Objective

The Robert Wood Johnson Health & Society Scholars Program at the University of Pennsylvania aims to develop leaders who will produce significant scholarship, design interventions, and build the infrastructure and prestige of a new field focused on the multiple determinants of health.

Description

Penn's program is based on an eclectic and expansive vision of the kinds of knowledge and actions that are needed to improve the nation's health. Over 50 core faculty are drawn from Penn's schools of medicine, arts and sciences, communication (Annenberg), business (Wharton), social work, fine arts, nursing, and law. Penn's history of interdisciplinary collaboration, location in Philadelphia and compact campus facilitate a unique interdisciplinary atmosphere for conducting research and training new leaders.

Our diverse core faculty collaborate on projects such as those that:

• explore aspects of health inequalities, race relations/ethnicity, nutrition, and effects of the built environment;
• involve novel applications of multi-level modeling and spatial analysis to understand the complex interplay of factors that produce health; and
• design and test interventions at the community, mass media and social policy level.

Developing scholars' capacity for cutting-edge, interdisciplinary, research is the major focus of the program. Scholars acquire new skills, span disciplinary boundaries and launch innovative scholarly programs of their own design. From recruitment on, scholars are linked with mentors who will provide guidance and serve as advocates for their interests and careers.

Scholars take part in a common curriculum and also formulate an individualized learning plan that takes advantage of the program's core faculty and courses and other learning opportunities in Penn's many departments and centers.

Scholars participate in leadership development programs, run by faculty at the Wharton School and the Fels Center of Government. These programs train scholars to become effective advocates for population health and to influence communities, institutions, and policymakers to translate research results into effective interventions.

Benefits

Scholars receive generous research support that includes seed money for new projects, research assistants, travel funds, and additional University resources. Health professionals have opportunities to maintain clinical skills.

Relevant Links

Important info about Health & Society Scholars: > Background > Program Details > Eligibility Criteria > Application Cycle Information > Scholars > FAQ

Are you a candidate interviewing at Penn?

2012
Interviews
January 9-11th and 12th-14th

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