The PhD program in the History of Medicine is part of the broader Program on the History of Science, Medicine, and Technology jointly run by the Department of the History of Medicine in the School of Medicine and the Department of the History of Science and Technology in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences.
The work of the PhD program extends over all phases and dimensions of the development of medicine and related sciences, the history of disease, and the historical analysis of related conceptual, cultural, and social problems. Students acquire facility in the methods of historical research and gain a wide acquaintance with the available literature in the history of medicine, science, and related fields of history. Departmental offerings are particularly strong in the history of medicine and science in early modern Europe and the Islamic world; medicine, science, and technology in the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries; history of disease and public health; and studies of health and society in East Asia and Africa. The program offers coverage of racism and gender in the history of medicine, how medical and scientific knowledge is created, and medical practices of the body.
Students enter the PhD program with diverse backgrounds including medicine, science, and history. The PhD program prepares students for scholarly careers in teaching, research, and non-academic fields. For further information, see our website. Students interested in the history of medicine should apply to the Program through the School of Medicine. Those interested in the history of science and technology should apply through the History of Science and Technology Department of the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences.
Students who wish to combine medical training with academic training in the history of medicine may also inquire about the MD-PhD program by visiting the MD/PhD admissions website: https://mdphd.johnshopkins.edu/admissions/
Financial Aid
The regular department fellowships include tuition, stipend, research allowance and medical insurance guaranteed for five years.
Admission Requirements
Candidates must have graduated from an accredited institution with a baccalaureate level degree. Preference will be given to applicants with training in some aspect of the health sciences or history. For further information on general open houses, faculty-specific open houses, application requirements, deadlines, and more, please visit our Application Page.
The application deadline for fall admission is December 15 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Applicants are advised to send in application materials by early December. Spring admission is not offered.
Program Admissions Details
The PhD program in the History of Medicine (HOM) prepares students for scholarly careers in teaching, research, and policy. Students in this program work on the East Baltimore campus and the Homewood campus.
Students in this program are paid a stipend to support their living expenses. Tuition costs for SOM courses are covered by the School for students in this Program (i.e., not paid by the student). Standard medical benefits for the student are covered. Student stipends are subject to taxes. Students from Maryland with student loans may receive State tax benefits. More information is available here on our Financial Aid page. The University does not provide housing, though the housing office will provide advice.
Academic History
Applicants will need to list all colleges and universities they attended. A transcript will need to be uploaded from each school attended.
Admissions Requirements
- Applicants are NOT required to take the GRE for this program.
- Applicants must submit a one-page personal statement indicating the basis of their interest in graduate study and their career objectives. Applicants should include a discussion of any research experience they have had.
- The History of Medicine program requires a writing sample from applicants. This can be a thesis paper, publication, blog post, or term paper. Samples should be uploaded as PDFs.
- The application asks about competency in foreign languages.
- Applicants must identify three people who are familiar with the applicant’s work and provide contact info for these references. The contact info will be entered into the application, and SOM will contact the references and ask them to submit letters of recommendation on behalf of the applicant.
International Students
- The University will sponsor visas for accepted students.
- International students whose native language is not English are required to complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS). When taking the exam, applicants should request official scores be reported to Institution Code 5316 (the Department Code is not necessary). To report official IELTS test scores, please include the Test Report Form (TRF) verification number on the application. Scores must be received before the application deadline.
- The TOEFL requirement will be waived if the applicant has completed their degree in a U.S. institution, or is currently enrolled and will receive a degree from a university within the U.S. prior to matriculation at JHU-SOM.
- All transcripts, letters of recommendation, and parts of the Admissions application must be in English. The approved transcript service for use by international students is WES.
- International students are not eligible for waivers of the Admissions Application fees.
Admissions Fees
- An admissions fee of $125 dollars is required and must be submitted using a credit card. In some cases, this fee will cover applications to more than one program.
- For a complete description of the fee waiver process, please see the Application Fees and Fee Waiver Instructions on the On-Campus Admission website. Fee waivers are only available for U.S. citizens.
Application Status Website
- Once their application is submitted, an applicant may follow its progress on the Application Status page. This page can be accessed upon completion of the application. The status page has the most current information.
Admission Timeline
- Review of applications will begin immediately after the application deadline.
- Letters describing acceptance, waitlist status, or rejection will be sent by email. This information will also be available on the Application status website. Applicants selected for acceptance must choose to accept or reject the offer by April 15. On April 15, all accepted offers become binding.
- Orientation will be held on the third week of August. Students will begin their training at this time. The HOM program only accepts students for fall matriculation.
Communicating with the Program
- HOM Program contact: myrobbins@jhu.edu
- General questions: GradAdmissions@jhmi.edu
Program Requirements
The student must satisfy the requirements of the University, the School of Medicine, and the Program.
The principal requirement for the PhD degree in the history of medicine is the writing of a dissertation based upon original research and of publishable quality. Prior to embarking on full-time dissertation research, candidates will prepare themselves by a variety of courses, seminars, and guided reading.
