phd health studies

The Department of Population Health Sciences develops critically-thinking, creative, and collaborative research scientists that are passionate about improving healthcare for all. The doctoral program equips students with the knowledge and tools they will need to research and work alongside health systems, government agencies, non-profits, industry, and others pursuing improved health of populations.

Admission Deadlines

Application Deadline : The application for 2023-2024 admissions  to the Population Health Sciences PhD program has opened, and will close on November 30, 2023.

Successful applicants will find a close fit with a departmental  faculty  advisor who shares their research interests. The DPHS Education leadership team identifies potential matches early in the admissions process, so those offered admission to the program can be assured of a strong match with a faculty advisor. 

Also, please note that the  online degree application requires you to identify potential mentors from our department. You will have an opportunity to contact these potential mentors after you hear whether you have been accepted to the doctoral degree program.  

Some guidance on how to identify those faculty members. 

• What excites you in your research field? 
• What is a productive area that fits your values and your career plans? 
• Who is engaged in research that is complementary to your interests?

About the PhD in Population Health Sciences

The Duke PopHealth PhD program prepares researchers to formulate important research questions, design studies to answer them, organize resources to carry out relevant studies, and analyze the results to contribute scientific and policy insights. Our coursework, experiential learning, and professional development help prepare PhD students to be leaders in the population health field.

Our faculty are world-renowned for their expertise and strengths in the following areas:

• Health Measurement. Learn more
• Implementation Science. Learn more
• Health Policy
• Health Services Research
• Health Economics

Why Choose Duke for a PhD in Population Health Sciences?

The department, which is part of the Duke University School of Medicine, offers Ph.D. candidates a unique and rich setting in which to acquire that foundation and then use it to complete their studies and dissertation research. Ph.D. students can:

Access Duke's  PopHealth DataShare , which provides access and consultation to large data sets from federal and state government sources as well as a private insurer

Tap into Duke PopHealth’s partnerships with world-class institutions like  Duke Cancer Institute ,  Duke Clinical Research Institute ,  Duke Global Health Institute , and  Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy

Connect with Duke PopHealth’s  Center for Health Measurement , the  BASE Lab ,  QualCore , and  INTERACT  (Implementation Science Research Collaborative) – which each offer specialized research support.

Enjoy proximity to Duke Health, which provides most of the health care in Durham County. Students can also connect with the Durham Veterans Administration Medical Center and  ADAPT Center .

Academic Degrees , Health Science News

10 Online PhDs in Health Sciences

Updated: June 19, 2024

Published: July 16, 2019

It’s fair to say that the field of Health Science has been around for as long as humans have needed to cope with disease. The discipline deals with the improvement of human and animal health, and those working in the field can do so with an undergraduate degree or a PhD in Health Sciences.

Professionals in the field can be divided into two broad categories: those who perform research and those who work as clinicians applying their knowledge to advance healthcare, cure illnesses, and gain better insight into how humans and animals function.

What is a PhD in Health Sciences?

A PhD in Health Sciences is a post-professional degree that typically takes 4-6 years to complete. A Doctorate (PhD) in Health Sciences can help you reach your ultimate goals whether that is in the classroom as an educator or the boardroom as a manager, as a practitioner or a researcher. A PhD in Health Sciences allows professionals in the field of healthcare to specialize in a relevant line of work.

Source: Unsplash

Why study online.

To earn your PhD in Health Sciences, you can choose the traditional route of attending an on-campus college, or instead, attend an online university. The benefits of attending an online university are vast. They include:

1. Savings:

It’s no secret that university is expensive, costs add up quickly and there’s a reason that many students take out loans. Studying online proves to be more affordable than traditional universities. After tuition and associated fees, online programs almost always cost less than on-campus institutions, and course materials like textbooks are generally offered online at no extra cost. Additionally, most students will save on housing and/or transportation costs incurred by attending a traditional college. There are many quality programs available, and if you’re looking to save money, online university is a perfect solution.

2. Flexibility:

When taking classes at a traditional college, students must show up at designated times and sit through rather lengthy lectures before running to their next class. And yet, if they somehow manage to space out those classes and have time for a short break, they likely still have to remain on campus. It can make for really long, tiring days. By studying online, students can balance their outside commitments with their education and be more flexible about getting work done in case of a family matter or a meeting at work. You get to choose your own learning time and environment.

3. Accessibility:

If you live in a cold weather city, you know the frustration of dealing with a storm and the danger of navigating on snowy roads to get to class. Even if you don’t live where it snows, there are many factors that can make it difficult to commute for every class. Online courses make attending class as easy as turning on your computer or tablet from the comfort of your home or a café down the block. Usually, your options for university are naturally limited by your location. If you live in California, or abroad for that matter, it can be difficult and costly to attend school in Boston. But location is irrelevant with online courses . If you live in Puerto Rico and want to take classes in Michigan, you can! All you need is your computer. Accessibility is a major, and often undervalued, benefit of online classes.

Best Online Options

For those interested in pursuing their PhD in Health Sciences online, many quality programs exist. Here’s a look at some of the best ones.

1. MCPHS University

• Online Doctor of Health Sciences (DHS): Healthcare Administration

Rather than annual residencies, MCPHS only asks students to visit campus three times during their complete length of study: orientation and two more times to work on your dissertations. MCPHS’s accredited online PhD in healthcare administration is geared towards an Academic Health Sciences concentration, so the core curriculum focuses primarily on theory and research.

Tuition: $20,550/yr

2. Liberty University

• Lynchburg, VA
• Online Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.) – Healthcare Management

This program’s core curriculum places a strong emphasis in business. If you’re interested in this facet of healthcare, Liberty University teaches students forecasting and modeling, supply chain management, executive coaching, and human resource management.

Tuition: $8,000/yr

3. University of South Florida

• Online Doctor of Public Health: Health Policy and Administration

The University of South Florida’s Doctor of Public Health program offers courses emphasizing practice-based schooling over theory and research, making it ideal for professionals who want to work full-time while pursuing a leadership role at a non-profit healthcare organization.

Tuition: $15,776/yr

4. A.T. Still University

• Kirksville, MO
• Online Doctor of Health Administration

A.T. Still University is the only institution ranked on this list that specializes in osteopathic medicine. Although osteopathic medicine is a notably specialized field, A.T. still offers a range of related health programs, including a PhD in Healthcare Administration.

Tuition: $31,493/yr

5. Medical University of South Carolina

• Charleston, SC
• Online DHA Executive Program

MUSC’s Doctor of Healthcare Administration is one of the most complete programs, allowing students to choose from three tracks: Executive, Interprofessional Studies and Leadership, and Information Systems and Leadership.

Tuition: $21,183/yr

6. Central Michigan University

• Mount Pleasant, MI

CMU is the only university ranked that uses a collaborative-based system, encouraging students from a wide range of backgrounds to network and develop their skills.

Tuition: $14,685/yr

7. Colorado Technical University

• Colorado Springs, CO
• Online Doctor of Management – Healthcare Management and Leadership

The Colorado Technical University’s core curriculum balances both business and theoretical research material. CTU provides a unique opportunity for students who have yet to complete a master’s degree by completing an MBA or MSM while simultaneously working on their PhD.

Tuition: $13,356/yr

8. Franklin University

• Columbus, OH
• Online Doctor of Healthcare Administration

Franklin University has earned a spot on the podium for implementing their “no fear” program to help guide students through the intense dissertation process. Students will leverage strong peer and faculty mentoring and need not worry about the stress of undertaking this degree.

Tuition: $15,240/yr

9. University of Mississippi Medical Center

• University, MS

The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s online PhD program is one the most comprehensive curricula, offering the widest range of courses tailored to health and management. UMMC’s degree is ideal for professionals designed for part-time students and consequently has few in-person obligations.

Tuition: $14,059/yr

10. Arizona State University

• Online Doctor of Behavioral Health with a Concentration in Management

ASU’s program is really a specialized Doctor of Behavioral Health degree with a concentration in management. However, the degree is extensive enough to be applicable in a wide range of healthcare fields. ASU encourages students to also consider courses from two of its other programs: Science of Healthcare Delivery and Healthcare Innovation.

Tuition: $17,289/yr

What You Will Study

Health Sciences is a general term that includes all the applied fields involved in the delivery and development of healthcare. This means that there are various tracks available to students. For instance, the Doctor in Health Administration, or DHA, degree is ideal for those who want to advance their careers in research or policy. On the other hand, the PhD in healthcare administration is more attractive for professionals interested in capitalizing on opportunities for leadership in corporate roles.

