- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Biostatistics
- Environmental Health and Engineering
- Epidemiology
- Health Policy and Management
- Health, Behavior and Society
- International Health
- Mental Health
- Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
- Population, Family and Reproductive Health
- Program Finder
- Admissions Services
- Course Directory
- Academic Calendar
- Hybrid Campus
- Lecture Series
- Convocation
- Strategy and Development
- Implementation and Impact
- Integrity and Oversight
- In the School
- In the Field
- In Baltimore
- Resources for Practitioners
- Articles & News Releases
- In The News
- Statements & Announcements
- At a Glance
- Student Life
- Strategic Priorities
- Inclusion, Diversity, Anti-Racism, and Equity (IDARE)
- What is Public Health?
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Health Policy and Management
Offered By: Department of Health Policy and Management
Onsite | Full-Time | 4–5 years
- MSPH Field Placements
- Master's Essays
- MAS Application Fee Waiver Requirements
- Master of Arts and Master of Science in Public Health (MA/MSPH)
- Master of Arts in Public Health Biology (MAPHB)
- Master of Bioethics (MBE)
- Mission, Vision, and Values
- Student Experience
- Program Outcomes
- For Hopkins Undergraduate Students
- Master of Health Science (MHS) - Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Master of Health Science (MHS) - Department of Epidemiology
- Alumni Update
- MHS Combined with a Certificate Program
- Master of Health Science (MHS) - Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
- Bachelor's/MHS in Health Economics and Outcomes Research
- MHS HEOR Careers
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Master of Health Science (MHS)
- Concurrent School-Wide Master of Health Science Program in Biostatistics
- Master of Health Science - Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health
- Master of Health Science Online (MHS) - Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health
- Careers in Health Economics
- Core Competencies
- Meet the Director
- What is Health Economics
- MPH Capstone Schedule
- Concentrations
- Online/Part-Time Format
- Requirements
Tuition and Funding
- Executive Board Faculty
- Master of Science (ScM) - Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Master of Science (ScM) - Department of Biostatistics
- Master of Science (ScM) - Department of Epidemiology
- Master of Science (ScM) - Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
- Bachelor's/MSPH in Health Policy
- FAQ for MSPH in Health Policy
- Field Placement Experience
- MSPH Capstone
- MSPH Practicum
- Required and Elective Courses
- Student Timeline
- Career Opportunities
- 38-Week Dietetics Practicum
- Completion Requirements
- MSPH/RD Program FAQ
- Program Goals
- Biophysics and Structural Biology
- Cancer Biology
- Cell Biology
- Cellular Stress and Cell Signaling
- Chemical Biology and Proteomics
- Genetics, Genomics, and Gene Regulation
- Immunology and Infectious Diseases
- Translational Research
- Program Scope
- Application Fee Waiver Requirements
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - Department of Biostatistics
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - Department of Epidemiology
- Program Goals and Expectations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Clinical Investigation
- Recent Graduates and Dissertation Titles
- PhD Funding
- PhD TA Requirement
- Recent Dissertation Titles
- JHU-Tsinghua Doctor of Public Health
- Prerequisites
- Concentration in Women’s and Reproductive Health
- Custom Track
- Concentration in Environmental Health
- Concentration in Global Health: Policy and Evaluation
- Concentration in Health Equity and Social Justice
- Concentration in Health Policy and Management
- Concentration in Implementation Science
- Combined Bachelor's / Master's Programs
- Concurrent MHS Option for BSPH Doctoral Students
- Concurrent MSPH Option for JHSPH Doctoral students
- Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy (MD/PhD)
- Adolescent Health Certificate Program
- Bioethics Certificate Program
- Clinical Trials Certificate Program
- Community- Based Public Health Certificate Program
- Demographic Methods Certificate Program
- Epidemiology for Public Health Professionals Certificate Program
- Evaluation: International Health Programs Certificate Program
- Frequently Asked Questions for Certificate Programs
- Gender and Health Certificate Program
- Gerontology Certificate Program
- Global Digital Health Certificate Program
- Global Health Certificate Program
- Global Health Practice Certificate Program
- Health Communication Certificate Program
- Health Disparities and Health Inequality Certificate Program
- Health Education Certificate Program
- Health Finance and Management Certificate Program
- Health and Human Rights Certificate Program
- Healthcare Epidemiology and Infection Prevention and Control Certificate Program
- Humanitarian Health Certificate Program
- Implementation Science and Research Practice Certificate Program
- Injury and Violence Prevention Certificate Program
- International Healthcare Management and Leadership Certificate Program
- Leadership for Public Health and Healthcare Certificate Program
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Public Health Certificate Program
- Maternal and Child Health Certificate Program
- Mental Health Policy, Economics and Services Certificate Program
- Non-Degree Students General Admissions Info
- Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety Certificate Program
- Population Health Management Certificate Program
- Population and Health Certificate Program
- Public Health Advocacy Certificate Program
- Public Health Economics Certificate Program
- Public Health Informatics Certificate Program
- Public Health Practice Certificate Program
- Public Health Training Certificate for American Indian Health Professionals
- Public Mental Health Research Certificate Program
- Quality, Patient Safety and Outcomes Research Certificate Program
- Quantitative Methods in Public Health Certificate Program
- Requirements for Successful Completion of a Certificate Program
- Rigor, Reproducibility, and Responsibility in Scientific Practice Certificate Program
- Risk Sciences and Public Policy Certificate Program
- Spatial Analysis for Public Health Certificate Program
- Training Certificate in Public Health
- Tropical Medicine Certificate Program
- Tuition for Certificate Programs
- Vaccine Science and Policy Certificate Program
- Online Student Experience
- MAS and Affiliated Certificate Programs
- Barcelona Information
- Registration, Tuition, and Fees
- Agency Scholarship Application
- General Scholarship Application
- UPF Scholarship Application
- Course Evaluations
- Online Courses
- Registration
- General Institute Tuition Information
- International Students
- Directions to the Bloomberg School
- All Courses
- Important Guidance for ONSITE Students
- D.C. Courses
- Registration and Fees
- Cancellation and Closure Policies
- Application Procedures
- Career Search
- Current Activities
- Current Trainees
- Related Links
- Process for Appointing Postdoctoral Fellows
- Message from the Director
- Program Details
- Admissions FAQ
- Current Residents
- Elective Opportunities for Visiting Trainees
- What is Occupational and Environmental Medicine?
