Emily C. Hood Scholarship supports next generation of physician-scientists

Emily C. Hood dedicated her life to advancing education, enriching Boston’s cultural life, and creating opportunities for others, often giving generously and anonymously to causes she believed in. Today, her legacy endures through a new $750,000 endowed scholarship fund for students in the Harvard/MIT MD-PhD Program, easing the financial burden for those committed to tackling urgent health challenges.

“Emily made many gifts anonymously because she wanted the institutions and the students to shine,” says Samuel D. Perry, AB ’65, who managed investments for Hood. “But with the Emily C. Hood MD-PhD Scholarship, we wanted her to receive the recognition she so richly deserves.”

Perry and Thomas E. Peckham, an estate planning lawyer, were the executors of Hood’s estate after her death in March 2020. Entrusted by Hood to carry forward her legacy of generosity, they placed some of her assets into a donor-advised fund and—impressed by the caliber of Harvard/MIT MD-PhD students—recommended establishing a scholarship to ensure that the next generation of physician-scientists can continue Hood’s passion for education and service.

“We hope it will inspire exceptional students to think outside the box—the kind of quality Emily deeply valued,” says Peckham. Harvard/MIT MD-PhD students can train in virtually any department or specialization that Boston offers, ranging from the basic and engineering sciences to a broad spectrum of social sciences, including history of science, epidemiology, economics, medical anthropology, health policy, and more.

“Emily liked to champion things that were a bit off the beaten path. Supporting bold thinkers and leaders fits so well with her legacy,” Perry adds.

Explore how the MD-PhD program drives breakthroughs in science and care

One such individual is Logan Beyer, who entered the Harvard/MIT MD-PhD Program in 2019. After her father’s terminal cancer diagnosis disrupted her path to medical school, Beyer joined the AmeriCorps National Service Program. While working with Habitat for Humanity, she witnessed how safe environments shape children’s health.

Today, Beyer applies those insights to her PhD studies at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where her coursework has deepened her understanding of the broader contexts influencing children’s health. “I can use theory to formulate questions about why children are getting sick, looking at forces beyond physiology and behavior,” Beyer says. “I can ask provocative questions about the causal pathways linking structural inequities to pediatric illness and analyze data in ways that are meaningful and actionable.”

Beyer expects to complete her PhD in population health sciences, focusing on social and behavioral sciences, next year, before finishing her medical studies and earning her MD in 2028.

“Each of our students has extraordinary potential to transform human health through their research and clinical care,” says Loren Walensky, MD, PhD, director of the Harvard/MIT MD-PhD Program and an HMS professor of pediatrics at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children’s Hospital. “Thanks to Emily Hood’s enduring generosity, these future physician-scientists will have the freedom to pursue bold ideas and make breakthroughs that save lives.”

In 2024 alone, Harvard/MIT MD-PhD students co-authored more than 180 peer-reviewed publications, underscoring the impact of their early scientific contributions.