The Donald Hopkins Predoctoral Scholars Program, housed in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, offers accepted students the opportunity to study at the master’s level at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in anticipation of further study toward a doctoral degree. The program was designed to enhance the quality of the scholars’ educational experience by affording them the opportunity to take doctoral-level courses while pursuing a master’s degree; interact with current doctoral students; and attend professional-development workshops on topics such as building self-confidence, improving writing and research skills, self-care, and time management.
The mission of the Donald Hopkins Predoctoral Scholars Program is to prepare students from underrepresented communities for doctoral study and to increase diversity among students pursuing Ph.D. degrees in Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Global Health and Population at Harvard Chan School.
Eligibility
- Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree (or non-U.S. equivalent) and have completed some coursework fundamental to quantitative health sciences.
How to Apply
- Applicants should simultaneously apply (via the Harvard Chan School SOPHAS admissions process) to the 80-credit, two-year master of science program in their field and (via the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences application process) either to the PhD program in biostatistics or the PhD program in population health sciences with a field of study associated with epidemiology or global health and population.
- The applicant’s statement of purpose should include a description of any obstacles to academic success the applicant may have experienced, including membership in an underrepresented group.
- The application must include two letters of recommendation.
About Donald Hopkins
The program is named in honor of Donald R. Hopkins, MD, MPH ’70, a distinguished alumnus of the Harvard Chan School who is known internationally as a strong supporter and promoter of public health education. A man who was “materially poor” but “rich in spirit,” according to a 2018 profile in Harvard Public Health magazine, Dr. Hopkins has gained worldwide recognition for his monumental work leading efforts to eradicate Guinea worm disease and river blindness and helping to eliminate smallpox.
Contact Information
If you have questions regarding the Donald Hopkins Predoctoral Scholars Program, please contact Program Co-chair Marcello Pagano at pagano@hsph.harvard.edu.
photo: Kent Dayton
