Advisory Panel Applicant Review Teams
PCORI senior leadership establishes multidisciplinary Advisory Panel Applicant Review Teams for each standing panel. To support management of conflicts of interest, Applicant Review Team members are required to recuse themselves from initial evaluations of any applicants with whom they have or had a close professional or personal association.
 

Each Applicant Review Team uses common themes in its assessment process to maintain consistency across all four standing panels. This rigorous process is intended to enable PCORI’s Board of Governors (Board) to consider proposed panels that reflect a balance between expertise and backgrounds on each panel.

Review Criteria
A standard set of review criteria are used to evaluate each applicant’s experience and ability to contribute to the panel’s specific scope of work, as outlined in its charter. 

In the interest of consistency, applicants are reviewed within the context of other applicants from their stakeholder categories. We recognize that individuals from all communities offer valuable perspectives and expertise to contribute to the scope of work of the advisory panels, and applicants from each group also embody differing competencies that cannot be compared between groups. The strength of a candidate’s articulated background, experience, the degree to which their expertise and background could improve PCORI’s work and reasons for applying to serve on a specific panel are evaluated in reference to the other applicants in their associated field of expertise and experience. For each panel, the review criteria generally include:

• Experience in patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research, patient/stakeholder engagement, measuring patient-centered outcomes, health services research, specific health systems improvement efforts, health disparities or research methodology.
• Overall experience and current position.
• Functional ties with a specific stakeholder group.
• Experience within a specific stakeholder group.
• Degree to which expertise and background could improve PCORI's work.
   

Balancing Criteria
Balancing criteria are also used to evaluate each applicant’s experience and ability to contribute to each panel’s specific scope of work. We thoroughly review each application and evaluate each applicant holistically, considering panelists’ experiences, including working with health-related communities relevant to Advisory Panels' specific health research and methodology focus. The Applicant Review Teams seek to ensure that potential nominees reflect a representation of patient populations, including patients with rare conditions or diseases.

Step 3: Draft and Submit Panels to Board for Consideration of Approval

Each Applicant Review Team identifies prospective panelists to propose to PCORI’s Board for its review. The Board makes decisions regarding approval of new panelists at its public meeting in September.

Step 4: Board Considers Proposed Panel Members for Approval

All applicants are notified of the Board’s decision via email. Approved new advisory panel members begin onboarding shortly after notification.

Posted: August 1, 2013; Updated: Oct. 31, 2025