{"id":225559,"date":"2023-05-05T16:41:44","date_gmt":"2023-05-05T20:41:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/?page_id=225559"},"modified":"2026-09-01T14:29:41","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T18:29:41","slug":"doctoral-students","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/careers\/for-students\/doctoral-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Doctoral Students (PhD &#038; DrPH)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n<p>Doctoral training at Boston University School of Public Health prepares graduates to lead \u2014 in research, practice, policy, and innovation. Whether pursuing a <strong>PhD<\/strong> focused on generating new knowledge or a <strong>DrPH<\/strong> focused on applying evidence to high-impact public health practice, BUSPH doctoral students gain the advanced skills needed to shape public health systems, influence policy, and drive meaningful change.<\/p>\n<p>BUSPH graduates are sought for their ability to design rigorous studies, analyze complex data, lead teams, translate evidence into action, and communicate findings to diverse audiences. Explore the career pathways, competencies, job titles, and resources that support doctoral-level public health careers.<\/p>\n<h3>Career Pathways for Doctoral Students<\/h3>\n<p>Doctoral graduates pursue careers across a wide range of sectors. Explore pathways aligned with your training and interests:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/careers\/for-students\/the-search-process\/exploring-public-health-careers\/academic-careers\/\">Academic Research &amp; Teaching<\/a> \u2014 Faculty roles, postdoctoral training, research scientist positions, academic centers.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/careers\/for-students\/the-search-process\/exploring-public-health-careers\/government-careers\/\">Government<\/a> &amp; Public Health Agencies \u2014 CDC, NIH, FDA, HRSA, state\/local health departments, federal fellowships.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/careers\/for-students\/the-search-process\/exploring-public-health-careers\/global-health-careers\/\">Global Health<\/a> Leadership \u2014 WHO, UNICEF, USAID, global NGOs, implementation science roles.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/careers\/for-students\/the-search-process\/exploring-public-health-careers\/nonprofits-non-governmental-organization-ngo-careers\/\">Nonprofit &amp; NGO<\/a> Leadership \u2014 Program directors, evaluation leads, policy advisors.<\/li>\n<li>Healthcare Systems &amp; Hospitals \u2014 Population health analytics, quality improvement, strategy.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/careers\/for-students\/the-search-process\/exploring-public-health-careers\/consulting-careers\/\">Consulting<\/a> \u2014 Health policy consulting, evaluation consulting, data science consulting.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/careers\/for-students\/the-search-process\/exploring-public-health-careers\/pharm-biotech-life-sciences-careers\/\">Biotech, Pharma &amp; Life Sciences<\/a> \u2014 Epidemiology, HEOR, RWE, clinical research leadership.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/careers\/for-students\/the-search-process\/exploring-public-health-careers\/health-policy-law-careers\/\">Policy &amp; Advocacy<\/a> \u2014 Think tanks, foundations, legislative analysis, public health law.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Common Job Titles for Doctoral Graduates<\/h3>\n<p><strong>PhD Graduates<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Assistant Professor<\/li>\n<li>Research Scientist<\/li>\n<li>Epidemiologist<\/li>\n<li>Biostatistician<\/li>\n<li>Health Services Researcher<\/li>\n<li>Implementation Scientist<\/li>\n<li>Data Scientist<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>DrPH Graduates<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Director of Public Health Programs<\/li>\n<li>Chief Program Officer<\/li>\n<li>Policy Director<\/li>\n<li>Senior Advisor, Global Health<\/li>\n<li>Public Health Officer<\/li>\n<li>Evaluation Director<\/li>\n<li>Executive Leadership Roles<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Where These Positions Can Be Found<\/h3>\n<p>Doctoral-level public health roles span multiple sectors:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Government Agencies \u2014 CDC, NIH, FDA, HRSA, state\/local health departments.<\/li>\n<li>Hospitals &amp; Health Systems \u2014 Population health, quality improvement, analytics.<\/li>\n<li>Academic Institutions \u2014 Universities, research centers, medical schools.<\/li>\n<li>Consulting Firms \u2014 Deloitte, McKinsey, Abt, Mathematica.<\/li>\n<li>NGOs &amp; Nonprofits \u2014 PATH, Partners In Health, CARE, Save the Children.<\/li>\n<li>Biotech &amp; Pharma \u2014 RWE, HEOR, clinical research.<\/li>\n<li>Foundations \u2014 Gates Foundation, RWJF, Kaiser Family Foundation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Core Competencies &amp; Skills Needed<\/h3>\n<p>Doctoral students develop advanced competencies that prepare them for leadership roles:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Advanced Research Methods \u2014 Quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods.<\/li>\n<li>Data Analysis \u2014 R, SAS, Python, SQL, machine learning.<\/li>\n<li>Leadership &amp; Management \u2014 Team leadership, project management, strategic planning.<\/li>\n<li>Policy Translation \u2014 Communicating evidence to policymakers.<\/li>\n<li>Implementation &amp; Evaluation \u2014 Program design, monitoring, evaluation frameworks.<\/li>\n<li>Communication \u2014 Scientific writing, stakeholder engagement, public speaking.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/careers\/for-students\/the-search-process\/writing-your-application-pieces\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Resumes, CVs &amp; Application Materials<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>Doctoral students often need to tailor materials for both academic and industry roles:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/careers\/for-students\/the-search-process\/writing-your-application-pieces\/resumes\/cvs\/\">CV<\/a> vs <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/careers\/for-students\/the-search-process\/writing-your-application-pieces\/resumes\/\">Resume<\/a> \u2014Know when to use each and how to tailor them to the position.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.indeed.com\/career-advice\/resumes-cover-letters\/academic-cv-guide\">Academic CVs<\/a> \u2014 Publications, grants, teaching, presentations.<\/li>\n<li>Industry &amp; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.indeed.com\/career-advice\/resumes-cover-letters\/policy-analyst-resume\">Policy<\/a> R\u00e9sum\u00e9s \u2014 Translating research into impact, quantifying leadership.<\/li>\n<li>Technical Skills Sections \u2014 R, SAS, Python, GIS, qualitative methods, evaluation tools.