Program Overview

The Climate and Human Health Fellowship trains physicians to become leaders in climate and human health research, education, communication, and advocacy. The fellowship program is offered through a collaboration between Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard C-CHANGE, and the Harvard FXB Center for Health and Human Rights.

Fellows participate in core fellowship didactics, develop an area of individual focus, engage in original academic research, and receive mentorship from leaders in the field. Activities occur across Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, with additional opportunities throughout the Harvard system.

Research: Fellows work on research projects throughout their fellowship, and will be mentored by a combination of faculty from our collaborating centers relevant to their focus area. Fellows will be trained in pursuing and publishing rigorous, high quality research with significant translational potential. Our large pool of faculty mentors allows us to accommodate and support a wide range of research interests that incoming fellows may wish to pursue. Fellows have access to a wide range of resources on and off campus, including research services through the Harvard Library system, statistical support, and GIS training opportunities. The fellow will work closely with statisticians and data scientists throughout the duration of their fellowship. You can learn more about our areas of study here.

Externships: External placements and collaborations at government agencies, research centers, and nonprofit or community-based organizations provide fellows with experiential learning, immersion in the communities they are advocating for, and participation in high-level deliberations in the corridors of power. Visit the Externships page to learn more about these opportunities.

Clinical Practice: Fellows in the clinical track work part-time in as attending emergency physicians. Clinical shifts may be in the Emergency Department at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and/or at affiliated community sites. In addition to functioning as an attending physician while in the Emergency Department, fellows may supervise residents in the BIDMC-HAEMR program and students at Harvard Medical School, depending on the site(s) at which they practice. You can learn more about the Department of Emergency Medicine here.

Mentorship: Fellows receive mentorship from our core fellowship faculty, and have opportunities to connect with a wide range of experts at Harvard and beyond.