Skills You Will Acquire

When earning a PhD, you will glean knowledge that will be useful both within the profession as well as in life generally.

Here are 10 of the most valuable transferable skills acquired by those with a PhD degree: managing your own project; performing competitive analysis; collaborating with your peers; dealing with conflict; leading a team; training, teaching & mentoring; writing and verbal communication; problem solving; understanding the big picture, and ultimately, learning how to improve health.

How Long Will It Take?

Nobody arrives at the decision to pursue a PhD easily. Ultimately, embarking on a PhD program can take many years to earn, but it will help advance one’s career in a specific field.

However, if you know where to look, accelerated PhD tracks do exist from accredited universities. Even if the right degree for you is not listed above, this list is a great starting point for professionals looking to take their careers to the next level in less time, on a budget and with a more flexible schedule.

Two-thirds of the programs ranked and available to students will cost less than $20,000 annually.

Career Options & Salary

A Doctorate in Health Sciences opens doors for teaching and leadership positions in the healthcare field. With such an advanced degree, one can build a career in several high-level health-related professions.

Graduates will enter one of three categories: Health Specialties Educator (~$91k median salary); Clinical Researcher (~$83k median salary); Medical and Health Service Manager (~$95k median salary)

How to Get Started in Health Science

If you know that Health Sciences is the right path for you, then you can get started by earning your Associate’s and Bachelor’s degree in the Health Science – Community and Public Health Track at the University of the People . The tuition-free and fully online program is designed to prepare students for the complex and evolving healthcare landscape.

For example, our Bachelor of Science in Health Science is an online, 39-course degree program, providing a comprehensive understanding of industry health principles and standards. Full time students can complete the program in four years.

Wrapping Up

The road to earning your PhD in Health Science may be paved with challenges, but once you have the degree in your hands, you will broaden your horizons to be able to lead teams, teach others and hold high-level positions in a field that does so much to better support humanity and overall health and wellbeing.

In this article

At UoPeople, our blog writers are thinkers, researchers, and experts dedicated to curating articles relevant to our mission: making higher education accessible to everyone.

Welcome to the  Harvard University PhD in Population Health Sciences  (PHS). Our full-time doctoral degree is a joint collaboration between the  Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS)  and the  Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health   and offer s a  Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD)  in  P opulation Health Sciences .   Our research program is designed to allow students to benefit from connections between public health disciplines and a broader range of academic disciplines represented across the Harvard Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS).  

A  PHS   PhD   offers advanced doctoral-level research and training that builds on multiple disciplinary perspectives to understand the origins and determinants of health and disease across populations. Our students are based at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and belong to one of the following department-based   Fields of Study :  

• Environmental Health (EH)
• Epidemiology (EPI)
• Global Health & Population (GHP)
• Nutrition (NUT)
• Social & Behavioral Sciences (SBS)

This  PhD in Population Health Sciences (PHS)  is intended for students who are looking to pursue careers in academia in one of five   Fields of Study   as well as in organizations related to population health or research-related positions beyond academia. In addition to nurturing the development of the next generation of population health researchers and scientists , PHS provides tremendous opportunities for students to build scientific communication and mentoring, and teaching skills – while all along, building lasting connection s ac ross students, alumni, and faculty at our world- r enown ed Harvard University .  

Harvard University and the PHS PhD program do not discriminate against applicants or students on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry or any other protected classification.

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Health Sciences Ph.D.

Health Sciences is a rapidly changing and evolving discipline, requiring highly trained, critical thinkers to solve some of society’s most important health-related problems. The Ph.D. in Health Sciences provides you with hands-on basic, applied, and translational courses, together with research laboratory or field experiences, needed to solve these problems.

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• PhD in Public Policy
• PhD in Political Economy & Government
• PhD in Social Policy
• Job Market Candidates

The PhD in Health Policy is a highly interdisciplinary program that will develop the specialized skills you need for a research and teaching career in health policy.

The program is collaborative at its core, with its curriculum drawing from six Harvard schools:

• Harvard Business School
• Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
• Harvard Kennedy School
• Harvard Law School
• Harvard Medical School
• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

With more than 100 Harvard faculty members from these schools integrated in the program, you have access to the insights of leading experts across the full academic and professional spectrum.

Balance broad and specialized knowledge.

As a PhD in Health Policy student, you take courses throughout Harvard’s specialized schools. This allows you to become familiar with the conceptual frameworks, vernacular and perspectives of researchers from other disciplines.

At the same time, developing specialized skills in a discipline is a hallmark of the program, which is why you specialize in one of five concentrations:

• Decision Sciences
• Methods for Policy Research
• Political Analysis

The PhD in Health Policy degree is awarded by the  Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS). Our graduates leave the program well equipped to make an impact in academia, government agencies, research institutes, think tanks, foundations, and multinational corporations. 

PhD Programs

Empowering students to follow their curiosity

Bioengineering PhD

Jointly supported by the School of Engineering and the School of Medicine, the bioengineering program merges engineering principles with scientific discovery and technology to encourage the development of new medical devices and treatments.

Biosciences PhD

panning the School of Medicine and the School of Humanities and Sciences, students have the best of both worlds: the diversity of a large umbrella program coupled with the support of a small academic setting.

The Biosciences PhD program offers 14 home programs representing eight basic science departments and six interdisciplinary programs.

Biomedical Physics (BMP) PhD Program

Supported by the Departments of Radiology and Radiation Oncology, the Biomedical Physics PhD program seeks students interested in radiation therapy, imaging science, and molecular imaging and diagnostics as applied to clinical medicine. 

PhD in Epidemiology and Clinical Research

The PhD program in epidemiology and clinical research will provide methodologic and interdisciplinary training that will equip students to carry out cutting-edge epidemiologic research. The program trains students in the tools of modern epidemiology, with heavy emphases on statistics, computer science, genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics.

PhD in Health Policy

Stanford Health Policy offers a PhD program which promises to educate students who will be scholarly leaders in the field of health policy, and will be highly knowledgeable about the theoretical and empirical approaches that can be applied in the development of improvements in health policy and the health care system. These students will be well prepared for positions in academic institutions, government institutions, and private sector organizations with a demand for high-level analysis of health policy issues.

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Department of Medical Education

Phd in health professions education.

The Department of Medical Education (DME) is thrilled to announce the establishment of a new online PhD program in Health Professions Education (HPE). The PhD in HPE evolved from our successful former collaboration with the UIC College of Education’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction. The PhD in HPE also builds upon the success and strong reputation of DME’s Master of Health Professions Education (MHPE), as well as upon the department’s broader expertise in HPE research and teaching excellence.

Program Overview Heading link Copy link

What is the phd in hpe.

The PhD in HPE program will produce exemplary scholars who advance the field of health professions education by developing innovative research agendas that shape educational policy, standards, and practices, with the ultimate goal of improving healthcare. While the PhD in HPE will share course offerings with DME’s renowned MHPE program, it will include a greater emphasis on research design, data collection, and original scholarship for students who aim to serve as principal investigators in HPE studies in the future.

Who is this program for?

Typical students in the program may include students from a wide range of professional backgrounds, including MDs, other clinicians, and non-clinical educators, aiming to deepen their methodological training and increase their knowledge of the health professions education canon. The student body is also likely to be heterogenous in terms of career stage, and thus may include students ranging from trainees (e.g., residents and fellows) to administrators and leaders (e.g., program directors and deans).

The program is designed for students to have the option to pursue the program on a part-time basis, in conjunction with their regular employment or full-time.

What should students expect to gain?

After completion of the PhD in HPE, students will be able to:

• Integrate theories in the social sciences and health professions to define and understand challenges in health professions education, research, and practice
• Employ a range of relevant research designs, research methodologies, and other scholarly practices to advance the field of health professions education as an independent investigator and eventual leader of a research team
• Situate education and education science within the sociopolitical context of health care and health professions education, and translate educational science into practice
• Additionally, students will have the opportunity to make numerous connections with experts in HPE in order to grow their professional networks.

Program format and cost

What is the program format.

The PhD in Health Professions Education is an online program, though some courses included in the curriculum have short-term, in-person requirements.

What is the cost of the program?

