Ph.D. in Bioethics and Health Policy

A Unique Ph.D Program in Bioethics and Health Policy

The Berman Institute is one of the foremost Bioethics Research centers in the world. It is home to many of the leading experts in the fields of bioethics and health policy, who provide unparalleled training, education and mentoring to the next generation of bioethics scholars. The Johns Hopkins PhD program in Bioethics and Health Policy is unique in the opportunities it affords students to conduct path-breaking original scholarship in a premier international research institution.

Deering Hall - Home to the Berman Institute of Bioethics

The Johns Hopkins PhD training offered in Bioethics and Health Policy is distinguished from other bioethics doctoral training programs in two ways:

It focuses on bioethics as it relates to questions in public health and health policy (rather than, for example, medical ethics). Thus students consider ethical issues in population health practice, research, and policy, examining questions in domestic and international research ethics, genetic screening policy, HIV screening, and social justice/resource allocation.
Our program provides rigorous training in empirical research methods. By the end of their training, students in this program are prepared to provide not only normative recommendations regarding ethics and public health policy but also to function as independent researchers conducting empirical bioethics research related to public health and health policy.

The program directors are Nancy Kass, ScD, and Holly Taylor, Ph.D MPH, who are happy to hear from prospective students regarding the PhD program.

Bioethics and Health Policy is a track within the Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The Bioethics and Health Policy track is designed for students who want bioethics to be the distinguishing characteristic of their careers in public health. Students complete the Departmental core requirements, including courses in health policy, epidemiology, and biostatistics. Specifically for this track, students also are required to complete coursework in bioethics, moral philosophy, and public health law. These requirements are satisfied, in part, through the Department of Philosophy of the Johns Hopkins University and the Kennedy Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University.

Original doctoral research conducted by students focuses on analyzing empirical information (primary or secondary data) about specific areas of public health or health policy and examining the ethical implications of their findings. Students are required to have a theoretical ethics chapter in their dissertations in addition to the other chapters traditionally required.

There are two defining features of our bioethics training: (1) it is housed within a department of health policy and within a school of public health, and (2) it provides rigorous training in empirical research methods. Being housed in a school of public health and within our School's Department of Health Policy and Management orients our program toward the examination of moral questions in the context of health and public policy. Students and faculty in our program study and conduct independent research on broad public policy and population health challenges such as how HIV screening programs should be designed, whether insurance companies should engage in genetic testing, whether federal dollars ought to be spent on stem cell research, or how informed consent procedures could be improved. Our program, thus, differs from a medical ethics program, which would focus more on the bedside dilemmas of individual clinicians with their patients. The program differs, too, from one housed within a department of philosophy, which would focus more on foundational issues in moral philosophy. Second, since we provide training in empirical research methods, we are an appropriate choice for students who either want to conduct independent research as part of their careers, or want to be able to critically read the research literature. Training is provided in both quantitative and qualitative methods, with particular emphasis on health problems with both moral and public policy significance. Students typically are expected to collect their own (primary) data for the dissertation or to conduct an original secondary analysis of data collected by other researchers.

2. What are the admission requirements? Are there specific prerequisites for the program?

The PhD program in bioethics and health policy is a track within the Department of Health Policy and Management (HPM). Applicants apply for admission to the Department of HPM, and should consult the Department's website regarding general information and admissions requirements for doctoral programs . Applications are reviewed both by a committee of the Department and a committee from the bioethics track.

Several aspects of each application are examined, and no single piece of information is the sole factor in the decision. The admissions committee reviews GRE scores, past academic performance, letters of recommendation, relevant experience as it pertains to the field, and the applicant's personal statement. While there are no specific prerequisites, some background in bioethics, health policy, or research is helpful in order to have a demonstrated commitment to and a better understanding of the field.

3. What kind of course work does the program include? How long does it take to complete the program?

The first two years of the program are spent completing course work in public health, moral philosophy, and bioethics, and the remainder of the program is devoted to the doctoral dissertation. The first year of course work is taken at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and includes courses in health policy, epidemiology, biostatistics, public health law, and bioethics. The second year of course work includes two courses in moral philosophy at the Philosophy Department of the Johns Hopkins Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and two courses in bioethics from Georgetown University's Kennedy Institute of Ethics. For the dissertation, students conduct original research on a topic of relevance to bioethics and health policy. Most students complete the program in 4-5 years.