- Admissions Info
- Graduates by Year
- Compensation and Benefits
- How to Apply
- Academic Committee
- Course Details and Registration
- Tuition and Fees
- ONLINE SOCI PROGRAM
- Principal Faculty
- General Application
- JHHS Application
- Our Faculty
- Descripción los Cursos
- Programa en Epidemiología para Gestores de Salud, Basado en Internet
- Consultants
- Britt Dahlberg, PhD
- Joke Bradt, PhD, MT-BC
- Mark R. Luborsky, PhD
- Marsha Wittink, PhD
- Rebekka Lee, ScD
- Su Yeon Lee-Tauler, PhD
- Theresa Hoeft, PhD
- Vicki L. Plano Clark, PhD
- Program Retreat
- Mixed Methods Applications: Illustrations
- Announcements
- 2023 Call for Applications
- Jennifer I Manuel, PhD, MSW
- Joke Bradt, PhD
- Josiemer Mattei, PhD, MPH
- Justin Sanders, MD, MSc
- Linda Charmaran, PhD
- Nao Hagiwara, PhD
- Nynikka R. A. Palmer, DrPH, MPH
- Olayinka O. Shiyanbola, BPharm, PhD
- Sarah Ronis, MD, MPH
- Susan D. Brown, PhD
- Tara Lagu, MD, MPH
- Theresa Hoft, PhD
- Wynne E. Norton, PhD
- Yvonne Mensa-Wilmot, PhD, MPH
- A. Susana Ramírez, PhD, MPH
- Animesh Sabnis, MD, MSHS
- 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
- Loreto Leiva, PhD
- Marie Brault, PhD
- Mary E. Cooley, PhD, RN, FAAN
- Meganne K. Masko, PhD, MT-BC/L
- PhuongThao D. Le, PhD, MPH
- Rebecca Lobb, ScD, MPH
- Allegra R. Gordon, ScD MPH
- Anita Misra-Hebert, MD MPH FACP
- Arden M. Morris, MD, MPH
- Caroline Silva, PhD
- Danielle Davidov, PhD
- Hans Oh, PhD
- J. Nicholas Dionne-Odom, PhD RN ACHPN
- Jacqueline Mogle, PhD
- Jammie Hopkins, DrPH, MS
- Joe Glass, PhD MSW
- Karen Whiteman, PhD MSW
- Katie Schultz, PhD MSW
- Rose Molina, MD
- Uriyoán Colón-Ramos, ScD MPA
- Andrew Riley, PhD
- Byron J. Powell, PhD, LCSW
- Carrie Nieman MD, MPH
- Charles R. Rogers, PhD, MPH, MS, CHES®
- Emily E. Haroz, PhD
- Jennifer Tsui, Ph.D., M.P.H.
- Jessica Magidson, PhD
- Katherine Sanchez, PhD, LCSW
- Kelly Doran, MD, MHS
- Kiara Alvarez, PhD
- LaPrincess C. Brewer, MD, MPH
- Melissa Radey, PhD, MA, MSSW
- Sophia L. Johnson, PharmD, MPH, PhD
- Supriya Gupta Mohile, MD, MS
- Virginia McKay, PhD
- Andrew Cohen, MD, PhD
- Angela Chen, PhD, PMHNP-BC, RN
- Christopher Salas-Wright, PhD, MSW
- Eliza Park MD, MS
- Jaime M. Hughes, PhD, MPH, MSW
- Johanne Eliacin, PhD, HSPP
- Lingrui Liu ScD MS
- Meaghan Kennedy, MD
- Nicole Stadnick, PhD, MPH
- Paula Aristizabal, MD
- Radhika Sundararajan, MD
- Sara Mamo, AuD, PhD
- Tullika Garg, MD MPH FACS
- Allison Magnuson, DO
- Ariel Williamson PhD, DBSM
- Benita Bamgbade, PharmD, PhD
- Christopher Woodrell MD
- Hung-Jui (Ray) Tan, MD, MSHPM
- Jasmine Abrams, PhD
- Jose Alejandro Rauh-Hain, MD
- Karen Flórez, DrPH, MPH
- Lavanya Vasudevan, PhD, MPH, CPH
- Maria Garcia, MD, MPH
- Robert Brady, PhD
- Saria Hassan, MD
- Scherezade Mama, DrPH
- Yuan Lu, ScD
- 2021 Scholars
- Sign Up for Our Email List
- Workforce Training
- Cells-to-Society Courses
- Course/Section Numbers Explained
- Pathway Program with Goucher College
- The George G. Graham Lecture
About the PhD in Health Policy and Management Program
The PhD in Health Policy and Management is a full-time doctoral program that trains its students to conduct original investigator-initiated research through a combination of coursework and research mentoring. The curriculum includes core coursework that is common across the four concentrations and courses specific to each individual concentration. Applicants to the PhD in Health Policy and Management apply directly to one of four concentrations. All four options have the same deadline, structure, and funding.
Concentration Areas
This concentration is designed for students interested in conducting independent research on ethical issues in public health policy, research and practice such as domestic and international research ethics, learning health systems, emerging biomedical technologies, ethics and public health genetics, national and global food policy, access to care and health care priority setting. By the end of their training, students are equipped to function as independent researchers, conducting empirical research related to bioethics, public health and health policy, as well as prepared to provide practical and normative recommendations regarding ethics and public health policy.
View more program information about the Concentration in Bioethics and Health Policy.
This concentration is designed for students interested in preventing leading public health problems through the development, analysis, implementation and evaluation of public health policies. Students affiliated with this concentration employ an interdisciplinary approach to their research in areas such as environmental and occupational health policy, injury prevention and control, social policy, and health and the practice of prevention.
View more program information about the Concentration in Health and Public Policy .
This concentration prepares doctoral students for conducting innovative and rigorous research on the economics of health and healthcare. The curriculum stresses a solid grounding in applied modern microeconomic theory, quantitative methods, and econometrics applications. Students take courses through the Department of Economics in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences.
View more program information about the Concentration in Health Economics and Policy.
This concentration prepares doctoral students for conducting innovative and rigorous quantitative and qualitative research and evaluation in health services delivery. The curriculum includes exposure to a wide variety of research methods, content areas, and datasets. It also offers the opportunity for in-depth study in areas such as public health informatics, quality of care and patient-centered outcomes research, including a focus on older adults, and health care disparities.
View more program information about the Concentration in Health Services Research and Policy.
Curriculum for the PhD in Health Policy and Management
Browse an overview of the requirements for this PhD program in the JHU Academic Catalogue and explore all course offerings in the Bloomberg School Course Directory .
What Can You Do With a Graduate Degree In Health Policy And Management?
Our graduates graduates pursue research careers in top-tier universities, research and policy-making organizations, the health care industry and government agencies. Visit the Graduate Employment Outcomes Dashboard to learn about Bloomberg School graduates' employment status, sector, and salaries.
Admissions Requirements
For general admissions requirements, please visit the How to Apply page. All concentrations follow the same admission process. Please see below for full details on the scope of each concentration.
PhD in Health Policy and Management – Bioethics and Health Policy
PhD in Health Policy and Management – Health and Public Policy
PhD in Health Policy and Management – Health Economics and Policy
PhD in Health Policy and Management – Health Services Research and Policy
For general information regarding tuition and fees, visit the Bloomberg School’s Tuition and Fees page.
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. [email protected]
PhD in Health Law, Policy, and Management
Program: Health Law, Policy, and Management
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
Credits: 73
Length of Program: 4 years/8 Semesters
Format: Hybrid
Our PhD in Health Law, Policy, and Management equips students with the knowledge and skills needed to delve deeper into the root causes of health outcomes among population groups in the United States . This interdisciplinary degree is designed to enable students to develop distinctive and pioneering approaches and interventions to tackling complex issues in an increasingly evolving health system.
Students will have the opportunity to be a part of the only doctoral program in health law, policy, and management that directly incorporates the Political Determinants of Health framework by Daniel E. Dawes. By learning from Dean Dawes himself, as well as other top-ranked faculty, who incorporate his framework into effectuating change at the most upstream levels to have the greatest impact on moving the health equity needle forward. This program will be the first to apply such a unique lens across countries that may be facing similar challenges and sharing novelle approaches to developing solutions together.
What to Expect:
- The PhD in Health Law, Policy, and Management requires completion of a minimum of 73 credit hours, including choosing a dissertation topic and research.
- All classes will be held virtually with select in-person sessions at our Meharry Medical College campus. This is a non-residential program, relocation to Nashville is not required.
- This program is intended to accommodate the working adult; therefore, live virtual courses are offered during the day and evenings.
- Students will engage with world-class faculty who are passionate health equity champions, bringing a wealth of knowledge and professional experience to the classroom from various spaces including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The White House, the United States Congress, World Health Organization, United Nations General Assembly, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Insurers, Biopharmaceuticals, Biotechnology, Medical Device Companies, Disparities & Health Equity Research, Law & Policy, Responsible Artificial Intelligence, Geographic Information Systems, Medicine, Public Health, Management, Urban & Regional Planning, Clinical Trials, and more.