The online tuition is currently $925 per credit plus fees (information about fees can be found on the UIC Registrar’s website. The program/department (DME) does not offer any funding at this time. Graduate funding at UIC is primarily provided to students who attend their programs on a full-time basis; as such, the majority of PhD in HPE students are not eligible for the most common ways that PhD students at UIC fund their graduate degrees. PhD students may be able to seek funding through their employers. Also, all full-time students who are eligible to apply for financial support (e.g., scholarships, fellowships, or assistantships) through the Graduate College will be supported in their applications by departmental and PhD program administration.

Degree Requirements Heading link Copy link

Students must achieve the following requirements to graduate with a PhD in Health Professions Education.

Details on hours

The PhD in HPE degree requires 96 credit hours past the baccalaureate. However, we anticipate that the majority of admitted students will be eligible to receive 32 hours of advanced standing credit for a previously earned relevant master’s degree or advanced clinical degree (e.g., MDs), thus leaving 64 credit hours to complete the degree. (For more details, see FAQs.)

The program consists of several different categories of coursework: Foundational courses, Methodological courses, and HPE Area of Study courses. Many of these courses are shared with the MHPE program; however, students are also welcome to take other UIC courses with DGS and advisor approval.

To accommodate the heterogeneity of the expected student body, the curriculum aims to be quite flexible. Rather than being prescriptive about specific courses, the program focuses on the specific domains and competencies that were determined by program faculty to be fitting for rigorous, doctoral-level training in HPE. Specifically, students will work with their advisors and the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) to develop programs of study based upon their scholarly and methodological needs.

• View course descriptions

Details of mentorship

Students must complete a mentored, Applied Health Professions Education Experience in order to better facilitate integration of coursework and their understanding of HPE concepts within applied settings. These experiences might include working on DME faculty members’ research projects, engaging in HPE journal editorial work, helping to teach a course taught by a DME faculty member, or something comparable.

There are 3 exams

• Departmental Qualifying Examination: This comprehensive exam will evaluate students’ knowledge of foundational readings within health professions education and their ability to synthesize and critique these readings.
• Graduate College Preliminary Examination: Students are required to draft a dissertation prospectus and defend this prospectus at a virtual hearing in front of their Preliminary Examination committee (and future dissertation committee).
• Dissertation Defense: Students are required to complete a written dissertation with a public, virtual oral defense before their dissertation committee and other members of the academic community.

Dissertation details

PhD in HPE students must complete a Dissertation research project. Dissertation research must include original data collection (i.e., the research needs to include the development of a dataset, identification of sample/analytic subject, etc.). The project can include one large project with multiple components or serial linked studies/experiments. The most common format for the dissertation is the multiple-article model (three publishable articles, plus an introduction and conclusion), though a single monograph is also acceptable.

How to Apply Heading link Copy link

The application deadline for Fall 2025 is December 1 st , 2024. Only two applicants are accepted each year.

All applicants submit materials via Online Application . The Department of Medical Education Admissions Committee will then develop a ranked short list for subsequent interviews with potential PhD advisors. Short-listed applicants will interview (via Zoom) with the DGS and two potential advisors, all of whom will submit reviews for the applicants, which will then be used to develop the final ranked list for admissions.

Please review the admission and application requirements before applying.

Applicants will be informed of admissions decisions in the spring. Please note that all admitted students will be required to attend the 1-week in-person introductory course (MHPE 506), which takes place at the end of July in Chicago.

Application requirements Heading link Copy link

Details on prior degree requirements.

Applicants must have earned a baccalaureate degree.

A combination of a master’s degree in education, social science, or related fields and significant experience in a health professions setting or  A master’s degree in health professions education and/or an advanced professional degree in a health professions discipline.

Applying as a graduate of the Department of Medical Education MHPE program

Graduates of DME’s MHPE are eligible to apply to this program. However, since many of the courses are shared between the two programs, students in this group will need to take a larger proportion of their coursework outside of DME. If you have additional questions about how this works, please contact us for more information.

Transfer credits

Advanced standing credit determinations will be considered for applicants with master’s degrees in health professions education; master’s degrees in education, social science, or related fields; and advanced professional degrees in a health professions discipline. Admitted students may be eligible to receive 32 hours of advanced standing credit for a previously earned relevant master’s degree (or its equivalent; or an advanced clinical degree) toward the minimum 96 semester hours of credit requirement for the doctoral degree.

Transfer of graduate credits from other institutions will be handled on a case-by-case and course-by-course basis, pursuant to the transfer process described on the Graduate College website.

Read more on the policies around transfer of credit on the Graduate College website .

GPA details

Applicant’s previous grade point average must be above 3.75 on a 5-point scale or 3.0 on a 4-point scale.

Which tests to take

The GRE is not required for this program; however, applicants may submit their scores if they wish.

Applicants whose native language is not English must take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the exam of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Pearson’s PTE Academic. The test score cannot be more than two years old. For English proficiency test score minimums, reporting requirements, and exemptions, see the UIC Admissions International Requirements page for more details.

• UIC Admissions International Requirements

Review for submitting

To be considered for the PhD in HPE, students must demonstrate either credentials or experience in health professions education. Additionally, applicants must be actively engaged in, or preparing for, health professions educations scholarship. Applicants should demonstrate this engagement through their application materials. Applicants must submit:

• UIC online graduate application  (All application materials must be submitted through the UIC online graduate application.)
• Registrar-issued transcripts from each college and professional school attended
• Letters of Recommendation (3)
• Recommendation letters should address the applicant’s academic qualifications, research ability/experience, and ability to carry out advanced degree studies (including institutional/financial support, if available)
• Your background and/or experiences (past or present) that are relevant to the field of health professions education (these may include research, teaching, curricular development, administration, etc.).
• Future potential research agenda – please include at least one future project idea.
• Fit with program and why the applicant is pursuing the PhD in HPE at DME
• Applicant characteristics or experience likely to contribute to applicant success in the PhD program, including experience with online/virtual learning, prior graduate programs, institutional support, local mentorship, etc.
• If applicants are planning to pursue the degree in connection with their employment (i.e., part-time), they also must include a statement of how the doctoral program of study will fit in with their professional schedules and commitments.
• A Curriculum Vitae (CV) highlighting research, teaching, and service experience, particularly in HPE

Read if you are applying from outside the United States

International applicants must follow all UIC Admissions International Requirements for graduate admission. Please visit the UIC Admissions website for more details.

The Office of International Services is working to obtain authorization to allow international students to be admitted to this new academic program. In the event that the authorization is not in place in time prior to the start of the term of admission, admitted international students may defer their admission until the following year.

Contact for more program info Heading link Copy link

Laura e. hirshfield, laura schaaf, thank you to the uic college of education heading link copy link.

In 2010, the Department of Medical Education, in collaboration with faculty in the College of Education, developed an area of emphasis within the PhD in Curriculum and Instruction for students interested in Health Professions Education and Curriculum. This concentration in Curriculum Studies/Critical Pedagogies and Urban Teacher Education (Health Professions Education Area of Emphasis) focused on the exploration of curriculum across multiple educational contexts. The program has successfully graduated a diverse set of students from a variety of social identities, professional backgrounds, and ranks within their profession.

The Department of Medical Education is extremely grateful for the long-term collaborative relationship it has had with the College of Education, especially with the CS/CPUTE program. The department will continue to support students who are currently enrolled in the Collaborative PhD program; however, DME will no longer admit new students into the HPE Area of Emphasis. Instead, the PhD in HPE will effectively replace this offering.

FAQs Heading link Copy link

Q: what is the difference between the mhpe and phd in hpe.

A: The PhD in HPE is similar in content to the MHPE, except that it focuses on developing in students a deeper methodological training, with increased independence and greater knowledge of the HPE canon. The goal of the PhD program is to shift students away from the more applied focus of the MHPE to a broader scholarly, theoretical approach. Specifically, the PhD in HPE shares course offerings with the MHPE program, but the program has a greater emphasis on research design, data collection, and original scholarship for students who wish to serve as principal investigators in HPE studies.

Q: Why should someone pursue a PhD in HPE at DME?

A:  DME’s PhD in HPE is focused on training our students to become independent researchers and scholars in health professions education. Graduates of the HPE PhD program would be particularly well poised to be hired by health professions scholarship units (or organizations and institutions that  “share a commitment to the production and dissemination of rigorous educational practices and research” ). Clinical faculty who are heavily involved in health professions education research that guides educational policy or practice may also find the degree valuable for deepening their research expertise.

Q: What are you looking for in applicants?