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/careers\/for-students\/the-search-process\/writing-your-application-pieces\/cover-letters\/\">Cover Letters<\/a> \u2014 Frame your doctoral training for diverse audiences.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Sample Resumes &amp; Cover Letters\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>PhD Research Resume<\/li>\n<li>DrPH Leadership Resume<\/li>\n<li>Academic CV<\/li>\n<li>Data Science Resume<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/careers\/for-students\/the-search-process\/networking-linkedin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Networking &amp; LinkedIn<\/a><\/h3>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/careers\/for-students\/the-search-process\/interview-strategies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Interviewing<\/a> &amp; Job Talks<\/h3>\n<p>Doctoral candidates encounter a wide range of interview formats:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Academic Interviews \u2014 Job talks, chalk talks, research presentations. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/careers\/for-students\/the-search-process\/exploring-public-health-careers\/academic-careers\/\">Check out our Academic Careers<\/a> page for resources on preparing for academic interviews.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/careers\/for-students\/the-search-process\/interview-strategies\/behavioral-interviews\/\">Behavioral Interviews<\/a> \u2014 Leadership stories, project management examples.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/careers\/for-students\/the-search-process\/interview-strategies\/case-interviews\/\">Case Interviews<\/a> \u2014 Consulting-style problem solving.<\/li>\n<li>Translating Research \u2014 Explaining methods to non-technical audiences.<\/li>\n<li>Practice Questions \u2014 Academic, industry, government, and leadership roles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/careers\/for-students\/the-search-process\/negotiating-your-offer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Salary &amp; Negotiation<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>Doctoral graduates benefit from understanding salary ranges and negotiation strategies:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Salary Benchmarks \u2014 Academia, government, nonprofit, industry.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Understanding salary benchmarks across academia, government, nonprofit, and industry helps you evaluate offers confidently and recognize when compensation aligns with typical ranges for doctoral level roles.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Negotiation Strategies \u2014 Scripts, timing, what\u2019s negotiable.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Using effective negotiation strategies including knowing what\u2019s negotiable, choosing the right timing, and preparing simple scripts helps you advocate for yourself and secure a stronger, more equitable offer.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Academic Negotiation \u2014 Start up funds, protected time, relocation, research support.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">When negotiating academic roles, be prepared to discuss start up funds, protected research time, relocation support, and other resources that will set you up for long term scholarly success.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Industry Negotiation \u2014 Bonuses, titles, scope, professional development funds.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">In industry settings, focus your negotiation on elements like bonuses, job titles, role scope, and professional development funding to ensure the position supports both your growth and your expertise.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Equity Considerations \u2014 Addressing disparities in negotiation outcomes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Keeping equity considerations in mind helps you recognize and address disparities in negotiation outcomes so you can advocate for fair compensation for yourself and contribute to more equitable practices in the field.<\/p>\n<h3>Associations &amp; Organizations<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.apha.org\/\">APHA<\/a> &#8211; American Public Health Association<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/academyhealth.org\/\">AcademyHealth<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/epiresearch.org\/\">SER<\/a> &#8211; Society for Epidemiologic Research<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iseepi.org\/\">ISEE<\/a> &#8211; International Society for Environmental Epidemiology<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ispor.org\/home\">ISPOR<\/a> &#8211; Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/globalhealth.org\/\">Global Health Council<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/aspph.org\/\">ASPPH<\/a> &#8211; Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Industry-Specific Job Boards<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/apps.sph.emory.edu\/PHEC\/\">Public Health Employment Connection<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.governmentjobs.com\/jobs\">GovernmentJobs<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/jobs.cste.org\/jobs\/\">CSTE Job Listings<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/portal.ma.cis360.org\/\">Mass 360<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/publichealth.jhu.edu\/careers\">Johns Hopkins Public Health Jobs<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Doctoral training at Boston University School of Public Health prepares graduates to lead \u2014 in research, practice, policy, and innovation. Whether pursuing a PhD focused on generating new knowledge or a DrPH focused on applying evidence to high-impact public health practice, BUSPH doctoral students gain the advanced skills needed to shape public health systems, influence [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8472,"featured_media":0,"parent":225540,"menu_order":10,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"bu-publication":[],"profile_tax":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/225559"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8472"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=225559"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/225559\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":267626,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/225559\/revisions\/267626"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/225540"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=225559"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"bu-publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-publication?post=225559"},{"taxonomy":"profile_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/profile_tax?post=225559"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}