- This program aims to provide both domestic and global professional and scholarly experiences. Additionally, students will participate in distinguished lectureship series and skill-based workshops.
- Incoming PhD students will be individually matched with renowned subject matter experts and leaders to support them through their academic and professional endeavors.
Students looking to participate in this program come from a variety of professions and training backgrounds The SGH PhD candidate is well-rounded and looking to expand their knowledge and experience of the intricacies of navigating and managing health law and policy in global health. Students who wish to pursue this program will have already –in some way, shape, or form, begun working on this endeavor to advance health equity. At their core, these individuals are health equity champions within their own ecosystem, and will come from a variety of professional and academic backgrounds. Some examples include public health, medicine, nursing, allied health, mental and behavioral health, STEM, social sciences, political science, health law and policy, justice and advocacy work, social work, community health work, etc.
While there is no one perfect mold, the ideal candidates will be:
- self-motivated,
- bring their intellectual curiosity and lived experiences – both personal and professional, into the classroom,
- engaged in various health-related topics both in and outside of the classroom,
- and committed to the advancement of health equity for all.
This program is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Admissions Requirements:
Applicants must satisfy all admission requirements. Final admission decisions will be made by the School of Global Health Faculty Admissions Committee (FAC). Admission decisions will be based on all aspects of the application, including:
(1) Prior college-level academic performance of the applicant in a baccalaureate or master’s program at a regionally-accredited institution, including coursework and independent research projects
(2) Prior and/or relevant work experience
(3) Your personal statement and short answer responses submitted via the application portal
(4) Your three recommendation letters requested through the application portal
(5) Test scores are optional: graduate level test scores may be submitted if you believe it will enhance your overall application
Application Deadline Fall 2024
Priority Deadline for Scholarship consideration – December 1
General Deadline – March 1
*All documentation must be submitted by deadline date.
Application Process
The Faculty Admissions Committee cannot review any application until all documents have been received. Applicants may check the status of their application by logging into their online account.
Complete a formal application here: https://go.mmc.edu/apply/
- Select School of Global Health to access the PhD in Health Law, Policy, and Management Application
- Complete Personal Statement prompt: All applicants are required to provide a personal statement answering the question below. The response should be a of minimum 500 words, Times New Roman font, font size 12. I) What does health equity mean to you? II) How will you utilize your degree to advance your career? The student is encouraged to discuss lived experiences (academic, professional, or personal) in their response.”
- What one outstanding contribution do you hope to provide to the inaugural program cohort?
- Based on your academic or professional experience(s), describe your contributions towards eliminating health inequities/disparities in your immediate environment.
- Identify one factor in your past experiences that has been most influential in your decision to address global health inequities.
Gather your application documents:
- Letters of Recommendation
Three letters of recommendation are required, at least two of which must be from an academic mentor (major professor, thesis advisor, etc.) who can speak to the applicant’s potential to undertake graduate studies.
- Official transcripts
Applicants must submit official transcripts of coursework attempted and completed at all previous colleges and universities whether or not a degree was earned at the institution. Please ask your institution to send official college transcripts electronically directly to the School of Global Health at [email protected] .
If the institution prefers to mail transcripts, please use this address:
School of Global Health
Meharry Medical College 3401 West End Avenue Suite 160 Nashville, TN 37203
All submitted transcripts become the property of the Meharry Medical College and will not be returned.
Test Scores (specified below) The GRE, GMAT or any other admissions test score requirement is optional for applicants applying to the School of Global Health. Should an applicant wish to submit them for admissions consideration, please send them directly to Meharry Medical College electronically.
Final Decision
- Once all documents have been appropriately submitted to School, they will be reviewed by the SGH Faculty Admissions Committee.
- Applicants being considered for the PhD in Health Law, Policy, and Management must undergo an interview, SGH will contact applicants directly to coordinate a designated date and time.
- All applicants will receive a final decision response by e-mail.
Admitted Students
- Accept your admission decision by submitting your seat deposit. This will be sent via e-mail.
- Complete your FAFSA and make sure to send information to Meharry Medical College.
- Our central Office of Admissions and Recruitment at Meharry Medical College will contact you to begin your journey as a Meharrian.
To learn more about financial aid at Meharry visit: https://home.mmc.edu/financial-aid/
- All applicants possessing a baccalaureate degree must have earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4-point scale) in the last 60 semester hours (approximately two years of work).
- Applicants possessing a master’s degree must have earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4-point scale).
- Applicants possessing a baccalaureate degree including some graduate work, but not a graduate degree, must have earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4-point scale) individually in both sets of coursework.
Prior Degrees: Educational equivalent of at least a bachelor’s degree in fields of or relating to health, healthcare, population health, etc., such as health administration, health science, health education, public health, clinical sciences, health policy, or other related disciplines from a regionally accredited university in the U.S. (United States). At this time this program is unable to accept international applicants. For questions please contact us at [email protected] .
Degrees Accepted While we do not look for any specific degree, students applying to this program should have a vested interest in population health outcomes academically, whether directly or indirectly, and the aptitude to successfully complete the coursework. Successful admission into the program will be contingent upon a holistic approach.
- Competency in a second focus area that complements the applicant’s previous degree(s) in one of the preferred fields identified above, as demonstrated by completion of a major, minor, or certificate in one of these areas.
- Relevant coursework that provides an international perspective or relevant coursework that provides understanding on foundational health disparities and inequities, surveillance of diseases, public/health policy, and their analyses.
- Evidence of relevant research or work experience, including, but not limited to, demonstrated participation in health science, health management, health equity, public health, organizational leadership, health policy, international relations, etc., and artifacts such as authored research reports, journal publications, or grey literature that demonstrate the applicant’s research aptitude and communications ability.
Core Coursework:
- Social, Mental, and Behavioral Health (3)
- Political Determinants of Health (3)
- Health Disparities and Health Equity (3)
- Foundations in Health Policy/Law (3)
- Introduction to Health Economics (3)
Total: 15 Credit Hours
*Courses and course title are still in review process and subject to change.
Specialization coursework (include total credit hours and course names in a list): Students are expected to complete 46 credit hours in specific coursework geared towards varying topics related to factors affecting health outcomes.
Students who enroll in the PhD in Health Law, Policy, and Management program will be exposed to a wide spectrum of coursework such as but not limited to:
- Applied Legal Epidemiology
- Emerging Technology
- International Law
- Policy Design and Writing
- Policy in Global Health Practice
- Persuasive Policy Communication
- Practice and Leadership of Health Policy and Health Equity
- Advanced Health Economics Approaches
- Justice Theory and Health
In addition, students will have the opportunity to gain exposure to health disparity/equity research abroad or domestically, through an applied learning experience.
Total: 12 Credit Hours
Dissertation and Defense: Consistent with Meharry Medical College’s goal of developing distinctive and pioneering approaches to teaching, the School of Global Health’s Doctor of Philosophy program in Health Law, Policy, and Management, will pair each student up with a faculty member to guide them in the development of their doctoral thesis and research. Each student is expected to conduct independent research in each semester of year four, respectively. The student is at liberty to choose a health law and policy issues related to their own research topic, and complete a thesis based on 1) their professional experience, 2) their academic experience, 3) their Applied Experiential Learning, or 4) any combination thereof. Conferral of the doctor’s degree is contingent upon a student’s successful defense of their dissertation in the final semester of year four.
