PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences Program

The PhD program in Rehabilitation Sciences at MGH Institute of Health Professions is designed for experienced clinicians in the rehabilitation professions who want to become trained clinical research scientists. Students accepted into the program have demonstrated success in their fields as clinicians and have a strong aptitude for further advanced graduate study and research.

Disabilities are having a growing impact on society and the economy, particularly as the population ages. As such, demand is rising for professionals who can conduct clinical research in rehabilitation, focusing on assessing the effectiveness of new interventions. The MGH Institute's Interdisciplinary PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences meets this critical need by preparing experienced occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists to conduct high-quality rehabilitation research in academic, research, and health care settings.

Our interdisciplinary faculty includes leaders in rehabilitation from the MGH Institute's academic disciplines and those at Harvard Medical School, MIT, Mass General Brigham (Brigham and Women's, Massachusetts General, and Spaulding Rehabilitation hospitals), and other prestigious Boston-area institutions.

You will be paired with a faculty researcher who has a similar focus to your interests. Moving forward, your mentor will:

Assist you with course selection.

Supervise your research in his or her lab.

Guide your independent research.

Advise you on dissertation preparation.

Our program's core curriculum focuses on developing fundamental clinical research skills across rehabilitation disciplines. Since there are a minimum number of specific course requirements, you can design a study program tailored to your research interests and career plans. Courses are scheduled in afternoons and evenings two days a week, allowing you to devote time to mentored research experiences and your doctoral fellowship.

MGH Institute of Health Professions is an innovative, interprofessional graduate school in Boston that prepares leading health professionals in Genetic Counseling, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Health Professions Education, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant Studies, Rehabilitation Sciences. It offers unparalleled opportunities for faculty and students to learn and work alongside expert practitioners in various hospital, clinical, educational, and community settings.

Integrating classroom learning with research and clinical experience, the Institute grants doctoral degrees, master's degrees, awards certificates of advanced study, and offers continuing education to practising professionals, as well as to baccalaureate-educated individuals entering health care from another field.

The MGH Institute, accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), has more than 1,500 full- and part-time students.

The IHP is the only degree-granting affiliate in Partners HealthCare, New England's largest health care provider founded by Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital, including Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, and North Shore Medical Center. This affiliation offers students unparalleled opportunities to learn and work alongside expert practitioners in various hospital, clinical, and community settings.

The MGH Institute believes that knowledge begins with discovery through research. The Institute's faculty engage in original clinical research – much of it collaborative and interprofessional – to ultimately improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of human disorders and disabilities.

All academic programs promote interprofessional teamwork through the school's unique IMPACT Practice module and offer personalized attention in a rigorous, collaborative learning environment driven by our faculty's professional expertise and scholarly accomplishments. The academic experience is further enriched by the diversity of our students' backgrounds and life experiences.

Whether you're just out of college, changing careers, or a practising clinician looking to advance in your career, the MGH Institute has a degree or certificate program that's right for you.