Answers to Frequently Asked Questions related to the overall program are available on the national program web site.

How do I apply?

Penn is one of six sites of this program, and all applications are handled centrally, at the National Program Office, not at the individual sites. Information on the application, including the timetable, is available at the RWJ Health & Society Scholars website. Applicants interested in specific elements of the Penn program are strongly encouraged to contact us at mkulynyc@wharton.upenn.edu.

What would I actually do if I came to Penn?

We expect scholars to be capable of substantial independence in the design and conduct of their academic programs, but also to need substantial guidance, teaching, and mentoring along the way. Scholars participate in several seminars centered around health and society. They may also supplement this curriculum with additional courses available at the University or elsewhere. Scholars also participate in programs designed to enhance their leadership skills and prepare them to be even more effective in their future roles. Scholars spend most of their time on research programs that they design, under the guidance of faculty mentors.

What is Penn like?

The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university with over 250 years of innovation in education, research, and service. Its compact campus in Philadelphia hosts all of its 12 schools, making the campus ideal for the interdisciplinary work of the Health and Society Scholars Program. In addition to its tradition of interdisciplinary work, many of Penn's schools have a substantial focus on health. For example, within the School of Arts and Sciences are leading departments of Sociology, History and Sociology of Science, Psychology, and Anthropology-all with faculty whose substantial area of interest is health. The Annenberg School for Communication has a renowned health communication program. The Wharton School is a global leader in health care management and is one of the few schools of management with a dedicated health care program. The Graduate School of Fine Arts has programs in Regional Planning and in Landscape Architecture that focus on the impact of the built environment on human health. All of these programs share a campus, students, and faculty, with the health schools of Medicine, Nursing, Social Work, Dental Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine.

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