A: To be considered for the PhD in HPE, students must demonstrate either credentials or experience in health professions education. Typical students may include MDs, other clinicians (e.g., nurses and physical therapists), and non-clinical educators (e.g., student services or curricular affairs) aiming to deepen their methodological training and increase their knowledge of the health professions education canon. We welcome applicants from a variety of career stages. That said, all applicants must be actively engaged in, or preparing for, health professions educations scholarship. Applicants should demonstrate this engagement through their application materials.

Q: Is the program entirely online?

A:  No, not entirely.  Students are required to come to Chicago for the 1-week on-campus orientation course (MHPE 506), in which they are introduced to core course content and faculty and begin to develop the peer relationships that will form the basis of a lasting community of practice. For students who are not able to attend (e.g., international students unable to attain short-term visas) alternative opportunities for participation will be negotiated with course faculty members. Some MHPE courses may also have additional on-site components.

Q: How long does it take to complete the program?

A:  It’s hard to say, as it really varies based on a lot of different factors (i.e., if the student must complete 64 or 96 credit hours; how many credit hours a student takes each semester; when courses are offered and the availability in them; how long it takes the student to complete the exams and the dissertation; etc.).  The program will adhere to UIC Graduate College timelines for student completion of the program ( https://grad.uic.edu/doctoral-degrees/ ).

Q: How many courses/credits should I take each semester?

A:  It depends on your workload outside of the PhD in HPE. Most of our students will take the program part-time while they are working full-time; these students generally will take 4-6 credits per semester. Students should work with their advisor and PhD Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) to develop a plan that works best for them.

Q: What is advanced standing credit?

A:  Admitted students may be eligible to receive 32 hours of advanced standing credit for a previously earned relevant master’s degree (or its equivalent; or an advanced clinical degree) toward the minimum 96 semester hours of credit requirement for the doctoral degree, thus making it 64 credit hours to complete the doctoral degree.  For consideration, the degree must be posted as completed on a transcript from an accredited institution, and, if international, equivalent to a U.S. master’s degree (as determined by the Graduate Admissions Office and the Graduate College).  Students who are not granted advanced standing credit will be required to complete 32 additional credit hours of 400-level and 500-level coursework in related areas.  A minimum of 16 of these credit hours must be letter-graded courses (A to F), rather than project or thesis credits. For more information on advancing standing credit, please see the UIC Graduate College website :

Q: Where can I learn more about the coursework taken in the program?

A:  The program consists of several different categories of coursework: Foundational courses, Methodological courses, and HPE Area of Study courses. Many of these courses are shared with the MHPE program; however, students are also welcome to take other UIC courses with DGS and advisor approval.

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• NEWS FEATURE
• 09 July 2024

How PhD students and other academics are fighting the mental-health crisis in science

• Shannon Hall

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Illustration: Piotr Kowalczyk

You have full access to this article via your institution.

On the first day of her class, Annika Martin asks the assembled researchers at the University of Zurich in Switzerland to roll out their yoga mats and stand with their feet spread wide apart. They place their hands on their hips before swinging their torsos down towards the mat and back up again. The pose, called ‘wild goose drinking water’ is from Lu Jong, a foundational practice in Tantrayana Buddhism.

Martin, a health psychologist, can sense that some students are sceptical. They are academics at heart, many of whom have never tried yoga, and registered for Martin’s course to learn how to deal with the stress associated with academic research. Over the course of a semester, she teaches her students about stress and its impact on the body before giving them the tools to help cope with it — from yoga, meditation and progressive muscle relaxation to journalling.

It is one of many initiatives designed to combat the mental-health crisis that is gripping science and academia more broadly. The problems are particularly acute for students and early-career researchers, who are often paid meagre wages, have to uproot their lives every few years and have few long-term job prospects. But senior researchers face immense pressure as well. Many academics also experience harassment, discrimination , bullying and even sexual assault . The end result is that students and academics are much more likely to experience depression and anxiety than is the general population.

But some universities and institutions are starting to fight back in creative ways.

The beginning of a movement

The University of Zurich now offers academics several popular courses on mental health. Beyond Martin’s class, called ‘Mindfulness and Meditation’, one helps students learn how to build resilience and another provides senior researchers with the tools they need to supervise PhD candidates.

The courses are in high demand. “We have way more registrations than we have actual course spots,” says Eric Alms, a programme manager who is responsible for many of the mental-health courses at the University of Zurich. “I’m happy that my courses are so successful. On the other hand, it’s a sign of troubling times when these are the most popular courses.”

Several studies over the past few years have collectively surveyed tens of thousands of researchers and have documented the scope and consequences of science’s mental-health crisis.

In 2020, the biomedical research funder Wellcome in London, surveyed more than 4,000 researchers (mostly in the United Kingdom) and found that 70% felt stressed on the average work day . Specifically, survey respondents said that they felt intense pressure to publish — so much so that they work 50–60 hours per week, or more. And they do so for little pay, without a sense of a secure future. Only 41% of mid-career and 31% of early-career researchers said that they were satisfied with their career prospects in research.

The International Max Planck Research School for Intelligent Systems run bootcamps involving activities such as painting. Credit: Alejandro Posada

A survey designed by Cactus Communications , a science-communication and technology company headquartered in Mumbai, India, analysed the opinions of 13,000 researchers in more than 160 countries in 2020 and found that 37% of scientists experienced discrimination, harassment or bullying in their work environment. This was especially true for researchers from under-represented groups and was the case for 42% of female researchers, 45% of homosexual researchers and 60% of multiracial researchers.

Yet some experts are hopeful that there is change afoot. As well as the University of Zurich, several other institutions have started to offer courses on mental health. Imperial College London, for example, conducts more than two dozen courses, workshops and short webinars on topics as diverse as menstrual health and seasonal depression. Most of these have been running for at least five years, but several were developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. “At that time, the true dimension of the mental-health crisis in science was unveiled and potentially exacerbated by the lockdowns,” says Ines Perpetuo, a research-development consultant for postdocs and fellows at Imperial College London.

Desiree Dickerson, a clinical psychologist with a PhD in neuroscience who leads workshops at the University of Zurich, Imperial College London and other institutes around the world, says she has a heavier workload than ever before. “Before COVID, this kind of stuff wasn’t really in the spotlight,” she says. “Now it feels like it is gaining a solid foothold — that we are moving in the right direction.”

A mental-health crisis is gripping science — toxic research culture is to blame

Some of this change has been initiated by graduate students and postdocs. When Yaniv Yacoby was a graduate student in computer science at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for example, he designed a course to teach the “hidden curriculum of the PhD”. The goal was to help students to learn how to succeed in science (often by breaking down preconceived ideas), while creating an inclusive and supportive community. An adapted form of that course is now offered by both Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and the University of Washington in Seattle. And Yacoby has worked with other universities to develop single-session workshops to jump-start mental-health advocacy and normalize conversations about it in academia.

Similarly, Jessica Noviello, a planetary scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, built a workshop series designed to target a key stressor for academics’ mental health: job insecurity, or specifically, the ability to find a job that aligns with career plans and life goals. She argues that most advisers lack experience outside academia, “making it hard for them to advise students about other career options”, and most institutes don’t have the resources to bring in outside speakers. Yet it is a key issue. The 2020 Wellcome survey found that nearly half of the respondents who had left research reported difficulty in finding a job.

So Noviello established the Professional Advancement Workshop Series (PAWS) in August 2021. The programme has run workshops and panel discussions about careers at national laboratories and in science journalism and media communications, science policy, data science, NASA management and more. And it has hosted two sessions on mental-health topics. “PAWS isn’t a programme that specifically set out to improve mental health in the sciences, but by building a community and having conversations with each other, the experts, and ourselves, I think we are giving ourselves tools to make choices that benefit us, and that is where mental health begins,” Noviello says.

Beyond the classroom

Although these courses and workshops mark a welcome change, say researchers, many wonder whether they are enough.

Melanie Anne-Atkins, a clinical psychologist and the associate director of student experience at the University of Guelph in Canada, who gives talks on mental health at various universities, says that she rarely sees universities follow through after her workshops. “People are moved to tears,” she says. “But priorities happen afterward. And even though they made a plan, it never rises to that. Because dollars will always come first.”

