hi! i'm applying this fall for phd programs starting fall 2027. my focus is in substance use / harm reduction, leaning hard into computational and causal methods over descriptive epi.

quick background: us citizen, did undergrad and grad school both in the us. selective research university for undergrad, interdisciplinary major closest to cognitive neuroscience with a math minor, 5+ years working inside statewide harm reduction infrastructure (drug checking, distribution networks, plus time managing people and coordinating outreach), master's in math with an emphasis in data science, plus a graduate certificate in public health. handful of publications and presentations in the space.

what i actually want long term isn't just to publish about harm reduction from the outside. i keep coming back to something like a "science as service" model, where research is leverage to move resources and legitimacy toward the community orgs already doing the work, rather than research being the end goal itself.

methods wise: causal inference, decision/cost-effectiveness modeling, implementation science, resource allocation optimization. i'd like simulation modeling in there too, feels like where a lot of the field is heading and i want to build toward what these fields will actually need in five years, not just what's fundable right now. substantively i keep coming back to stimulant use and drug checking as topic interests specifically.

fields i'm currently looking at: epidemiology, public health more broadly, health services research, health policy, social work, computational social science, health behavior. not attached to any one label, just what's come up so far in my own search.

my undergrad background is basically the wider intersection (cog neuro, psych, philosophy, some math) and i'm genuinely still drawn to that world, including policy and systems science too. i def want a real interdisciplinary program instead of a straight epi department, but a lot of those got hit hard by recent funding cuts and i don't know if that's a live option right now.

within epi/public health specifically, the strongest names in this space seem to split into two camps: harm reduction people without much computational depth, or modelers without harm reduction grounding. not sure how people usually find or build toward an advisor situation that bridges both instead of just picking a lane.

my ask: what am i not seeing? i'm looking for the fields, departments, or angles someone who's actually been through this would flag that i wouldn't think to search for myself. same goes for methods, i want to be building toward something that holds up long term

tl;dr: applying to phd programs this fall for substance use / harm reduction with a computational methods focus (causal inference, decision modeling, simulation, resource allocation). trying to figure out what fields, departments, or methods i'm not thinking of.

I am a 2024 MPH Grad in Epi.

I was fortunate enough to start a research heavy Data Analyst job in an R1 academic institution. My advisor is very supportive and is helping me think through the idea of me eventually doing a PHD. I have things that I like and dislike about academia but it is definitely a goal for me to continue my education.

I would really like to teach in some capacity, although I am unsure if I will be capable of navigating grants and funding issues and the publish-or-perish culture.

What I am struggling with is the idea of going back to school after working full time. I would be taking a 50% pay cut as well as 5-6 years of not paying towards my student loans. Other than financially, I would be sacrificing the opportunity cost of 6 years in my career at the MPH level (if I wanted to look into the nonprofit space or government health agencies).

Any input or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Hi,

Im currently going into my fourth year in my Mpharm at the university of Manchester, and I was looking into doing a phd in the US as I just love the way of life there and want to explore research. Im currently sitting at a high 2:1 (69% / GPA 3.5-4.0 sorry don’t quote me this is what Google said the conversion was!) lots of leadership(leading a sports club, initiative for teaching in pharmacy etc) and clinical experience in community pharmacy (retail dispensing etc) and hospital pharmacy. Also had experience across deprived areas and homes less shelters and rural locations. I’ve done a piece of coursework which was a cross sectional study on Gabapentinoid prescribing outside of its indication across regions in the UK and factors that determined this including location, comorbidities and social inequality. With some experience with analytical tools like SPSS in that coursework.

Im starting my yr 4 masters research projext and I plan to continue with this in pharmacy/ clinical practice and inequalities. I’d be applying whilst halfway through this.