Daniel E Dawes, JD ,
Founding Dean, School of Global Health
Senior Vice President, Global Health
Celeste Philip, MD, MPH ,
Professor of Public Health Practice
Celeste Philip, MD, MPH, is a physician leader with two decades of public health and medical experience in local, state, federal, and international settings. She…
Fazal Khan, MD, JD ,
Department Chair, Population Health
Professor of Health Law, Policy, and Management
Dr. Fazal Khan, MD, JD, serves as the department chair for population health and professor of health law, policy, and management. Dr. Khan brings a…
Nelson J Dunlap, JD ,
Vice President
Public Policy & External Affairs
Alicia Holloway, EdD ,
Assistant Vice President
Curriculum Development
Alex T. Johnson, MPP ,
Adjunct Faculty
Marjorie A. Innocent, PhD ,
Leah Alexander, PhD, MPH ,
Associate Professor, Public Health Practice
Rosemary Nabaweesi, DrPH, MPH, MBChB ,
Associate Professor, Health Policy
Karen Winkfield, MD, PhD ,
Professor, Health Policy
Head of Research & Innovation
Michael C Caldwell, MD, MPH, FACP ,
Professor of Public Health Practice, School of Global Health
Associate Vice President, Vaccine Research & Education Chief Medical Officer, Dry January USA Associate Professor, Internal Medicine, and Professional & Medical Education Meharry Medical College
Dr. Caldwell joined Meharry Medical College in August 2021. He provides leadership for health communications, vaccine research & education, as well as alcohol research, education…
Michelle D Steele, EdD ,
Associate Vice President
External Affairs
Cost per credit hour for the 2024-2025 academic year
The total cost per credit hour for the current academic year is estimated to be $1,626*.
Estimated annual tuition for 2024-2025: $29,278
Enrolled students are expected to complete a total of 18 credit hours during the first year of the program.
*This rate is subject to change on an annual basis.
Financial Aid at Meharry Medical College
Scholarships will be awarded on a merit-basis, and may include, partial, half, and full scholarship opportunities. To be considered, applicants must submit their applications no later than December 1, 2024.
Assistant Vice President of Curriculum Development and Academic Affairs,
School of Global Health,
Methods for Policy Research
Political analysis.
- Current Students
Health Policy PhD
Impact population health at a systems level.
Health policy is an interdisciplinary field that examines the organization and financing of health systems and services; the impact of health policies on population health; and the economic, social and behavioral determinants of health. It involves the investigation of all systems that affect population health, not just the medical care system. The purview of health policy is global.
The mission of our program is to prepare students for research careers in health policy and health services research; teaching; and public service in university, governmental and public policy settings. This program is distinguished by its interdisciplinary application of the social and behavioral science disciplines to real world health issues. Graduates are prepared to play lead scientific roles in addressing the many challenges facing health care and public health systems in the United States and countries around the world.
Students must successfully complete a health services research readings and methods seminar (two semesters), five specialty field courses, three quantitative research methods courses, and three additional graduate elective courses.
The program includes three specialty fields:
The Health Economics specialty field draws on economics, epidemiology and statistics to understand the causal relationship between different aspects of health and the health care sector. With an emphasis on quantifying relationships, health economics covers a broad range of study areas including health production, demand and supply of health services, health care financing, behavioral responses to institutional or policy incentives, policy evaluations and other efficiency, and equity issues surrounding health.
The Organizations & Management specialty field trains scholars in organizational behavior and political science in regards to health. Theories and methods in organizational sociology, political science and social psychology are central to the study of health organizations. Specialty field courses in macro-organizational theory, micro-organizational theory and organizational analysis of the health sector are required. This specialty field emphasizes the management of health care and public health organizations and systems, the implementation and dissemination of policies and practices within and across organizations, and the role of policy-making institutions as platforms for the creation and modification of health policies.
The Population Health Sciences specialty field trains students for research careers in the social, behavioral, and economic determinants of health and the study of interventions, policies, and practices that impact the health of populations and vulnerable communities. The specialty field emphasizes addressing the social and behavioral determinants of health through quantitative research informed by theoretical frameworks in economics, psychology, demography, and social epidemiology. Training in innovative methodologies for establishing causal relationships in quasi-experimental research is a cornerstone of the Population Health Sciences specialty field. Students will learn and integrate cutting-edge methods from key areas of strength at Berkeley: biostatistics, social science methods such as econometrics and formal demography, and the rapidly evolving set of data science innovations such as machine learning that are being advanced at Berkeley including in the Division of Computing, Data Science, and Society. The explosion of health sector data availability, along with Berkeley’s innovation hub positioning, make this an excellent track for students looking to become quantitative experts who can lead research across a wide variety of population health science and health policy questions.
Students have access to all of UC Berkeley’s disciplines and professional schools, in addition to UCSF faculty and research programs. This is a full-time program geared for careers in academia and research and students typically complete it in four to five years. Our program is administered by Berkeley Public Health and the doctoral degree is granted by UC Berkeley’s Graduate Division.
Graduates can achieve and demonstrate expertise in the following major academic outcomes:
- Develop domain expertise in core works in health policy and the selected specialty field.
- Understand central social science theoretical frameworks and debates shaping health policy.
- Demonstrate substantive knowledge of the specialty field sufficient to design and teach graduate-level courses in that field.
- Demonstrate the ability to conduct rigorous quantitative research.
- Plan and conduct independent research using advanced research methods.
- Demonstrate the mastery of academia and grant writing, conference presentation, IRB procedures and ethics in research.
- Engage in intellectual exchange among students and faculty across the university to enhance interdisciplinary research and training.
Qualifications
A master’s degree is not a requirement for this program, however, entering students should have completed introductory coursework in statistics, microeconomics, epidemiology and public health. Students without master’s-level coursework in these areas are required to take relevant courses at UC Berkeley or otherwise demonstrate mastery of these areas.
Graduates are well-prepared to assume academic careers in research and teaching. Many of our graduates move directly to positions in academia, government or research organizations. Other graduates receive postdoctoral fellowships to continue specific training in their area of interest and research.
To apply to the Health Policy PhD program, please complete the UC Berkeley Graduate Division admissions application . This program does not use the SOPHAS application.
Submissions of GRE scores are optional but strongly recommended for this program. Especially if you have no other evidence of quantitative, verbal, or analytical abilities in your application. If not submitting a score, competitive applicants will need to provide alternative evidence of strong quantitative capability and should speak to their analytical and quantitative preparation for the PhD program in their application based on past coursework (e.g. statistics, microeconomics, math) and/or professional experience.
Please submit a writing sample and provide a list of publications and/or presentations related to your academic or professional background (include the PubMed ID if applicable).
If your work is published as a website or part of it, please provide the URL. Your writing sample can be a written assignment, journal article, report, Op-Ed, commentary, conference abstract, or other publication. Please enter your most recent citation first.
This is a quantitatively-oriented health policy program. Prospective applicants primarily interested in qualitative methods are advised to explore related programs such as the UC Berkeley PhD in Social Welfare or Medical Anthropology, or the UCSF Sociology program. Prospective applicants instead primarily focused on computational methods should also consider related UC Berkeley PhD programs in Biostatistics or Computational Precision Health.
Core Faculty
The core PhD program faculty members of the School of Public Health, the Haas School of Business, School of Social Welfare, the Goldman School of Public Policy, and the Departments of Economics, Sociology, and Political Science.
Emeriti Faculty
Emeritus faculty of the Health Policy Faculty Group are Professors of the Graduate School and may serve on dissertation committees as Chair, inside members, or as an Academic Senate Representative. Their availability to students, however, may be limited compared to core faculty group members.
