A BEACON for the Future of Medicine and Science

The HMS 2025 Strategic Plan reflects the evolution of conversations among faculty, postdocs, staff, students, and school leaders around the actions that will advance our mission and sustain our core commitments. Informed by our vision — to extend our impact as a force for good in human health — we are prioritizing six institutional initiatives, designed to strengthen the Medical School today while preparing us for the challenges and possibilities ahead. Our planning process is intentionally adaptive, and as we implement and modify these initiatives, we are committed to transparent communication, ongoing reflection, and collective growth for the future of Harvard Medical School.

Our Six Institutional Initiatives:

B = Belonging, Culture, & Community

E = Excellence in Academics & Education

A = Artificial Intelligence

C = Collaborative & Transformative Science

O = Outcomes & Translation

N = Newfound Resilience

Belonging, Culture, & Community

Fostering a Culture of Belonging, Dialogue, and Connection

HMS will remain a community where individuals engage deeply, think critically, and learn from one another through mutual respect and open dialogue. By strengthening connection across the school through dialogue, collaboration, and shared purpose, we will ensure all members of our community feel welcome, valued, and empowered to contribute fully to our mission.

Excellence in Academics and Education

Fortifying excellence throughout the HMS-affiliate ecosystem and preparing future leaders through access to innovative education

Together with our affiliates, HMS will sustain an academic environment where faculty, trainees, and students can thrive in a changing healthcare and research landscape. Faculty will be supported with the time, recognition, and professional development needed to advance teaching, discovery, and scholarship, grounded in mutual trust, the collective responsibility for institutional service, and a shared standard of excellence.

At the same time, HMS medical and graduate programs will attract learners from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, cultivating leaders with vision and integrity. Through innovative pedagogy, rigorous expectations, and transformative learning experiences, including new tools such as generative AI, graduates will carry forward HMS’s legacy of excellence in patient care, scientific inquiry, and service to humanity.

Artificial Intelligence

Accelerating discovery, enhancing medical education, and boosting clinical efficiency with ethical AI

Our community will harness the transformative power of artificial intelligence to advance discovery, develop tools aimed at improving health outcomes, and prepare future leaders in medicine and science. We will enable new and complex research insights, support clinicians with AI-driven tools, and implement AI-enabled teaching and learning. Guided by our commitment to ethics, equity, and integrity, HMS will lead the responsible use of AI for the benefit of knowledge, care, and society.

Collaborative and Transformative Science

Nurturing a thriving environment that enables collaboration and fuels transformative science

HMS’s Blavatnik Institute, which is comprised of the school’s 11 basic and social science departments, will continue to serve as a hub for innovation in biomedical science, grounded in curiosity and collaboration. HMS will invest in people, platforms, and culture to spark cross-disciplinary discovery, draw talent to the HMS research ecosystem, and drive public engagement in the value of scientific research. Through strategic investments and with a focus on long-term financial resilience, we will ensure that HMS remains at the forefront of transformative science.

Outcomes and Translation

Strengthening translational pathways from insights to impact

HMS is leading the future of health innovation by accelerating “bench to bedside,” building a dynamic ecosystem that transforms discovery into real-world impact. By accelerating research breakthroughs, and forging mission-driven partnerships across academia, industry, and healthcare, HMS will set a new standard for translating scientific insight into lasting change.

Newfound Resilience

Restoring Long-Term Financial Resilience

We will collectively secure HMS’s future by building a strong financial foundation, enabling the school to weather downturns, while advancing its mission in discovery, education, and service. We will realign critical administrative structures, address revenue pressures, and invest strategically in the infrastructure that supports innovation and excellence. While meeting immediate challenges, HMS will also take steps to rebuild its financial reserves, ensuring the school remains well-positioned to lead for generations to come.

Next Steps

During the next phase of our planning, we will continue collaborating with stakeholders across the HMS community to refine strategies for each initiative and define what success looks like. Through this collaborative process, we will translate broad priorities into actionable steps, establish measures of progress, and ensure that every initiative advances our mission with clarity and accountability.