During the first year of study, students receive a general introduction to historical research and complete a year-long survey in the history of medicine. In their second and third years, candidates prepare three fields of study: one in the Department of the History of Medicine; one in the History Department; and a third field to be determined by the student and the advisor. The specific requirements for such fields are set by the faculty member directing the field, in consultation with the student. These fields entail both broad and intensive reading, and the passing of a comprehensive examination and/or the completion of assignments as determined by the faculty such as historiographic essays and syllabi.
During the spring semester of their second year in the program, students complete and present a paper in the program colloquium. This paper is an independent article-length research paper completed under the supervision of the student’s advisor. A pass or fail for the second-year paper is decided collectively by faculty.
Candidates must also demonstrate a reading knowledge of two foreign languages before being admitted to formal candidacy for the degree. The language requirements can be fulfilled by passing a proficiency exam as administered by a faculty member or a certified language course recognized by the program.
All students need to register for the KSAS course connected to our weekly colloquium in their 1st through 3rd years, and when in residence thereafter. See chart below for course number. Until advancing to candidacy, students should aim to write at least one research paper (typically 20 pp. or more) based on original sources per semester.
Towards the end of the third year, students must prepare and defend a dissertation prospectus. The dissertation proposal is defended before a committee consisting of your thesis advisor and at least two other faculty members.
Students are expected to serve as teaching assistants (TA) for 6 of their 10 funded semesters. Students do not TA during their first year. As a rule, second-year students TA for the history of medicine survey. During the remaining four semesters of TAships, students may TA for the survey or for other courses, either in History of Medicine or, by arrangement, in the History Department. During the research/writing phase, students are granted two additional semesters free of teaching.
Students are required to complete an annual academic progress and professional development plan in consultation with their advisor.
The final requirement for the PhD degree is completion of a dissertation that is an original contribution to historical knowledge and of a standard suitable for publication. A successful dissertation defense with approval from faculty, a reader's letter recommending degree conferral, and submission to the Electronic Thesis & Dissertation department of the Sheridan Libraries are all required for degree conferral. More detailed information can be found on the department website.
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ME.150.701 | Outline of History of Medicine I: Antiquity to Scientific Revolution | 4 |
| ME.150.702 | The History of Modern Medicine | 4 |
| ME.150.700 | Ethics for Medical Historians | 1 |
| AS.140.641 | Departmental Colloquium 1 | 2 |
| AS.140.601 | Methods in the History of Science, Medicine, and Technology | 3 |
| AS.140.621 | Historiography in Science, Medicine, and Technology Studies | 3 |
| ME.150.801 | Research in the History of Medicine: Dissertation 2 | 1 - 18 |
| ME.150.814 | Directed Readings 3 | 4 |
| Elective Courses: Students must complete at least 2 per semester in their 1st and 2nd years. | ||
| Examples of electives include: | ||
| ME.150.739 | Medicine, Race, and Colonialism: A Critical History | 3 |
| PH.550.605 | History of Public Health | 3 |
| PH.221.605 | History of International Health and Development | 2 |
| PH.550.609 | Life and Death in Charm City: Histories of Public Health in Baltimore, 1750 to the Present | 3 |
| AS.140.347 | History Of Genetics | 3 |
- 1
Students must take this course every semester in first and second years.
- 2
Repeat every semester.
- 3
Complete once by end of year 2 and two more times by the end of year 3; or equivalent courses as approved by advisor.
Learning Outcomes
Research/Scholarship
- Develop, plan and complete an independent research project that makes a significant, original contribution to existing literature in the history of medicine.
- Demonstrate breadth of knowledge of key scholarship in the history of medicine from antiquity to the present, with special proficiency in a chosen field of study.
- Successfully implement key research methods used in the discipline.
- Identify and critically assess primary and secondary sources and deploy evidence from those sources to build an historical argument.
- Successfully employ multiple tools, methods, and perspectives to investigate and interpret materials from the past.
- Critically read and evaluate literature in the history of medicine and allied fields.
- Demonstrate creative and innovative thinking.
- Independently design rigorous research projects.
- Exhibit the capacity to distinguish between ethical and unethical behavior as it relates to responsible conduct of research in history and allied fields.
- Demonstrate persistence and ability to problem solve.
- Show initiative to complete tasks without guidance.
Writing
- Demonstrate the ability to write for scholarly publication.
- Demonstrate the ability to write for a lay audience (e.g., outreach or advocacy).
- Demonstrate the ability to express ideas clearly and concisely.
Communication
- Apply historical knowledge and perspectives to contribute to public dialogue and professional life.
- Demonstrate the ability to present research findings to an audience of experts in history and allied disciplines at conferences, workshops, and seminars.
- Demonstrate the ability to present research findings to a lay audience (e.g. outreach or advocacy).
Professionalism
- Practice the ethics and standards of historical scholarship that require peer critique, citation, and attribution.
- Demonstrate the ability to distinguish between ethical and unethical behavior in the workplace.
- Engage in professional and respectful interactions.
- Demonstrate the ability to collaborate effectively with others.