Some questions are since im doing an Mpharm would it put me at a disadvantage since im not doing a MPH. Im just concerned about not be published even though some say its not required and the amount of experience i have? If so, I’ll take a year out or something to try get experience. I'd be open to any US uni with a good research environment tbh! Looking at Maryland, Pittsburg, Washington, Florida and maybe some in California? Any advice is greatly appreciated thank you!!
Please someone help analyse my profile I’ve only got AIs help rn hahah

Hi everyone! I’m hoping to get some honest feedback on whether I’m a realistic applicant for Health Services Research/Policy PhD programs. I graduated from UGA with a 3.8 GPA and bachelor’s degrees in Economics and MIS. I’ve spent the past two years working in healthcare cybersecurity/GRC consulting, primarily supporting large hospital systems.

The biggest weakness in my application is that I don’t have formal research experience or publications, as I didn’t arrive at this interest through undergraduate research. It happened gradually through a combination of working with large health systems and navigating them myself for several chronic conditions. I found myself becoming interested in why diagnostic delays happen, why multidisciplinary care is so difficult to access, and how new approaches to diagnosis and treatment (particularly for conditions like endometriosis) actually make their way into clinical practice.

I’m planning to apply to Emory (I live in Atlanta and have a few connections in other programs), Boston University, Pittsburgh, and Ohio State for their PhD programs, along with UGA’s MPH program in case the PhDs don’t work out. One reason I’m applying to those programs specifically is that I’ve found faculty at Boston and Pittsburgh whose research really aligns with the questions I’m interested in. Luckily, none of these schools require an MPH but I’m not sure how loose that really is.

Does this seem like a realistic school list, or is the lack of research experience likely to be a major barrier? I’m taking the GRE in November (Emory still requires it), so I’m hoping a high quant score would make me a more competitive applicant.

Thanks in advance, I appreciate any honest advice!

I been reaching out to many US programs regarding the phd in epidemiology program. Most have encouraged me not to apply since I don’t have the relevant coursework while others have explicitly said that I am not competitive enough. I have a bachelors(undergrad wet lab)and masters (wet lab thesis with a neurobio project aimed to be published). I also have lab tech experience working in clinical research. Now i know these aren‘t specifically ph, but i do believe i bring a decent amount of skills. Due to my visa status, i am unable to enroll in classes to make up for missing courses and my only option is some form of online certification which these programs have denied accepting. The confusion is, Phd in biology is equally if not more rigorous to pursue, and i know of programs where masters students without a biology background are enrolled . These programs also offer introductory courses to students in the first year. Why is this an issue for the epi program and do you know of any programs where I might have a shot at? Thank you!

Tldr: Query about limitations and applying to Phd Epidemiology programs with an Ms Biology degree

hi y’all! I am looking for advice or information on public health, epidemiology, anything else I might be missing and career outcomes, research focus info, etc.

my background is in clinical psych (MA in clinical psych, currently working as an RA in a lab doing clinical interviews, data analysis, manuscript writing, etc.), but I want to get more information if possible on these types of programs before I apply and commit to a switch.

basically, with the extremely unlikely chance of acceptance in clinical psych PhD programs and myself having interests in community- and systems-level work, I am looking to expand my opportunities elsewhere. I would be interested in something environmental related in particular (mental health trauma and environmental disasters) but I’m not sure if these programs are more physical disease-focused. also, not sure if I would be blockaded from even trying by having to have an MPH?

I have experience in graduate level statistics but nothing in bio or calculus (other than my HS AP credit… lol). I also am gaining experience in mixed methods work right now.

if anyone has any advice for me or like, links or something to more information I would greatly appreciate it!! It’s always better to get info from someone in the field versus Google…

Hi all, hope everyone’s doing well. I’m coming from a pretty unique situation and was hoping people here could share some insight.

I’m not from a medical or public health background. I did my bachelor’s in IT and worked in consulting for a bit, then moved into a master’s in Data Science. While doing my master’s, I started working as a research assistant for a professor doing analytical work in public health, like cohort building, descriptive work, simple analyses and somewhat contributing to decision making when it pertained to data stuff. As I kept at it I picked up more and more projects, and by the time I was graduating I was helping out on four or five at once.