Health Policy Research Centers at UC Berkeley and UCSF
Health Policy PhD students have access to a wide range of resources at UC Berkeley and UCSF, including highly regarded research centers. Below are brief descriptions of a selected list of research centers most closely aligned with the Health Policy PhD program. These Centers include faculty from a wide variety of backgrounds and disciplines who bring expertise in health services research and provide settings for intensive training and mentorship opportunities for trainees.
- The Berkeley Center for Health Technology (BCHT) , co-directed by Dr. James Robinson (Director) and Dr. Tim Brown (Associate Director), promotes the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare through research and education on the development, insurance coverage, payment, and appropriate use of medical technologies. The focus of BCHT is on biopharmaceuticals, implantable medical devices, insurance benefit design, and payment methods. Research initiatives include leadership roundtables, case studies of leading organizations, and econometric analyses of public and private data sources. BCHT helps stakeholders design a healthcare system that combines innovation and entrepreneurship with economic efficiency and social fairness.
- The UC Berkeley Nicholas C. Petris Center on Health Care Markets and Consumer Welfare , co-directed by Dr. Richard Scheffler (Director) and Dr. Brent Fulton (Associate Director), focuses on consumer protection, affordability and access to healthcare, especially for low and middle-income individuals. The Petris Center also focuses on and the role of information in consumer choice, and regulation and competition within healthcare markets. The research center is named after former California State Senator Nicholas Petris, who advocated strongly on behalf of California consumers for affordable, accessible, and quality healthcare.
- The UC Berkeley Center for Healthcare Organizational and Innovation Research (CHOIR) , co-directed by Dr. Hector Rodriguez (Director) and Dr. Amanda Brewster (Associate Director) aspires to help make the U.S. healthcare system among the most responsive in the world through practice-based research and dissemination of evidence. CHOIR emphasizes innovations in healthcare delivery and assessment of organizational performance to improve the technical quality of care delivered, patient experience and outcomes of care, population health, and cost. CHOIR works to maximize their “voice” and impact through webinars, roundtables, and discussions with private and public sector action and thought leaders.
- The Laboratory for Systems Medicine, directed by Dr. Ziad Obermeyer, applies methods from machine learning, biostatistics, and econometrics to the complex world of medical diagnoses, interventions, and outcomes. The center translates large observational datasets into new ways to understand and improve the life and death decisions that providers and patients make every day, in the US and across the world.
- The Center on the Economics and Demography of Aging (CEDA) , directed by Professor William Dow, was founded in 1993 to promote interdisciplinary research on the economic and demographic aspects of aging. In response to the growing demand from government agencies, Congress, and academic researchers for timely, accessible, and practical information as well as basic research. At the central core of CEDA is a group of outstanding formal and mathematical and statistical demographers who apply their skills to a variety of research areas, including biodemography, demographic modeling and forecasting, and intergenerational transfers including fiscal accounting. This central core is enriched by other themes, notably psychological and behavioral economics with applications to economic and health-related behaviors.
- The UC-Berkeley Opportunity Lab (O-Lab) , co-directed by Professor Ben Handel and Professor Hilary Hoynes serves as the central research hub for Berkeley scholars conducting rigorous, data-driven research on social and economic inequality in the United States. Our network of faculty and graduate students work across disciplines and study a wide array of topics, from the role of childhood food security on long-term economic security to the disparate impacts of climate change on low-income communities.
- The UCSF Center for Vulnerable Populations at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital carries out innovative research to prevent and treat chronic disease in populations for whom social conditions often conspire to both promote various chronic diseases and make their management more challenging. Beyond the local communities it serves, CVP is nationally and internationally known for its research in health communication and health policy to reduce health disparities, with special expertise in the social determinants of health, including literacy, food policy, poverty, and minority status, with a focus on the clinical conditions of pre-diabetes, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. CVP is at the frontline of practice-based research on chronic diseases for the diverse and disadvantaged populations of San Francisco and the Bay Area. UCSF faculty mentors Drs. Margot Kushel, Courtney Lyles, and Urmimala Sarkar are core CVP faculty.
- The Healthforce Center at UCSF was founded in 1992 to help healthcare leaders and policymakers better understand the health workforce and develop successful strategies and policies. The Center’s dynamic leadership training programs have touched thousands of people across the entire healthcare ecosystem who continue to make significant and meaningful change in healthcare. UCSF Professor Janet Coffman and Professor Joanne Spetz are core faculty of the center.
Current Health Policy PhD Students
- Madeline Adee
- Alexander Adia
- Calvin Chiu
- Christine Lo
- Jorge A. Morales Alfaro
- Rachel Ross
- Jaclyn Schess
- Alex Schulte
- Eleanor Tsai
- Solis Winters
- 2023–2024 Job Market Candidates
Graduates of the UC Berkeley PhD Program in Health Policy (formerly “Health Services and Policy Analysis”) hold leading research and teaching positions at academic and research institutions both within the United States and internationally. Many of our alumni hold tenured or tenure-track positions at respected universities and colleges such as Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University, Cornell University, UCSF, and Dartmouth College. Our recent alumni have also successfully obtained post-doctoral appointments at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute, Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, Yale University, and Stanford University.
The following is a partial listing of PhD program alumni, their dissertation titles, and their current employment.
Jonathan Agnew, PhD Cost and Utilization of Outpatient Prescription Drugs Among the Elderly: Implications for a Medicare Benefit Owner and President, Agnew and Associates Medical Writing Vancouver, BC
Sangeeta C. Ahluwalia, PhD Professionalism among Physicians: Factors Associated with Outpatient Palliative Care Referral in a Managed Care Organization Senior Policy Researcher & Associate Director, Behavioral and Policy Sciences RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA
Jim Bellows, PhD Use of Worker’s Compensation Medical Care: Health Insurance Matters Managing Director Kaiser Permanente Care Management Institute, Oakland CA
Aman Bhandari, PhD National Estimates and Predictors of Pharmacy Utilization and Out-of-Pocket Prescription Drug Expenditures in Underserved Populations Vice President, Data Strategy and Solutions, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Boston, MA
Claire Boone, PhD Essays in Health and Behavioral Economics Postdoctoral Fellow University of Chicago
Timothy T. Brown, PhD Three Essays on the Labor Market for Nonphysician Clinicians Associate Professor of Health Policy and Management Associate Director of Research, Berkeley Center for Health Technology University of California Berkeley, School of Public Health, Berkeley CA
Sahai Burrowes, PhD Essays on the Political Impact of Development Assistance Allocation in Malawi Associate Professor of Public Health Touro University, Vallejo CA
Drew Cameron, PhD The effect of short-term subsidies on future demand for potable water in rural Bihar, India: A randomized controlled trial Assistant Professor of Public Health (Health Policy) Yale University School of Public Health
Lawrence Casalino, MD, PhD Medical Groups and Physician Organization; Physician-Hospital and Physician-Health Plan Relationships; Physician Organization and Quality Professor Emeritus of Population Health Sciences Weill Cornell Medical College
Aaron Caughey, MD, PhD Applications from Behavioral Economics to Decision Making in the Setting of Prenatal Diagnosis Professor and Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR
Paulette Cha, PhD Essays on Health Economics and Immigration Fellow Public Policy Institute of California
Susan Chapman, PhD The Experience of Returning to Work for Employed Women with Breast Cancer Professor, UCSF School of Nursing San Francisco, CA
Ann Chou, PhD Shared decision making: The selection process of treatment options and resulting quality of life implications for women with breast cancer Professor of Family and Preventive Medicine, Health Sciences Center University of Oklahoma
