Training and Careers

The USC AD/ADRD RCMAR—housed within the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics—focuses on the pathways through which social, behavioral and economic factors, as well as policies and health systems, contribute to disparities in dementia risk and in the health, healthcare and economic outcomes of individuals living with dementia. The center supports underrepresented junior investigators by providing funding, mentorship and analytic resources to help launch their research careers, including $40,000 for a 1-year pilot project.

The USC Center for Advancing Sociodemographic and Economic Study of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (CeASES-ADRD), accepts applications annually to fund one-year research pilot projects. Applications from scholars at all stages of their research careers interested in social science research related to ADRD are invited to apply.

The USC-Yale Roybal Center for Behavioral Interventions in Aging accepts proposals annually for research projects that study mechanisms of behavior change and involve randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Participants are encouraged to propose trials at their own institutions or coordinate with our Roybal Implementation Network partners. Letter of intent for the 2025-2026 funding period was due in January 2025.

Postdoctoral researchers at the Schaeffer Center focus completely on collaborative research, with no teaching requirement. Postdocs are considered full members of the Schaeffer Center community, receive one-on-one mentoring and also have access to all faculty associated with the Center. For more information, email Briana Taylor or Erin Duffy.

The Clinical Scholars program fosters collaboration between Schaeffer Center faculty and exceptional junior scholars or prominent researchers and thought leaders in health policy, economics and medicine. For more information and to apply to the clinical fellows program, email Briana Taylor or Sarah Axeen.

Students from relevant disciplines such as economics, public policy, health policy, statistics, medicine and psychology may have the opportunity to work with Schaeffer Center faculty on specific research projects. These positions provide valuable research experience but are limited and dependent on faculty availability and research funding. Any USC student without a fellowship is eligible to apply; however, placement is not guaranteed. For more information and to apply, email Briana Taylor or Erin Duffy.

The Schaeffer Fellows program funds government internships, provides professional development and fosters mentorship for undergraduate students with exceptional potential. For more information, contact [email protected].

This multidisciplinary doctoral program offers rigorous training in microeconomics, econometrics, cost effectiveness analysis, welfare economics, public finance, epidemiology and health status measurement. Students in the program work closely with world-renowned faculty, gaining the practical research experience needed to launch their careers. For information, email Seth Seabury.

The PhD in Public Policy and Management combines theoretical and advanced methodological training with specialization in a policy area such as economics, sociology, political science, and organizational theory. Engaging with faculty and world-renowned research centers, students receive expert mentoring and collaborate with faculty in cutting-edge research. For information, email John Romley.

This master of science program emphasizes pharmaceutical commerce and policy and is taught by faculty affiliated with the Schaeffer Center in the USC School of Pharmacy and the Department of Economics in the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. For information, email Seth Seabury.

This newly emerging branch of applied research focuses on the intersection of health economics, applied international health policy, insurance design, competitive business intelligence and pricing. Housed at the Schaeffer Center, the degree is offered through the School of Pharmacy. For information, email Michelle Ton.

Offered through the USC Price School of Public Policy, the Master of Health Administration program has trained leaders in health management policy for nearly four decades. For information, email Will Coucheron-Aamot.

This master’s degree, offered through the USC Price School of Public Policy, employs a value-based and outcomes-oriented approach to healthcare management with a focus on healthcare innovation, implementation, population management, risk assessment and access. For information, email.