Welcome!
The PhD Program in Health Related Sciences is an innovative hybrid program designed for working professionals to learn research skills for solving real-world problems. Our program is one of the most established hybrid programs in the country (20+ years) with a Program of Merit distinction from the Association for Doctoral Programs in Health Sciences
We are an interdisciplinary program, meaning that our cohorts are made up of a variety of health professionals including physical and occupational therapists, nurses, medical and dental professionals, health administrators, rehabilitation counselors, and many more. Coursework in our program provides the foundation for conducting research across all of these areas; and our faculty across the College of Health professions provide more focused mentorship during the student’s dissertation phase.
While the types of research our students conduct varies based on their interest and background, most projects fall into the categories of clinical research (e.g., pilot or feasibility trials), health services research (aka data science), qualitative or mixed methods research, educational research, or survey implementation.
Graduates of our program have gone on to become research professors in academic departments, data scientists for government and non-profit agencies, independent research contractors, teaching faculty and administrators, clinical research coordinators, and more. As an alumni of this program, I can attest that it prepared me to have a successful research career and move into more senior roles such as director-of-research, program director, and editor-and-chief of the American Journal of Occupational Therapy.
If you are interested in how the PhD program in Health Related Sciences can help you achieve your career goals, please review our website to learn more and then contact me at reynoldsse3@vcu.edu to discuss whether this program is the right fit for you.