David Trang, a planetary geologist based in Honolulu, Hawaii, at the Space Science Institute, is currently working towards a licence in mental-health counselling to promote a healthier work environment in the sciences. He agrees with Anne-Atkins — arguing that even individual researchers have little incentive to make broad changes. “Caring about mental health, caring about diversity, equity and inclusion is not going to help scientists with their progress in science,” he says. Although they might worry about these matters tremendously, Trang argues, mental-health efforts won’t help scientists to win a grant or receive tenure. “At the end of the day, they have to care about their own survival in science.”

Still, others argue that these workshops are a natural and crucial first step — that people need to de-stigmatize these topics before moving forward. “It is quite a big challenge,” Perpetuo says. “But you have to understand what’s under your control. You can control your well-being, your reactions to things and you can influence what’s around you.”

PhD students compete in a team-building relay race at a bootcamp run by the International Max Planck Research School for Intelligent Systems. Credit: Alejandro Posada

That is especially pertinent to the typical scientist who tends to see their work as a calling and not just a job, argues Nina Effenberger, who is studying computer science at the University of Tübingen in Germany. The Wellcome survey found that scientists are often driven by their own passion — making failure deeply personal. But a solid mental-health toolkit (one that includes the skills taught in many of the new workshops) will help them to separate their work from their identity and understand that a grant denial or a paper rejection is not the end of their career. Nor should it have any bearing on their self-worth, Effenberger argues. It is simply a part of a career in science.

Moreover, Dickerson argues that although systemic change is necessary, individuals will drive much of that change. “My sense is that if I can empower the individual, then that individual can also push back,” she says.

Many researchers are starting to do just that through efforts aimed at improving working conditions for early-career researchers, an area of widespread concern. The Cactus survey found that 38% of researchers were dissatisfied with their financial situation. And another survey of 3,500 graduate students by the US National Science Foundation in 2020 (see go.nature.com/3xbokbk) found that more than one-quarter of the respondents experienced food insecurity, housing insecurity or both.

In the United States, efforts to organize unions have won salary increases and other benefits, such as childcare assistance, at the University of California in 2022, Columbia University in New York City in 2023 and the University of Washington in 2023. These wins are part of a surge in union formation. Last year alone, 26 unions representing nearly 50,000 graduate students, postdocs and researchers, formed in the United States.

There has also been collective action in other countries. In 2022, for example, Effenberger and her colleagues surveyed graduate students about their finances, and ultimately won an increase in pay at the International Max Planck Research School for Intelligent Systems (IMPRS-IS), an interdisciplinary doctoral programme within the Max Planck Society in Munich, Germany.

Why the mental cost of a STEM career can be too high for women and people of colour

Union drives are only part of the changes that are happening beyond the classroom. In the past few years, Imperial College London has revamped its common rooms, lecture halls and other spaces to create more places in which students can congregate. “If they have a space where they can go and chat, it is more conducive to research conversations and even just personal connection, which is one of the key aspects of fostering mental health,” Perpetuo says. Imperial also introduced both one-day and three-day voluntary retreats for postdocs and fellows to build personal relationships.

The IMPRS-IS similarly runs ‘bootcamps’ or retreats for many of its doctoral students and faculty members. Dickerson spoke at the one last year. The programme also mandates annual check-ins at which students can discuss group dynamics and raise any issues with staff. It has initiated thesis advisory committees so that no single academic supervisor has too much power over a student. And it plans to survey its students’ mental health twice a year for the next three years to probe the mental health of the institute. The institute has even set various mental-health goals, such as high job satisfaction among PhD students regardless of gender.

Dickerson applauds this change. “One of the biggest problems that I see is a fear of measuring the problem,” she says. “Many don’t want to ask the questions and I think those that do should be championed because I think without measuring it, we can’t show that we are actually changing anything.”

She hopes that other universities will follow suit and provide researchers with the resources that they need to improve conditions. Last year, for example, Trang surveyed the planetary-science community and found that imposter syndrome and feeling unappreciated were large issues — giving him a focus for many future workshops. “We’re moving slowly to make changes,” he says. “But I’m glad we are finally turning the corner from ‘if there is a problem’ to ‘let’s start solving the problem.’”

Nature 631 , 496-498 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-02225-8

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$1 billion gift to make Johns Hopkins medical school free for most

The donation from Bloomberg Philanthropies will also expand financial aid for the school’s other graduate programs, including nursing and public health.

A $1 billion gift to Johns Hopkins University from billionaire Mike Bloomberg will make medical school free for most students and increase financial aid for those enrolled in nursing, public health and other graduate programs.

In a Monday letter in the Bloomberg Philanthropies annual report , Bloomberg addressed the dual challenges of declining health and education. The gift marks an emphatic endorsement of the value of higher learning at a time when academia increasingly has been under political attack .

“As the U.S. struggles to recover from a disturbing decline in life expectancy, our country faces a serious shortage of doctors, nurses, and public health professionals — and yet, the high cost of medical, nursing, and graduate school too often bars students from enrolling,” wrote Bloomberg, a 1964 graduate of Johns Hopkins and the founder of the Bloomberg business and financial data news company. “By reducing the financial barriers to these essential fields, we can free more students to pursue careers they’re passionate about — and enable them to serve more of the families and communities who need them the most.”

Starting this fall, Johns Hopkins will offer medical students free tuition — normally about $65,000 a year for four years — if their families earn less than $300,000 a year.

Students from families earning up to $175,000 a year will have living expenses and fees covered as well.

“It’s a full-ride scholarship,” Hopkins President Ronald J. Daniels said. “We see that as a very significant move to ensure that medical education is available to the best and brightest across the country.”

Increases in medical school tuition have outpaced inflation at both public and private institutions, said Holly J. Humphrey, president of the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, a nonprofit focused on improving the education of health professionals. There has been a shift in who attends, with an increasing share of students from high-income families and dwindling numbers from lower-income homes.

The median debt from medical school for the class of 2023 was $200,000, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges .

Too many students don’t even consider medical school because of the cost, said Sanjay Desai, the chief academic officer at the American Medical Association.

Health outcomes are improved, he said, when physicians reflect the diversity of patients they treat. Studies also suggest that students from lower-income backgrounds are more likely to return to underserved communities as doctors.

There are other troubling gaps. The country needs more primary care doctors, Desai said, but student debt can drive people toward more lucrative specialty fields.

“I hope it inspires others to action,” said Desai, who is also a Johns Hopkins faculty member.

The donation brings total giving from Bloomberg Philanthropies to Johns Hopkins University to a staggering $4.55 billion, an infusion of cash that has allowed the school to vault its aspirations and impact in many areas. Affordability has been one major through line: In 2018, Bloomberg, a former mayor of New York and presidential candidate , announced a historic $1.8 billion gift for increased undergraduate financial aid and the promise that admissions decisions would be need-blind going forward. That gift helped spur changes in the student body , which now has more low-income students and greater racial diversity.

Stefano Montalvo benefited from that 2018 donation. He didn’t think he could afford college, but when he left track practice at his rural public high school in New Jersey to check whether he had been accepted into Hopkins, he saw the financial aid offer, with shock: It covered almost the entire cost of attendance.

“I called my mom,” he said, “and we cried on the phone.”

For medical school, which he will begin at Hopkins in the fall, he expected to take on $400,000 in debt. Instead, he learned he will have tuition and cost of living covered. And on Monday, he learned that many of his classmates will, too. “It’s incredible, really,” he said.

The aid is important in giving hope to people from lower-income backgrounds, he said, “and getting those students to school is critical for progressing medicine and health care.”

Most of the patients they will treat won’t be wealthy, he said, so having students who have seen challenges growing up can help inform others about barriers to care and other issues. “In that type of learning environment, we can thrive and create physicians better prepared to deal with the diversity of society today,” he said.

The gift announced Monday is not the first aimed at erasing medical-school tuition costs for students. Earlier this year, a billion-dollar donation to Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York from Ruth Gottesman, the chair of its board of trustees, enabled the school to announce to cheers that fourth-year students would be reimbursed for their spring tuition and that in the future, tuition would be free. New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine announced in 2018 that it would give full-tuition scholarships to all students regardless of financial need, and a $200 million donation last summer ensured that NYU’s second medical school, NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine, will be tuition-free in perpetuity.

At Hopkins, existing aid has diminished the debts its students carry. In the past academic year, graduates left with an average debt of $105,000, about half the national average, school officials said.

Monday’s announcement will dramatically change that.

Part of the value of the model is its simplicity, Daniels said: Applicants, or students aspiring to one day apply, can clearly see what their total costs would be based on their family’s income, rather than having to wait for acceptance and a financial-aid package from the school.