Admission to the Ph.D. program in Bioethics and Health Policy is very competitive. Traditionally, 1-2 students are accepted each year. The program is small and is generally kept to between 4-7 students total. The bioethics program is part of the Department of Health Policy and Management however, which is larger. Thus, doctoral students who enter our program in bioethics and health policy are part of a cohort of approximately 15 new students annually in the Department as a whole, each of whom is also in a particular track of the Department. Our students take their qualifying exams at the end of their first year in the program, along with all the other first year doctoral students in the Department of HPM, and begin to specialize more significantly in the second year of the program.

Yes, financial aid is available, but on a limited basis. Scholarships follow the Department of HPM scholarship policy. Federally funded grants are also available to eligible students. For more information, check the HPM Financial Aid Information Page.

Graduates of the program can go on to any number of possible careers. Previous students now have careers in public policy, academia, private organizations, and the federal government.

The PhD program in Bioethics and Health Policy is just one of many programs ongoing in bioethics at Johns Hopkins, and just one of many programs affiliated with the Berman Institute of Bioethics at Johns Hopkins University. The Berman Institute of Bioethics was established in 1995 and supports educational and research programs and collaborative scholarship among four divisions of the Johns Hopkins University: Public Health, Medicine, Nursing, and Arts & Sciences. Semi-monthly bioethics seminars are offered by the Berman Institute throughout the academic year, and multiple additional opportunities also are sponsored by the Institute, including public lectures, bioethics films, research ethics seminars, and small, private seminars with visiting faculty from other institutions.

All doctoral students in HPM are expected to complete at least 300 hours of paid or unpaid research relating to two different projects by the end of the second year. This research may be conducted either on- or off-campus, but at least 50% of the work must be on-campus. A full description of the research hours requirement is in the HPM Student Handbook.

Most students will find opportunities to take part in research with their graduate advisor or other faculty at the Berman Institute. Research with other faculty at JHSPH or within the University is also widely available. Students are encouraged to find a faculty member whose research matches his/her interests and to inquire about research opportunities.

Advanced seminars on bioethics are held weekly either in Baltimore or Washington. Bioethics PhD students may participate in these seminars after completing their first year of coursework. Doctoral students must be willing to attend the seminar for the entire academic year. Attendance is guaranteed only for one year per student, but participation for a second year is possible. There are limited numbers of slots for doctoral students; Thus students participation may be limited to one year to allow all students to have this opportunity.

The Johns Hopkins Hospital Ethics Committee is part of the Ethics Committee and Consultation Service at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. The committee provides advice and consultation for patients and their families dealing with difficult medical care choices. Students interested in clinical ethics or ethics committees can obtain permission to observe the committee's meetings.

The Berman Institute (BI) Semi-Annual Faculty Research Retreat is an informal, closed "professional meeting" where BI faculty present their research in-progress for discussion and critique. The retreat, usually held in Baltimore in the fall and spring of each year, provides an opportunity for students and post-doctoral fellows to interact with faculty, learn about their research, and to share their perspectives on scholarly activity at the BI.

The Robert H. Levi Lecture is a public lecture every other year, and is part of the Robert H. Levi Leadership Program in Bioethics and Public Policy made possible by a gift to the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics from the Levi family. The lectures focus on current topics of important to the nation; goal of the program is to raise the level of ethical discourse about critical issues in medicine and social policy, both in the community and among those who have the practical responsibility for their resolution.

The Shallenberger Medical Ethics lecture, sponsored by the Johns Hopkins Hospital Ethics Committee and Consultation Service, is an annual lecture given by a guest lecturer. The lecture is held each spring in Johns Hopkins Hospital's Hurd Hall.

The David Barap Brin Lecture in Medical Ethics is an annual, honorary ethics lecture through the Johns Hopkins Medical School and Hospital. Prior to the lecture, the Brin lecturer often meets with students/fellows and the Brin family for lunch. The lecture is sponsored by the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center and usually occurs during the 3rd term.

For further information on the Bioethics Ph.D. program, consult the Bioethics Ph.D. Program FAQ; you may also contact Nancy Kass, Sc.D. or Holly Taylor, M.P.H., Ph.D.