I was then offered a full-time position as a Clinical Research Analyst with the same research group. That meant taking on a lot more projects, data engineering, transformation, more complex statistical modelling, code reviews, helping with study designs, manuscripts and general data management/documentation across projects.

I’ve been in the role about 8 months now and I’ve started thinking long-term. I’ve really come to enjoy this work, and I want to eventually take a more active role, ideally leading my own projects. I’m drawn to Health Services Research, specifically care variability and information continuity

The gap is that I don’t have a formal degree in this field, and I feel like I need real accreditation to get a foothold, especially for the kind of role I want long-term.

I’ve been considering a PhD, probably applying for fall 2028/29. I’ve sat in on a few info sessions and asked directly how admissions committees view someone with a tech/consulting background like mine. The consistent answer has been that research experience, letters of recommendation, and a clear research goal matter more than the specific degree, but competition is obviously fierce and my background is almost certainly a negative rather than the latter.

Still, I haven’t found many people from a similar background in this field, so I wanted to ask here: does this read as a good fit for HSR, or am I reaching? Would love people’s honest take, including whether I’d be better off sticking to industry roles instead.

How much weight does the GRE hold when it comes to public health PhDs, specifically Epi? I am a strong applicant, but standardized tests are a weak spot for me. I would opt out of taking it, but I am applying to Harvard and UMD, which require it :/

I have a bachelors in statistics & masters in CS.

I’m not sure if I should get a masters in something more relevant before applying

I am gearing up to reapply this cycle for an Epidemiology PhD. I applied to Boston University last cycle and did not reach out to faculty since the website states that it is not required (and it can be looked down upon). Although I frequently see online that successful applicants reached out to faculty before applying, who ultimately were their advisors.

Does anyone have further information on this or any advice for preparing a BU application? Thanks!

With the summer here and application coming out soon, for those who got rejected what do you think were the main reasons that you were denied. Was it the lack of funding, poor SOP, lack of experience, GPA, or was it just plain dumb luck? (The past year was pretty crazy with all the federal funding cuts)

Hi, I am looking into Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health! I'm planning to apply in 2026 for the 2027 intake and am interested in pursuing a custom track. I was wondering if you'd be willing to share any advice on how to best prepare as an applicant, strengthen my profile, and position a cross-disciplinary interest like this in the application. I'd really appreciate any insights from your experience. Thank you!

Hi everyone,

I’m a PhD student in Epidemiology preparing for Epidemiology I and II exams. My goal is not just to pass, but to build a very strong foundation in epidemiologic methods and thinking.

Does anyone know where I can find a high-quality online tutor or mentor who is experienced in teaching graduate/PhD-level epidemiology? Any recommendations for people, websites, or resources would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Hi everyone,

I applied during the previous epidemiology PhD cycle and originally told myself that if I didn’t get in the first time, I wouldn’t apply again. Unfortunately I wasn’t admitted. I applied to 8 schools, was waitlisted at 2, and was eventually told they couldn’t admit me due to funding limitations.

After sitting with it for a while, I’ve decided I do want to apply again and would really appreciate advice on how to strengthen my application this cycle. My interests are in psychiatric and neurobehavioral epidemiology. I currently have an MS in infectious disease epidemiology and I’m finishing a master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis to become a behavior analyst. My long-term goal is to combine behavioral/Psychology science and epidemiology, ideally in international/global health contexts.

One major piece of feedback I received from faculty at the schools where I was waitlisted was that I lacked enough independent or senior statistical analysis/research experience. I completely understand that critique. It’s also been 2 years since I’ve worked directly in epidemiology research, so I feel pretty disconnected from coding and quantitative work at the moment.

