# MD-PhD Training Program in Aging and the Social/Behavioral Sciences

> **NIH NIH T32** · HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL · 2021 · $216,996

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Immersed in the two worlds of clinical practice and research, physician-scientists, particularly those trained
in quantitative social sciences, have unique perspectives that are key to effectively addressing the
healthcare demands of America’s aging population. Harvard University, home to a long established
nationally recognized MD-PhD program as well as world-renowned graduate programs in Health Policy,
Economics, and Social and Behavioral Sciences, is exceptionally well poised to train physician-scientists in
these areas. With the support of this institutional NIA training grant, we have cultivated a growing cohort of
such trainees and are inspiring them to pursue impactful aging related research. Training typically follows a
‘2-4-2’ model: 2 years of medical school, 4 years of graduate school culminating in a PhD with at least one
project focused on aging populations, and then, 2 final years of medical school. While the accent is aligned
with their tuition assignment, students participate in clinical and research training throughout their timeline.
Hallmarks of this training program include regular tutorials run as well as meetings with the directors of the
Marcus Research Institute of Aging. Both opportunities provide students with mentorship, community,
interdisciplinary interactions, exposures to a wide range of social science quantitative methods, and provide
a forum for identifying exciting research questions. Students are appointed to this training grant in the M1,
M2, G1, M3 and M4 years. The G2-Gn years are covered by their respective PhD program. Our
participating PhD programs include 1) the PhD Program in Health Policy (concentrations in Economics,
Management, and Methods for Policy Research), which trains students for research and teaching careers in
health policy through an interdisciplinary and interfaculty approach; 2) the PhD Program in Economics in the
Department of Economics, which prepares students for productive and stimulating careers as economists in
academia or for positions in government, research organizations, or business enterprises; and, 3) the PhD
in Population Health Sciences (field of study in Social and Behavioral Sciences), offered through the
Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, which prepares students to be scholars whose research
illuminates social and behavioral determinants of health and develops and evaluates innovative
interventions and policies leading to the improvement of population health. The 28 participating faculty by
and large possess a strong interest in and experience with mentoring physician-scientist trainees and have
expertise in aging-related research. Within the greater community of ~190 MD-PhD students and ~27 social
science MD-PhD students is now a vibrant and tight knit group of 10 who are part of this NIA training
program. With an existing track record of distinguished alumni and this growing cohort of current trainees,
made possible by this NIA training grant, we su...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10169729
- **Project number:** 2T32AG051108-06A1
- **Recipient organization:** HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
- **Principal Investigator:** JOSEPH PAUL NEWHOUSE
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $216,996
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2015-08-01 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10169729

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10169729, MD-PhD Training Program in Aging and the Social/Behavioral Sciences (2T32AG051108-06A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10169729. Licensed CC0.

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