The donation also will increase graduate financial aid in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and School of Nursing. And it will bump up graduate financial aid at the schools of arts and sciences, advanced international studies, education, engineering, and business; the Peabody Institute; and the forthcoming school of government and policy, which was announced last fall and will be housed in the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in Washington near the Capitol.

Many students at Johns Hopkins have benefited from financial aid donations. Albert Holler, who grew up near Chicago, wanted to be a doctor ever since high school, when a classmate with leukemia died. But with a mother working variously as a hairstylist or waitress or cleaner, and a father juggling two jobs to support the family of five, he assumed he would need to take on enormous debt. After applying to medical schools, he woke up one weekend morning in his undergraduate dorm and, still groggy, opened an email from Hopkins. A dean was offering $90,000 a year in aid, a deal that included the cost of living for four years. Holler texted his dad, wondering if it could be a real offer.

That gift from a donor, he said, “has very much altered the course of my life.”

More students having their costs of medical school covered, he said, would not only help Hopkins attract the best students regardless of their means, but also would be excellent for patient care.

An internal-medicine resident working in Baltimore and planning to become an oncologist, Holler frequently uses the Spanish he learned from his mother and honed by volunteering in health clinics. Now, with a recent influx of people from Central America to Baltimore, he relies on it to understand his patients’ needs. “It also seems to just let them take a deep breath,” he said, “and then have a little more trust.”

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Geographic coordinates of Elektrostal, Moscow Oblast, Russia

Coordinates of elektrostal in decimal degrees, coordinates of elektrostal in degrees and decimal minutes, utm coordinates of elektrostal, geographic coordinate systems.

WGS 84 coordinate reference system is the latest revision of the World Geodetic System, which is used in mapping and navigation, including GPS satellite navigation system (the Global Positioning System).

Geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) define a position on the Earth’s surface. Coordinates are angular units. The canonical form of latitude and longitude representation uses degrees (°), minutes (′), and seconds (″). GPS systems widely use coordinates in degrees and decimal minutes, or in decimal degrees.

Latitude varies from −90° to 90°. The latitude of the Equator is 0°; the latitude of the South Pole is −90°; the latitude of the North Pole is 90°. Positive latitude values correspond to the geographic locations north of the Equator (abbrev. N). Negative latitude values correspond to the geographic locations south of the Equator (abbrev. S).

Longitude is counted from the prime meridian ( IERS Reference Meridian for WGS 84) and varies from −180° to 180°. Positive longitude values correspond to the geographic locations east of the prime meridian (abbrev. E). Negative longitude values correspond to the geographic locations west of the prime meridian (abbrev. W).

UTM or Universal Transverse Mercator coordinate system divides the Earth’s surface into 60 longitudinal zones. The coordinates of a location within each zone are defined as a planar coordinate pair related to the intersection of the equator and the zone’s central meridian, and measured in meters.

Elevation above sea level is a measure of a geographic location’s height. We are using the global digital elevation model GTOPO30 .

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A bridge from undergraduate to graduate studies

Post-baccalaureate program help students transition to the next academic level.

Five SEAS post-baccalaureate students with staff members Edward Alexander, Kathryn Hollar and Paula Nicole Booke

The graduate and undergraduate student experience isn’t the same. Undergraduates spend the majority of their four years in classrooms. But for graduate students — especially those pursuing PhDs in engineering and applied sciences — most of the work is in the lab.

The focus on laboratory research can make pursuing advanced degrees feel daunting for some students.

“I’d always had a love for math, science and experimentation, but when COVID happened, they shut down the school, so I wasn’t able to do any hands-on experiments, “ said Shekinah Newson.

After graduating in 2021, Newson joined the inaugural cohort of post-baccalaureate students at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS). The post-baccalaureate program , offered through the SEAS Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging and Office of Education Outreach and Community Programs, acts as a bridge from undergraduate to graduate school. The program allows students to gain laboratory research experience with SEAS faculty, while continuing to take courses that will prepare them for their graduate studies.

Post-baccalaureate students typically stay for 1-2 years, but have the option to stay on for a third.  So far six students have completed the program, five of whom have gone onto graduate school.

“I’m super glad I did it, because now I’ve honed in the research skills that I started to develop as an undergraduate,” said Maggie Vallejo, a former environmental science and engineering undergraduate concentrator at SEAS. “I definitely think more like a researcher, and I better understand that research isn’t linear.”

Vallejo’s undergraduate advisor was Jim Anderson, Philip S. Weld Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry, and she returned to the Anderson Research Group for her post-baccalaureate studies. Her senior capstone project involved predicting power losses in solar cells aboard stratospheric aircraft, and as a post-baccalaureate researcher, she transitioned to analyzing lithium-ion battery cell performance.

Post-baccalaureate student Maggie Vallejo in the lab of Jim Anderson, Philip S. Weld Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry

“During the application process, I made sure Professor Anderson was OK with me just staying in his lab,” she said. “I was interested in the work I was already doing, and I knew the people in the lab, so I figured why not just stay.”

Vallejo spent both years of her program with the same professor, but that isn’t required. The program is meant to help students focus their academic goals, and sometimes that focus clarifies that the lab a student started in isn’t exactly what they want moving forward. Dawn Bordenave, another member of the inaugural cohort, spent each of her first two years in different labs before settling into the lab of Joanna Aizenberg, Amy Smith Berylson Professor of Materials Science and Professor of Chemistry & Chemical Biology.

Bordenave is part of Aizenberg’s research into the improvement of ventricular catheter design for treatment of hydrocephalus, a potentially deadly disorder in which fluid builds up in the cavities deep within the human brain. Her specific part of the project is to develop low-cost methods of constructing the catheter in the lab, making it much easier to physically test new designs before beginning clinical trials.

“After spending time in other labs, I realized that I wanted to do something different that was a little closer to my goal of designing medical devices,” Bordenave said. “The program is very flexible. If the research, lab or mentor you start off with isn’t close to what you want and you want to change, that’s definitely an option. The Aizenberg Lab was the best fit for me.”

Newson, who completed the program last month, worked in the Harvard Biodesign Lab, led by Conor Walsh, Paul A. Maeder Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences, as well as the lab of Michael Brenner, Michael F. Cronin Professor of Applied Mathematics and Applied Physics and Professor of Physics. With Walsh, she worked on the soft robotics toolkit, an educational package for teaching robotics to younger students. With Brenner, she helped developed a non-invasive method to measure range of motion

“This innovative educational resource empowers people to learn about robotics through engaging, hands-on activities,” Newson said. “To be able to build a toolkit that allows a child to both play and learn at the same time is amazing. I wish I had something like that when I was growing up.”

Newson, Bordenave and Vallejo will all be leaving SEAS for graduate programs at other universities. Newson will pursue a master’s degree in robotics at Boston University, and Bordenave and Vallejo are both heading to Cornell University: Bordenave for a master’s degree in biomedical engineering, Vallejo for an M.S./Ph.D. program in civil and environmental engineering.

“It was fantastic having Shekinah as part of our research group,” Walsh said. “She got involved in a number of projects, including one focused on using soft robotics in education and STEM outreach. It is very exciting that she will be going on to do an MS in robotics at BU as a next step. Her passion for learning and growing her engineering skill set has been a great example for us all.”

Eva Langenbrunner joined the program last fall and will be back to work in the Harvard Microrobotics Lab, led by Robert Wood, Harry Lewis and Marlyn McGrath Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences. She’s developing materials that can fold into origami-like shapes using soft robotic actuators.

“Post-baccalaureates programs are really great because they teach you how to be a successful grad student,” she said. “The program goes over how to properly write research articles, which is something no one in undergrad teaches you how to do, but then you get to grad school and they expect you to know it. The biggest thing I learned here was how to structure a research project from beginning to end.”

Post-baccalaureate student Katie Barajas working in the lab of Marko Lončar, Tiantsai Lin Professor of Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics at SEAS

Langenbrunner will be joined by new post-baccalaureate Jonathan Chinana, a Navajo Technical University (NTU) graduate who first came to SEAS for the Research Experience for Undergraduates program in the summer of 2022 . Michael Nelwood, another NTU graduate, finished his post-baccalaureate studies in the lab of Jennifer Lewis, Hansjörg Wyss Professor of Biologically Inspired Engineering. He’s now working as a lab tech in the Lewis Lab.