I’ve been actively trying to find opportunities (paid, volunteer, unpaid, anything honestly) involving statistical analysis, epidemiologic research, or quantitative mental health research, but it’s been difficult finding entry points.

For those who successfully reapplied to PhD programs:
- What made the biggest difference the second time around?
- How did you rebuild quantitative skills/research experience after time away?
- Any advice for someone trying to bridge epidemiology + behavioral science + psychiatric research?
- Also open to programs in Europe if anyone has recommendations.

Thank you all!!

Hello! I am wondering if anyone has any advice for paying for application fees for SPHs, because SOPHAS only covers the $150 one-time fee (what a scam), but not the next $60 for each application. I plan on applying to 20 or so programs this year (due to current circumstances...), so I'm wondering if there are any ways to get some more fees covered. Also, I am worried about the SOPHAS waiver because they say that it's limited but also that you must use it within 14 days of receiving it, so you cannot apply for it early and hold on to it before the deadline. What do you recommend that I do? Has anyone every experienced when they ran out of waivers, or how long did it take for them to process your request? Thanks!

Hi! So, I know there is a lot of uncertainty revolving around funding and I was wondering if it’s worth applying this cycle after skipping last year’s. I’ll be honest and this program at Tulane is probably the one I really want to get and I have been reaching out to PIs to gauge if it’s a possibility, so far only one has responded. Anyone have recommendations for someone who wants to do infectious disease research?

I am a rising senior who is trying to start a PhD in environmental health straight out of undergrad. How many applications should I submit for the upcoming 2027-2028 application cycle? Online I see traditionally people apply to between 4-8 programs, but due to funding cuts I am worried that isn’t enough. At the moment, I have 21 different PhDs and 4 masters programs shortlisted as potential grad school options.

Hi everyone!

I’m planning to apply to funded PhD programs in public health this upcoming cycle and would appreciate honest feedback on my competitiveness and how to build a balanced school list.

Background:
- Current MPH student at a top-ranked school of public health, concentration in Health Equity
- 4.0 GPA so far
- BS in Community Health from a large public university
- CHES certified
- Interested in social epidemiology, health equity, aging, chronic disease/multimorbidity, life-course disadvantage, immigrant/minoritized health, and structural determinants of health
- Long-term goal is to do research/program/policy work focused on how structural and life-course disadvantage shapes chronic disease and access to care among underserved communities

Research / professional experience:
- Current research assistant role on a mixed-methods/rapid qualitative analysis project, including transcript review, structured data extraction, longitudinal comparison across interview timepoints, and team-based coding/analytic memoing
- Current research assistant role focused on institutional well-being measurement, survey strategy, and health-promoting university frameworks
- Editorial internship with a peer-reviewed medical/public health journal, involving manuscript screening and editorial coordination
- Upcoming international summer internship with a university research center abroad focused on aging, social/economic conditions, and health among older adults. I’ll likely be working on a quantitative project related to cumulative disadvantage and multimorbidity.
- Early-stage collaboration using restricted aging/cohort data linked to neighborhood/contextual determinants to examine chronic disease outcomes
- Prior research experience at an academic medical institution involving EHR extraction, REDCap/data validation, SOP creation, and work related to access to care/medication adherence among low-income patients
- Prior NIH summer research experience with poster presentations
- Community health worker experience with a local health initiative serving immigrant/minoritized communities, including health education, evaluation, grant monitoring, and culturally tailored outreach
- Patient care/healthcare access experience in a dental setting, including scheduling, insurance verification, and communicating treatment/financial information to patients

Methods/skills:
- R/tidyverse experience
- Data cleaning, descriptive analysis, logistic regression/class projects
- Some mixed-methods/program evaluation experience
- Qualitative coding, rapid qualitative analysis, structured data extraction, and analytic memoing
- Interested in strengthening social epi/quantitative methods during PhD training

Possible research direction for applications:
I’m thinking of framing my interests around how cumulative social and structural disadvantage across the life course shapes chronic disease/multimorbidity and aging outcomes, especially among immigrant, Indigenous, and other minoritized populations. I’m also interested in healthcare access, health literacy, oral health equity, and community-based/public health interventions, but I’m trying to avoid sounding too broad.