Elizabeth Ciemins, PhD The Effect of Mental Health Parity on Children’s Mental Health and Substance Abuse Service Utilization in Massachusetts Director of Research and Analytics American Medical Group Association Foundation, Alexandria, VA
Janet Coffman, PhD All Capitated Systems are not Alike: Effects of Organizational Structure, Culture, and Climate on Medicaid Recipients Use of Inpatient Psychiatric Care Professor of Health Policy Institute for Health Policy Studies, UC San Francisco
Carrie Colla, PhD Effects of the San Francisco Employer Health Spending Mandate Professor of Health Economics Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover NH
Leeann Comfort, PhD Applications and Extensions of Organization Theory: The Context of Accountable Care Organizations Scientist Administrator, Social Science Researcher Division of Healthcare Delivery and Systems Research Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
David Contreras-Loya, PhD Managerial Practices and Altruism in Health Care Delivery Research Professor Escuela de Gobierno y Transformación Pública Tecnológico de Monterrey
Jan Cooper, PhD Money, Sex, and Power – An Analysis of Relationship Power in the Context of Conditional Cash Transfer Interventions to Reduce Risky Sex in Tanzania Researcher, Global Health and Policy Analysis Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Jae Corman, PhD Foreclosures and Health Senior Director of Analytics Folx Health
Alison Evans Cuellar, PhD Changing Markets and Hospital: Managed Care, Horizontal Integration and Vertical Alignment Professor of Health Administration and Policy Associate Dean of Research, College of Public Health George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
Julie Dang, PhD Two Shots to Cancer Prevention: Improving the Uptake of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine among Preadolescent Patients of a Primary Care Network Assistant Professor & Executive Director, Office of Community Outreach and Engagement UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center
Maria Dieci, PhD Patient vs. provider incentives for malaria care: A cluster randomized controlled trial in Kenyan pharmacies Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management Emory University
Ebbin Dotson, PhD The Business Case for Leadership Diversity in Health Care Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI
April Falconi, PhD Perimenopause as a Sensitive Period for Women’s Health and Aging: A Review of the Chronic Disease Literature and Two Empirical Tests of Significance Associate Director, Elevance Health
Kevin Feeney, PhD Essays on Cash Transfers and Health Economist, Amazon Los Angeles, CA
Sara Fernandes-Taylor, PhD Provider Communication, Self-Reported Health, and Post-Treatment Regret among Young Breast Cancer Survivors Scientist III Department of Surgery University of Wisconsin School of Medicine
Robin Flagg, PhD Governor Decision Making: Expansion of Medicaid Under the Affordable Care Act Continuing Lecturer, Division of Health Policy and Management University of California, Berkeley
Jennifer Frehn, PhD Understanding the Influences and Organization of Systems to Improve Community Health Post-doctoral Research Fellow, School of Public Health UCLA
Vicki Fung, PhD The Effects of Losing Brand-Name Drug Coverage: Changes in Use of Inhaled Steroids and Clinical Outcomes Among Medicare Beneficiaries with Asthma Associate Professor of Medicine, Mongan Institute for Health Policy Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School Boston, MA
Daniel Gentry, PhD Organizational Bureaucracy, Legitimacy, and “Thrival”: A Study of the Response by AIDS Service Organizations in Twenty California Counties to the Ryan White CARE Act of 1990 President & CEO, Association of University Programs in Health Administration
Gabrielle Goldstein, JD, PhD A Market for Ethics Counsel Nixon Peabody LLP San Francisco, CA
Julia Goodman, PhD Three Essays on Maternity Leave Policies, Utilization and Consequences Assistant Professor of Public Health OHSU & Portland State University School of Public Health
Lakshmi Gopalakrishnan, PhD Gender norms as a social determinant of health and well-being of married adolescent girls and young women in South Asia Postdoctoral Fellow UCSF
Ilana Graetz, PhD The Impact of EHR and Teamwork on Care Transitions and Patient Outcomes Associate Professor of Health Policy and Management Rollins School of Public Health Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Chaoran Guo, PhD Social Learning in Health Insurance Choices: Evidence from Employer-Sponsored Health Plans Senior Data Scientist, Netflix Los Gatos, CA
Emily Hague, PhD Antecedents and Outcomes Associated with Hospital Participation in a Clinically Integrated Network Health Policy Researcher Mathematica Policy Research, Oakland, CA
Courtnee Hamity, PhD Social Influence and Innovation Adoption in the Clinical Setting Senior Program Officer, Evaluation and Data Strategy Blue Shield of California Foundation, San Francisco, CA
Alein Haro-Ramos, PhD Racism, Illegality, and Population Health: Mechanisms, Interventions, & Community-Engaged Research UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellow Department of Health, Society, and Behavior University of California, Irvine
Zoë K. Harris, PhD Private Health Insurance Sponsored Wellness Programs: Examining Participation in the Healthy Lifestyle Rewards Financial Incentives Program on Health Care Costs, Utilization, and Risk Behaviors Executive Director, Head of Customer Engagement Strategy & Operations Genetech
Nianyi Hong, PhD Essays on Patient and Firm Behavior in Health Economics Analyst, Congressional Budget Office Washington, DC
Thomas Huber, PhD The Role of Micro and Macro Level Organizational Coordination in Accountable Care Organizations Adjunct Professor, The Ohio State University
Dorothy Hung, PhD Behavioral Preventive Service Delivery, Productivity, and Staff Turnover in Primary Care Practices: The Role of Participation in Decision Making and the Chronic Care Model Research Scientist and Director, Center for Lean and Engagement Research, School of Public Health University of California, Berkeley
Vanessa Hurley, PhD Collaborative Learning among Health Care Practice and Systems to Improve Patient-Centered Care Assistant Professor of Health Systems Administration Georgetown University
Jenny Hyun, PhD Person-Centered Care Program Philosophy in Capitated Community Mental Health Centers in Colorado Director, Business Intelligence Vituity, Emeryville, CA
Jennifer K. Ibrahim, PhD State Medicaid Coverage for Tobacco Dependence Treatments: Implications for a Federal Mandate Dean and Professor, College of Public Health and School of Social Welfare Temple University, Philadelphia PA
Jae Kennedy, PhD Americans Needing Assistance with Activities of Daily Living: Current Estimates and Policy Implications Professor of Health Policy and Administration Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine Washington State University, Spokane WA
Jung Kim, PhD Examining factors associated with learning and performance in primary care Graduate Medical Education organizations Assistant Professor, Health Systems Science Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
Margae Knox, PhD Health System Efforts to Address Health Related Social Needs: Implications for Public Health, Health Services Use, and Quality Outcomes Postdoctoral Delivery Science Fellow Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente
Heather Knauer, PhD Parenting and Child Development in Rural Mexico: Examination of a Large-Scale Parenting Program Adjunct Assistant Professor School of Social Work University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Ada Kwan, PhD Can We Improve Quality of Care in Private Health Sectors? Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment in Kenya Postdoctoral Researcher, School of Medicine University of California, San Francisco
Susan Lehrman, PhD Hospitals’ Participation in the Nursing Home Market Professor and Dean Emeritus, Rohrer College of Business Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey
Jing Li, PhD Altruism and Efficiency Preferences of U.S Medical Students and their Expected Specialty Choice Assistant Professor of Health Economics School of Pharmacy, University of Washington
Rui Li, PhD Effect of Financial Incentives on Physician Productivity in Medical Groups Senior Economist, Division of Reproductive Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta GA
Michael Lin, PhD Nursing Home Quality: Structure and Strategy Senior Scientist, Telligen Denver, CO
Jenny Liu, PhD Healthy Time, Home Production, and Labor Supply: The Effect of Health Shocks on Time Use within Chinese Households during Economic Transition Professor of Health Economics School of Nursing University of California, San Francisco
Christopher Lowenstein, PhD Essays on labor markets and health: Employment conditions and drug, suicide, and alcohol-related mortality among working-age adults in the United States Postdoctoral Fellow, Epidemiology Stanford University
Martin Marciniak, PhD Too Good to Be True? The Effect of Nicotine Replacement Therapy on an Individual’s Ability to Quit Smoking Vice President and Head, US Health Outcomes Chiesi USA, Inc.
