Although the United States spends more for medical care than any other country, our nation ranks poorly on many indicators of health and well-being. Studies comparing the health status of different population groups within the United States also repeatedly demonstrate marked variations in disease patterns associated with social, economic and environmental conditions and marked disparities among population groups. There is also growing recognition that decisions made outside the traditional health sphere can powerfully affect the health of populations.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars program seeks to improve the nation’s health by addressing the full spectrum of factors that affect health and inform policy. More scholars will need to investigate the effects of contextual factors on behavior and biology to increase the array of population-wide interventions.

There are new sources of funding to support such work and a growing job market among government agencies, universities and public health organizations for individuals capable of researching, developing and implementing interdisciplinary programs to improve population health. However, experts with such knowledge and skills are in critically short supply. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars program is designed to fill the void.

This program is part of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s (RWJF) Human Capital Portfolio, which seeks to build and maintain a strong and diverse leadership and workforce in health and health care, and to help develop specific fields.