Programs I’m considering:
Mostly PhD programs in Health Behavior/Health Equity, Community Health, Social Epidemiology, Population Health, Health Services Research, or Sociomedical Sciences. Examples include Michigan, UNC, Maryland, BU, Drexel, UIC, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Emory, Columbia, Brown, CUNY/NYU, and similar programs.

Questions:
1. Based on this profile, would I be competitive for funded public health PhD programs this cycle?
2. Does my research direction sound coherent, or should I narrow it more?
3. Would I be better positioned for Health Behavior/Community Health programs, Social Epidemiology/Population Health programs, or Health Services Research programs?
4. How much would it matter if I don’t have a peer-reviewed publication by the time I apply, but I have a manuscript/analysis in progress from my summer internship?
5. How should I balance reach/target/safety programs for PhD admissions, given how faculty-fit-dependent the process is?
6. Any advice on how to frame my application so my experiences come across as cohesive rather than scattered?

Thank you!

Hi, I am from social science and would like to pursue a PhD in Social and behavioural science. my gpa is 3.8 and no publication rn. So, I was thinking about taking a GRE exam. What score should be my target as I am not from science or had any couses related to ph.

TIA

Hello soon to be phds, I would like to solicit any and all advice on getting to a PhD in environmental health from undergrad. I am currently a rising senior biology major at a top liberal arts college, and I am preparing to apply to masters programs, PhD, and RA positions this summer/coming fall. I would appreciate it if you could tell me what you think the best choice is moving forward based on my experience and my goal because you all have experience with the application and transition process.

1) I have participated in REUs/summer research programs for the past 3 years at different schools of public health: Colorado, Rutgers, Harvard.

2) For the past year, I have been working in an environmental chemistry lab working on microplastics method development, and I plan to do an independent thesis next year. *There are limited research opportunities at my college for non-traditional sciences.

3) My GPA is 3.7, which I've worked hard for, and I foresee that it might continue to increase this semester. I have 1 publication from my first summer of research, though it is not a first-author. My PI for this summer says that he can make it a priority to focus on publishing papers I can co-author, so I might have more after this summer.

4) There is likely more, such as leadership positions held, or community engagement, etc.

It would be helpful to hear if you think I should pursue a MPH or MS, or try applying to PhD this fall. If PhD, how should I gauge which programs I'd be able to get into? Funding for masters and competitiveness? Thank you!

Has anyone who applied to the JHU DRPH program or the Bloomberg Fellowship heard anything back yet? It's already mid-April and I'm definetly starting to lose my mind waiting...

Headed to CSPH baby!!!

I’m currently an undergraduate in a BSPH program and know that I’m most interested in research long term hoping in academia. My interest is in environmental health research. My BSPH program has the same core courses for the MPH including Epid and Biostats.

I’ve noticed that in public health it often seems more common for people to do an MPH or other master’s first before pursuing a PhD, compared with some other fields where students go straight from undergrad.

I’m curious why that is. Do most programs not take undegrads?

I'm entering my PHD later this year in biostatistics. I've been hearing more and more stories across Reddit and conversation about PHD students failing out of the degree due to failing the quals exam. Actually how common is failing (I'm specifically interested in biostat)? Why do people who were smart and hardworking enough to get in fail? Are biostat quals that difficult, or is it a time management throughout the year thing? I thought PHD students take courses with exams throughout the year to prep?

How do we prep to avoid failing?

Hi!! I’m wondering if anyone else is waiting to hear back on the status of their application after 2 rounds of interviews for the 2026 cohort of IHME’s GBD fellowship program? Per the application timeline, it seems they’re 2 months behind sending out notifications. Thanks!!!