Katie Barajas has spent the last two years with the Harvard Quantum Initiative, working in the lab of Marko Lončar, Tiantsai Lin Professor of Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics. She’ll continue with the Lončar Group as an applied physics Ph.D. student this fall. Her research focuses on the fabrication of nanostructures in specially lab-grown diamonds. These diamonds have a silicon atom implanted in place of two carbon atoms. These defects are called “silicon vacancy centers,” and they could potentially be used to transmit information in a quantum computer.

“It wasn’t until late in my undergrad career that I learned about the field of quantum optics. If I wanted to pursue a degree in that field, I needed more research experience,” she said. “That persuaded me to do the post-baccalaureate program. I’m in a much better place than when I was coming out of undergrad. This program has given me the confidence to say I can be a scientist and pursue scientific research, and that’s a testament to the people I’ve worked with.”

Topics: Academics , Applied Physics , Bioengineering , Diversity / Inclusion , Environmental Science & Engineering , Materials Science & Mechanical Engineering , Optics / Photonics , Quantum Engineering , Robotics

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More From Forbes

Studies link hair relaxers to cancer. many doctors question the data.

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Woman with natural hair and straightened hair

Jaye Hall was 9 years old when she first relaxed her hair. What started as a one-time trial for her elementary school graduation quickly shifted to routine. Every six weeks, to be exact. Straight hair heightened her ability to feel pretty. “Once I saw that my hair was straight, I was addicted,” she said.

But straight hair came at a cost, as the product would often burn her scalp. “I wanted my roots straight. If I took the relaxer off too soon I would end up with puffy roots,” she says.

At age 21, Hall was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome, causing her to question the relationship between relaxers and her health.

Scientists have long searched for either an association or causation between hair products and health outcomes , including infertility , alopecia , fibroids and early menarche . Two longitudinal cohort studies—the Black Women Health Study and the Sister Study—have received attention for raising the possibility that hair relaxers could be associated with uterine cancer. But many question the data behind their findings.

Black Women Health Study

The Black Women Health Study started in 1995 and tracks the health and illnesses of 59,000 Black women via biennial questionnaires. Respondents provide information about their medical history, such as their weight, medications and diet. Two years after the study launched, amid widespread use of relaxers, researchers added questions about hair products to the survey. Dr. Kimberly Bertrand , epidemiologist at Slone Epidemiology Center, and her team recently studied if relaxers could increase the risk of uterine cancer for Black women.

The authors recruited Black women who were cancer free as of 1997, when they first reported their hair relaxer use. These women were followed for 20 to 25 years to observe who developed cancer and who did not. The study population included only Black women, and 95% of the cohort reported using relaxers in the past. This created a statistical challenge of purely comparing those who have used relaxers to those who have never. Still, Bertrand’s results raised concerns about relaxers. “Postmenopausal uterine cancer women who used relaxers more than twice a year or for more than five years had more than a 50% increase in risk of uterine cancer,” she states.

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In my conversation with Bertrand, she astutely calls out the difference between relative risk and absolute risk. When interpreting the 50% increase in relative risk of uterine cancer for postmenopausal women who use relaxers, one needs to take into account that uterine cancer is not very common; it accounts for about 3.5% of all cancers. Therefore, the absolute risk is probably much lower, as “you are multiplying an uncommon cancer by 50%, so you’re still going to be in the uncommon range,” she adds.

Sister Study

The Sister Study started in 2003 and follows 50,000 women between ages 35-70 who have a sister with breast cancer. The study goal is to learn how genetics and environment affect the risks of developing cancer. Dr. Alexandra White , leader of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ Environment and Cancer Epidemiology group, and her team recently studied the relationship between hair products and uterine cancer .

Unlike the Black Women Health Study, 86% of participants in the Sister Study were white and 7% were Black. The Sister Study also differed by not asking questions specifically about relaxers. Survey participants reported on more general hair product use during the prior 12 months. Results showed that those who used straightening products — like keratin treatments, flat irons, or relaxers — more than four times in the previous 12 months were twice as likely to develop uterine cancer compared to those who never used them. The risk of uterine cancer by age 70 for those who never used straightening products was 1.64% versus 4.05% for those with frequent use.

“The association was strong among frequent users, which supports the plausibility of the link,” White adds. However, she believes more research is needed and that she cannot definitively state that straighteners, like relaxers, cause cancer.

Both studies have heightened a much-needed discussion about avoidable environmental causes of cancer. However, as with any questionnaire, there are clear limitations that might reduce its validity and impact.

Some physicians and researchers not involved with these studies are less convinced that current data imparts a strong association between relaxers and cancer.

Information Collection

Dr. Kemi Doll , gynecologic oncologist in the UW Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, believes these studies paved the road to later find definitive answers. Her consideration with the Sister Study was that “it was a survey study so we are basing [conclusions] on women reporting what they have been exposed to.” Questionnaires are vulnerable to bias, especially if participants have to recall behaviors from the past. Surveys are able to help generate a hypothesis, but rarely are they able to definitively find a cause for an outcome like cancer.

While the published data in both studies focused heavily on trends with product use, neither did a dive deep into the population of women who straighten their hair. “The group of women who straighten their hair are inherently different from women who don’t,” theorizes Dr. Sharon Malone , board-certified OB/GYN and author of Grown Woman Talk .

Perhaps women who straighten hair avoid moisture, like sweat. Assessing frequency of exercise for those who straighten their hair and develop cancer could provide further information, as obesity is a known risk factor for uterine cancer. Or, perhaps Black women who have more stressful jobs feel the need to straighten their hair. “All of these other factors that go along with having to straighten hair could be separate from the straightener itself,” Malone explains.

Neither survey solicits particular product brands used nor specifics regarding the relaxer application process. “ We don’t have actual information on what kind of straightener, to what extent they were on the scalp... the strength or chemical makeup,” Doll says. Chemical exposure and personal risk depends on the ingredients, application technique and ventilation of the home or salon. Part of this problem is out of the hands of researchers. Often the ingredients in relaxers are extensive, variable and concealed by manufacturers as proprietary formulations. Plus, long and detailed questionnaires are less likely to be completed.

Grouping Of Products

“The most common active ingredients [of relaxers] are sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide or guanidine hydroxide,” says Dr. Charlotte Goldfine, medical toxicologist at Harvard Medical School. “These are the same ingredients that are used in detergents and drain and oven cleaners.”

Sodium hydroxide, and the other hydroxides found in relaxers, have not been shown to be carcinogenic. Relaxers are different from keratin treatments and Brazilian blowouts as the latter contain formaldehyde as their active ingredient. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen and can be found in glues, paints and building insulation, for instance.

Categories of hair products are often grouped or incorrectly interchanged. A criticism with the 2022 Sister Study is that various types of straighteners — including products with formaldehyde as an active ingredient — were combined into one category. “Flat iron, relaxers and keratin treatments were all considered the same,” says Dr. Crystal Aguh , dermatologist and author of 90 Days to Beautiful Hair . However, these products are different in mechanism and active ingredients.

The researchers mention that they were unable to separate out the people who flat iron their hair, an arguably lower risk process. “The most common way to straighten your hair is through a flat iron. If you remove them from the large category of hair straighteners, you aren’t going to have enough people to test for statistical significance,” says Aguh.

Short Reporting Period

Participants of the Sister Study were asked to report their hair product usage for the past 12 months prior to the questionnaire. “If you want to make a case, then you look at trends of five years or 10 years,” Malone adds.

As I wrote this article I remembered my time in medical school. I relaxed my hair two to three times a year, but I haven’t done so for five years. Though I applaud any research aiming to solve health disparities, the research in either case cannot help me assess my own risk as I’m not post-menopausal and I haven’t used a relaxer for the past 12 months.

Hormone Inconsistencies

Uterine cancer is classified into two types: Type 1 is hormone-responsive and Type 2 is not hormone-responsive. Type 1 uterine cancer is thought to be triggered by hormone disruptors, such as parabens and phthalates. If parabens and phthalates are the reason uterine cancer rates are rising then we should see rates of Type 1 cancer increasing in nearly all women — as both hormone disruptors are ubiquitously found in soaps, conditioners, perfumes, and makeup. Interestingly, Malone says it is actually Type 2 uterine cancer that is increasing, and that Black women outpace white women in having non-hormone dependent uterine cancer: “The theory of uterine cancer and relaxers being related to hormones in products is all wrong.” If the rise in Type 2 uterine cancer is from relaxers, the culprit ingredient has yet to be identified. The active ingredient in relaxers are hydroxides, such as sodium hydroxide, which is not found to affect hormones or cause cancer.