Soledad Martinez, PhD Income, Health Insurance Type and the Quality of Primary Care Systems in Chile: Effects on Health Outcomes and Utilization of Services Assistant Professor School of Public Health at Universidad de Chile, Santiago Chile
Jill Marsteller, PhD The Relationship between Non-Racial Diversity in Team Composition and Performance and Creativity in a Chronic Illness Care Quality Improvement Intervention Professor, Health Policy and Management Bloomberg School of Public Health, John Hopkins University, Baltimore MD
Peter Martelli, PhD An Argument for Knowledge Variety in Evidence-Based Management Associate Professor of Healthcare Administration Sawyer Business School, Suffolk University, Boston, MA
Sean McClellan, PhD When does Adoption of Health Information Technology by Physician Practices Lead to Use by Physicians within the Practice? Health Policy Researcher Abt and Associates, Boston, MA
Rodney K. McCurdy, PhD Network Influence on Chronic Illness Care in Large Physician Organization: A Study of the California Managed Care Network in 2001 and 2006 Professor and Program Director National University Detroit, MI
Kathryn McDonald, PhD Ambulatory Care Organizations: Improving Diagnosis Bloomberg Distinguished Professor Johns Hopkins University Schools of Medicine and Nursing
Sara McMenamin, PhD Organizational Support for Smoking Cessation Interventions in Physician Organizations Associate Professor, Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health & Human Longevity University of California, San Diego
Angela Merrill, PhD Subjective Expectations of Nursing Home Use, Medicaid, and Economic Behavior by Older Americans Principal Researcher Mathematica Policy Research, Cambridge MA
Chris Miller-Rosales, PhD Advancing Organizational Capabilities to Improve Patient Engagement in Health Care Associate, Analysis Group Menlo Park, CA
Eric Nauenberg, PhD Air Pollution and Hospitalization for Asthma in Los Angeles County: Economic and Policy Implications Associate Professor of Health Economics Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term Care/Dept of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Canada
Zachary Olson, PhD Can a Conditional Cash Transfer Reduce Teen Fertility? The Case of Brazil’s Bolsa Familia Senior Economist, Amazon Seattle, WA
Michael K. Ong, MD, PhD The Effects of Regulatory Change on the Safety of Pharmaceutical Innovations Professor in Residence, Division of GIM & HSR Associate Chief of Staff for Research Department of Medicine, UCLA and VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA
Laura Packel, PhD Who Changes How: Strategies and Motivation for Risk Reduction Behaviors in the Context of an Economic-based HIV Prevention Intervention in Tanzania Research Director, McCoy Research Group University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health
Mary Paterson, PhD Financial Status of Retiree Caregivers: An Analysis of the Asset Structure of the Retiree Caregiver Professor Emeritus, School of Nursing The Catholic University of America, Washington DC
Krista Perreira, PhD Exits, Recidivism, and Caseload Growth: The Effect of Private Health Insurance Markets on the Demand for Medicaid Professor of Health Economics University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine
Dana Petersen, PhD Social Capital, Social Support, and Quality of Life among Long-Term Breast Cancer Survivors Senior Researcher Mathematic Policy Research, Oakland CA
Aryn Phillips, PhD The Impact of Retail Availability on Health Behaviors: Policy Applications for the Prevention & Management of Chronic Conditions Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management School of Public Health University of Maryland, College Park
Kathryn Phillips, PhD Public Policy and Screening: The Influence of State Policies on Utilization of Human Autoimmunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Screening Professor of Health Economics and Health Services Research UCSF School of Pharmacy, San Francisco CA
Jessica Poon, PhD Multilevel Pathways to Patient-Centered Care Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Division of Research Kaiser Permanente
Alexis Pozen, PhD Price Variation for Colonoscopy in a Commercially Insured Population Assistant Professor City University of New York School of Public Health New York NY
Brian Quinn, PhD The Effect of Community-Level Unemployment On Preventive Oral Health Care Utilization Associate Vice President, Research-Evaluation-Learning The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Princeton NJ
Nadia Safaeinili, PhD Evaluation of a statewide integrated medical and social service case management policy innovation: A multi-level assessment of equitable implementation for frontline staff and high-risk, high-need Medicaid patients Research Scientist, School of Medicine Stanford University
Robert Schell, PhD Understanding the Role of Socioeconomic, Health Behavioral, and Genetic Factors in Cardiovascular Disease Risk Associate, Analysis Group Menlo Park, CA
Julie Schmittdiel, PhD The Effect on Primary Health Care Orientation on Chronic Care Management Research Scientist and Associate Director of Health Care Delivery and Policy Division of Research Kaiser Permanente Northern California Oakland CA
John Schneider, PhD Regulation and Regulatory Reform in the U.S. Hospital Industry, 1980-1996 CEO and Founder Avalon Health Economics, Morristown NJ
Neil J. Sehgal, PhD Social Influences on Healthcare Outcomes in a Major Academic Medical Center Associate Professor of Health Systems and Population Health School of Public Health, University of Washington
Tetine Sentell, PhD Literacy, Health, and Health Services Use in a Nationally Representative Sample Chin Sik & Hyun Sook Chung Endowed Chair Department of Health Policy and Management Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health
Gordon Shen, PhD Global Mental Health Policy Diffusion, Institutionalization, and Innovation Assistant Professor of Management, Policy and Community Health The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health
Timothy Snail, PhD The Effects of Hospital Contracting for Physician Services on Hospital Performance Vice President, Charles River Associates Boston, MA
Sean Sullivan, PhD The Demand for Prescription Drugs in Elderly Americans Professor of Health Economics and Dean Emeritus School of Pharmacy, University of Washington
Aaron Tierney, PhD Virtual Diabetes and Hypertension Care in Community Health Centers: Use, Quality, and Patient Preferences Clinical Informatics Postdoctoral Fellow, Division of Research Kaiser Permanente
Yi-Wen Tsai, PhD Cigarette Taxation, National Health Insurance Professor, Institute of Health and Welfare Policy National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan
Lauren van der Walt, PhD Increasing Women’s Access to Information about Safe Abortion Methods through Local and Global Hotlines Executive Director, Optio Berkeley, CA
Megan Vanneman, PhD Consequences of Devolution: Effectiveness, Efficiency, and Equity in California’s County-based Public Mental Health Care System Assistant Professor of Medicine and Population Health Sciences University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Todd Wagner, PhD The Economics of Consumer Health Information Director, Health Economics Resource Center Department of Veterans Affairs Professor of Surgery Stanford University
Zachary Wagner, PhD Community Health Workers to Increase Use of ORS and Zinc to Treat Child Diarrhea in Uganda: A Cluster Randomized Trial Associate Policy Researcher, RAND Corporation Santa Monica, CA
Neal Wallace, PhD A Production Function Approach to Mental Health Service Coordination in California’s Publicly Financed Mental Health System Professor of Health Systems Management and Policy OHSU-Portland State University School of Public Health
Jessica Watterson, PhD Influences on the Effectiveness of Health Information Technology Innovations in Primary Health Care Senior Research Fellow in Public Health Monash University Melbourne, Australia
Christopher M. Whaley, PhD The Effects of Consumer Information and Cost-Sharing on Healthcare Prices Policy Researcher RAND Corporation
Justin White, PhD A Team-Based Behavioral Economics Experiment on Smoking Cessation Associate Professor of Health Economics Department of Health Law, Policy & Management, School of Public Health Boston University
Frances Wu, PhD The Role of Health Information Technology in Early Accountable Care Organizations in the U.S. Research Associate, The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Jill Yegian, PhD Politics, Economics, and Organizational Innovation in the Small Group Market for Health Insurance Principal, Yegian Health Insights, LLC Oakland, CA
Myoungsoon You, PhD Determinants of Risk Perception among Women with a Family History of Breast Cancer Professor Seoul National University, Korea
Jim Zazzali, PhD Executive Director, Head of Health Policy and Systems Research, and Modeling Genentech
Health Law and Policy
Over one dollar in six in the US economy is spent on health care, and the need for wise public and organizational policy decisions to control costs, to improve quality, and to increase access has never been greater. In the public health arena, the nation confronts a rising tide of noncommunicable disease, resurgent threats of infectious disease, and other problems that will demand legal and policy interventions. Stanford Law School is second to none as a training ground for tomorrow’s leaders in health law and policy. Four renowned Law School faculty members offer courses in health care law, public health law, and bioethics and advise students interested in careers in the field. Courses in mental health law, food and drug law, mass tort litigation, environmental law, policy analysis skills, and other critical areas help expand students’ intellectual toolkit. Joint degree programs with the Stanford University School of Medicine, the ability to cross-register for health-related courses taught in other Stanford professional schools and departments, and research opportunities through Stanford’s health-focused research institutes round out the experience.