Unfair Blame

In recent years, Black women have been using straightening products less and wearing natural hairstyles more . They’re also not the only women who use straightening products. In the Sister Study, 60% of study participants using straighteners, relaxers, or pressing products were Black women and 40% were white or Hispanic/Latina women.

Malone finds herself struggling to deal with the volume of blame against Black women. The literature, even beyond these two studies, “keeps pointing to Black women and labeling something we are doing wrong,” she says. Black women are currently using relaxers less than ever before, and yet, rates of uterine cancer are still increasing. She fears this focus on Black women is diluting the confirmed problems: the incidence of uterine cancer is going up. And Black women are more likely to die from it.

It is important for Black women to know that even if they stop relaxing their hair, the risk of uterine cancer will not disappear completely. The authors of both studies disclose they only found an association and not causation, however the message that gets to the general public is largely changed and sensationalized. Malone believes the media coverage that follows research studies often deflects the attention from what matters: “telling people to look out for post-menopausal bleeding or if you have a period of PCOS and you have two periods a year — those scenarios put you at risk for cancer.”

Understanding The Stakes

Jaye Hall wearing a natural hairstyle

The conversation about hair care for Black women is a delicate one, as the impact of using relaxers extends beyond health. For many, hairstyles and hair care is an essential aspect of their identity — especially in the workplace. “In a setting that is predominately white, I can still feel like I am looked at differently based on my hairstyle,” Hall says. She now wears natural hairstyles but stated that straight hair would make the workplace easier to navigate.

Natural hairstyles have their own risks. “It is not enough [for doctors] to tell women to stop using relaxers and just walk out of the room,” says Aguh. She shares that the decision to wear natural hairstyles and spend significant time in braids, weaves, or wigs is causing permanent alopecia. “Alopecia clinics are filled to the brim of women with permeate hair loss in their early 30s because someone told them if they went natural everything would turn around.” Most importantly, wearing natural hairstyles is not decreasing rates of uterine cancer as these rates continue to climb.

Future Directions

After reviewing dozens of articles on the topic, I applaud all researchers for attempting to resolve important and complex healthcare issues. Bertrand is hopeful more studies will unfold. “To date we have two studies exploring the relationship between uterine cancer and relaxers. We don’t have the quantity of the evidence yet to make a strong claim.” She knows that despite many studies being consistent, there needs to be an actual chemical that is named the culprit. “No observational study can determine the exact cause,” she adds.

With more robust research there will hopefully be policy change. The FDA has yet to publicly announce its decision to ban the use of formaldehyde in hair straighteners, specifically keratin treatments. If the FDA ban is passed, relaxers will likely be unaffected because they don’t have formaldehyde.

Until then, here are considerations I gathered from a multidisciplinary team of doctors:

• Instead of only asking your doctor, “Should I use relaxers?” ask about the signs and symptoms of breast and uterine cancer. Ask them to review your personal risk factors.
• Understand that it’s unlikely a single product is causing the widespread increase of cancers in adults. “It's the cumulative burden of all of the unnamed chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, pharmaceuticals, preservatives, and petroleum derivatives that are inescapable in western civilization,” says Dr. Diana Molavi , chief of pathology at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore.
• Consider decreasing your use of cosmetic products overall. “Most dermatologists would discourage use of too many hair products and treatments as we often see patients with complications, such as allergic contact dermatitis, irritant contact dermatitis and hair loss,” says Dr. Kelly Park, a board certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at the Illinois Dermatology Institute.
• Decide if you would like to seek legal representation against manufacturers of these products as the research continues to expand. Colette McEldowney , lawyer at Rueb Stoller Daniel, says clients need formal medical records that demonstrate a diagnosis of cancer. Patients do not need documented paper trails of all prior over-the-counter or salon transactions. “Their word is enough and they will need to sign an affidavit of use to the product,” says McEldowney.
• Accept the way Black women want to wear their hair. “Systemic biases may put pressure on Black women to choose things like relaxers or straighteners, which can lead to racial differences in health outcomes,” says Karen Tang , gynecologist and author of It’s Not Hysteria .
• Understand the strength of a research study as well as its limitations. Surveys are a start to a conversation and help guide further research. The results, however, are rarely definitive and still require individuals to review their own risk tolerance.

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• Autumn Kieber-Emmons, MD, MPH
• Benjamin Han, MD, MPH
• Brooke A. Levandowski, PhD, MPA
• Camille R. Quinn, PhD, AM, LCSW
• Justine Wu, MD, MPH
• Kelly Aschbrenner, PhD
• Kim N. Danforth, ScD, MPH
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• Rose Molina, MD
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About the PhD in Mental Health Program

The PhD degree is a research-oriented doctoral degree. In the first two years, students take core courses in the Departments of Mental Health, Biostatistics, and Epidemiology, in research ethics, and attend weekly department seminars. Students must complete a written comprehensive exam (in January of their second year), a preliminary exam, two presentations and a final dissertation including presentation and defense. Throughout their time in the department, we encourage all doctoral students to participate in at least one research group of the major research programs in the department: Substance Use Epidemiology, Global Mental Health, Mental Health and Aging, Mental Health Services and Policy, Methods, Prevention Research, Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetic Epidemiology, Psychiatric Epidemiology, and Autism and Developmental Disabilities.

PhD in Mental Health Program Highlights

mental health dept. in a school of public health

World renowned faculty

who are experts in the field

Students conduct

original research

Research opportunities

in the US and globally

What Can You Do With a Graduate Degree In Mental Health?

Visit the  Graduate Employment Outcomes Dashboard to learn about Bloomberg School graduates' employment status, sector, and salaries.

Sample Careers

• Assistant Professor
• Postdoctoral Fellow
• Psychiatric Epidemiologist
• Prevention Scientist
• Social and Behavioral Scientist

Curriculum for the PhD in Mental Health

Browse an overview of the requirements for this PhD program in the JHU  Academic Catalogue , explore all course offerings in the Bloomberg School  Course Directory .

Current students can view the Department of Mental Health's student handbook on the Info for Current Students page .

Research Areas

The Department of Mental Health covers a wide array of topics related to mental health, mental illness and substance abuse. Faculty and students from multiple disciplines work together within and across several major research areas.

Admissions Requirements

For general admissions requirements, please visit the How to Apply page.

Standardized Test Scores

Standardized test scores are  not required and not reviewed  for this program. If you have taken a standardized test such as the GRE, GMAT, or MCAT and want to submit your scores, please note that they will not be used as a metric during the application review.  Applications will be reviewed holistically based on all required application components.

Program Faculty Spotlight

Judith K. Bass

Judith Bass, PhD '04, MPH, MIA, is an implementation science researcher, with a broad background in sociology, economic development studies, and psychiatric epidemiology.

Renee M. Johnson

Renee M. Johnson, PhD, MPH, uses social epidemiology and behavioral science methods to investigate injury/violence, substance use, and overdose prevention.

George W. Rebok

George Rebok, PhD, MA, is a life-span developmental psychologist who develops community-based interventions to prevent age-related cognitive decline and reduce dementia risk.

Heather E. Volk

Heather Volk, PhD, MPH, seeks to identify factors that relate to the risk and progression of neurodevelopment disorders.

Per the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the JHU PhD Union, the minimum guaranteed 2025-2026 academic year stipend is $50,000 for all PhD students with a 4% increase the following year. Tuition, fees, and medical benefits are provided, including health insurance premiums for PhD student’s children and spouses of international students, depending on visa type. The minimum stipend and tuition coverage is guaranteed for at least the first four years of a BSPH PhD program; specific amounts and the number of years supported, as well as work expectations related to that stipend will vary across departments and funding source. Please refer to the CBA to review specific benefits, compensation, and other terms. Need-Based Relocation Grants Students who  are admitted to PhD programs at JHU   starting in Fall 2023 or beyond can apply to receive a need-based grant to offset the costs of relocating to be able to attend JHU.   These grants provide funding to a portion of incoming students who, without this money, may otherwise not be able to afford to relocate to JHU for their PhD program. This is not a merit-based grant. Applications will be evaluated solely based on financial need.  View more information about the need-based relocation grants for PhD students .

Questions about the program? We're happy to help.

Prospective Student or Applicant Inquiries [email protected]

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