Faculty on Point
Core Health Law Faculty
Henry T. Greely
- Deane F. and Kate Edelman Johnson Professor of Law
- Director, Center for Law and the Biosciences
- Professor, by courtesy, Genetics
- Chair, Steering Committee of the Center for Biomedical Ethics
- Director, Stanford Program in Neuroscience and Society
Daniel P. Kessler
- Professor of Law
- Keith and Jan Hurlbut Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution
Michelle M. Mello
- Professor of Health Policy
David M. Studdert
- Vice Provost and Dean of Research
More Teaching and Advising Faculty
Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar
- Visiting Scholar
John J. Donohue III
- C. Wendell and Edith M. Carlsmith Professor of Law
Nora Freeman Engstrom
- Ernest W. McFarland Professor of Law
- Co-Director, Deborah L. Rhode Center on the Legal Profession
Deborah Hensler
- Judge John W. Ford Professor of Dispute Resolution
Daniel E. Ho
- William Benjamin Scott and Luna M. Scott Professor of Law
- Professor of Political Science
- Professor of Computer Science (by courtesy)
- Senior Fellow, Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI)
- Senior Fellow, Stanford Institute for Economic and Policy Research
- Director of the Regulation, Evaluation, and Governance Lab (RegLab)
Robert J. MacCoun
- James and Patricia Kowal Professor of Law
- Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
Lisa Larrimore Ouellette
- Deane F. Johnson Professor of Law
- Senior Fellow, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR)
Robert L. Rabin
- A. Calder Mackay Professor of Law
Faculty Research Projects
Hank Greely has been publishing widely on the issues raised by human germline genome editing and He Jiankui’s “CRISPR’d babies.” Hank Greely has worked on various issues around “human brain surrogates,” from human/non-human brain chimeras, to human neural organoids, to partial or whole human brains kept “alive” outside the body. Hank Greely is writing a book called “Playing With Life” about who advances in the biosciences are, in effect, letting humans change living organisms in ways and to extents never before imagined…and exploring what kind of world(s) we may end up with.
Daniel Kessler is investigating how choice of organizational form by physicians (for example, solo versus group practice), and integration between physicians and hospitals, affect competition and the cost and quality of care. Daniel Kessler is studying how different types of prescription drug insurance affect opioid prescribing behavior by physicians.
Michelle Mello is exploring approaches to governing health care artificial intelligence and regulating high-priced prescription drugs, issues in vaccination policy, and lessons learned about emergency health powers laws during COVID-19. Michelle Mello and David Studdert are studying how governance of data transfers between universities and external organizations for research purposes could be improved.
David Studdert is leading a study examining the relationship between firearm ownership and risks of mortality among residents of California. David Studdert is conducting an international study assessing the role of traffic laws and their enforcement in preventing road accidents. David Studdert and Michelle Mello are investigating how the experience of being sued changes the way physicians deliver care.
Research Programs and Centers
Linkages between SLS and health-focused research centers around Stanford University make for rich environment for research on health law and policy. These centers include:
Publications
Understanding liability risk from using health care artificial intelligence tools, new eng. j. med..
Author(s): Michelle M. Mello , Neel Guha
The authors review challenges arising in malpractice litigation related to software errors to inform health care organizations and physicians about liability risk from AI adoption and about strategies to mitigate risk.
Public Health Law Modernization 2.0: Rebalancing Public Health Powers And Individual Liberty In The Age Of COVID-19
Health Affairs
Author(s): Michelle M. Mello , Lawrence O. Gostin
Governing Emerging Technologies—Looking Forward with Horizon Scanning and Looking Back with Technology Audits
Global Public Policy and Governance
Author(s): Henry T. Greely
The 14-Day Embryo Rule: A Modest Proposal
The Death of Roe and the Future of Ex Vivo Embryos
Journal of Law and the Biosciences
Frankenstein and Modern Bioscience: Which Story Should We Heed?
Huntington Library Quarterly (forthcoming 2021)
CRISPR People: The Science and Ethics of Editing Humans
Experiential Learning
SLS offers opportunities for students interested in health to pursue structured experiential learning through:
Juelsgaard Intellectual Property and Innovation Clinic
Occasional Law and Policy Labs offering students a practicum experience in partnership with health policy makers. Recent Policy Labs have included:
This policy lab maps the law school experience for students with psychiatric or mental health disabilities. It identifies barriers for…
Clients: California Native American Tribes, prescribed burn associations, federal legislative and executive branch decision makers. Wildfire has emerged as one…
This policy lab will build on the work of the Fall 2022 policy lab that researched three specific issues related…
Student Organizations
Student journals, joint degree programs.
- JD/MS in Health Policy (focus in Health Services Research or Epidemiology)
- JD/MD in Law and Medicine
- JD/PhD in Law and Psychology
- JD/PhD in Health Policy
- JD/MS in Epidemiology and Clinical Research
- JD/PhD in Epidemiology and Clinical Research
CLB Law and Biosciences Workshop Seminar
- October 15, 2024 @ 4:30pm
- Location: @ SLS: Room 285
CLB Lunch Talk: United States Donor Conceived Council (USDCC)
- November 14, 2024 @ 12:50pm
Inside Stanford Lawyer Magazine
Mello awarded md article prize, goldin receives research award.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Health care law courses often examine medical malpractice and public health issues, as students are prepared to work with hospitals, physicians, patients and policymakers. These are the top...
The PhD in Health Policy and Management is a full-time doctoral program that trains its students to conduct original investigator-initiated research through a combination of coursework and research mentoring.
Our PhD in Health Law, Policy, and Management equips students with the knowledge and skills needed to delve deeper into the root causes of health outcomes among population groups in the United States.
The Harvard PhD in Health Policy, awarded by the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, is a collaborative program among six Harvard University faculties: Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard Business School, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Law School, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public ...
Health policy is an interdisciplinary field that examines the organization and financing of health systems and services; the impact of health policies on population health; and the economic, social and behavioral determinants of health.
Stanford Law School is second to none as a training ground for tomorrow’s leaders in health law and policy. Four renowned Law School faculty members offer courses in health care law, public health law, and bioethics and advise students interested in careers in the field.