Brona Moloney | Master of Medical Sciences in Clinical Investigation

Brona Moloney’s journey toward becoming a physician-investigator began in Ireland, where she earned her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree from University College Dublin, School of Medicine and Medical Science. She completed her residency and advanced specialist training in nephrology at Royal College of Physicians in Ireland, and later spent two years in Australia gaining critical care experience at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Throughout this period, Moloney realized that to practice at the forefront of evidence-based medicine, she needed a deeper understanding of how to evaluate research critically. This awareness, she says, “made it clear that I needed a certain level of training to be able to practice cutting-edge, evidence-based medicine.”

That insight brought her to Boston to pursue a nephrology fellowship at Mass General Brigham. During the second and third years of that fellowship, she dedicated time for research and began searching for formal training to help her build a solid foundation in research methodology. The Master of Medical Sciences in Clinical Investigation program at Harvard Medical School felt like the ideal fit. “It was the perfect alignment of timing,” she explains, “and provided the training I needed to conduct meaningful research.”

Beyond the appeal of the Boston location, Moloney was drawn to the program’s practical design, especially its mentored research component. She believed that research skills could only be mastered by applying classroom learning directly to real-world projects. “As part of training in research skills, you need to put into practice what you’re learning in the classroom,” she says. “This program does that, which helps set it apart from others.”

Her coursework, particularly in clinical trials, mirrored the research she was conducting in her fellowship, which included grant writing and proposing clinical studies. That combination not only created a seamless connection between both experiences, but also strengthened her development as a clinical investigator.

For her mentored research project, Moloney partnered with program director Finnian R. Mc Causland, MD, MMSc, a nephrologist whose research interests aligned closely with hers. Their shared Irish background and mutual focus on volume assessment and cardiorenal medicine made the mentorship feel especially natural. He had also mentored Moloney during her nephrology fellowship, offering continuity and support during a formative period in her training.

Working closely with Dr. Mc Causland, she completed her research project, which led to two first-author publications—an achievement that significantly shaped her confidence as a developing researcher. When Moloney defended her thesis, she recognized just how far she had come and reflected that it was “the first time I felt like I was actually on my way to becoming a physician-investigator.”

Moloney chose the Clinical Trials pathway within the Clinical Investigation track, a decision influenced by her interest in patient-oriented research and her desire to build a strong grounding in what she considers the gold standard of clinical investigation. She was particularly inspired by the opportunity to learn from experts such as Steven Piantadosi, MD, PhD. She recalls that “to have small group tutorials with someone so revered in the statistical world felt like a major win.”

These learning experiences continue to shape how Moloney thinks about designing clinical trials. She often draws parallels between creating a trial protocol and following a recipe, noting that “if you’re missing ingredients, the cake isn’t going to taste right in the end,” and the same is true for a study design.

As an international student, Moloney also valued learning about systems and processes specific to the United States. She found the modules on drug discovery, development, and regulatory interactions extremely helpful, given their focus on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and pathways unique to U.S. research environments. This knowledge helped her adapt to working in a new country, while expanding her understanding of clinical investigation more broadly.

The program’s community played a significant role in her experience. Her cohort included students from around the world and represented a wide range of career stages. “Not only was it an international class,” she recalls, “but there were all ages and backgrounds.” Some students were fresh out of medical school, while others brought decades of experience. Their diversity enriched classroom discussions and group work, as students learned from one another’s strengths and perspectives.

Outside of class, they bonded through shared activities—trying new restaurants in Boston, spending time together on the tennis court, and celebrating academic milestones. She looks back fondly on the dynamic atmosphere, where “everyone was talking about their mentored research projects and the challenges we all faced, but also celebrating the wins.”

Balancing the demands of the master’s program with a full nephrology fellowship required organization and flexibility. Moloney arranged her clinic schedule to avoid missing lectures and shifted her weekend rotations earlier in the semester when coursework was lighter. Despite the intensity, she made space for personal pursuits, including singing with the Harvard-Radcliffe Chorus, which provided a welcome break from her academic and clinical responsibilities.

After graduating from the program and completing her fellowship in May 2025, Moloney began her career as a junior faculty member in the Nephrology Division at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She is now working to balance her responsibilities as a clinical nephrology attending while maintaining an active academic research program.

Shortly before her thesis defense, Maloney received the Ben J. Lipps Research Fellowship Grant from the American Society of Nephrology. Currently, she is preparing to execute her first pilot interventional study, which will test novel therapies to slow the progression of adverse cardio-kidney-metabolic outcomes among patients with chronic kidney disease.

Maloney believes that the practical nature of the curriculum, the strength of the mentorship community, and the depth of resources across the Harvard University system make the Master of Medical Sciences in Clinical Investigation an exceptional choice for those aspiring to conduct patient-oriented or translational research.

She also encourages clinicians who may be hesitant to return to school after years in practice not to underestimate their ability to manage the workload. Their clinical experience, she notes, already equips them with the time management and leadership skills needed to succeed.

For anyone considering the program, her advice is clear: “If you want to learn how to do research properly, from learning the proper statistical skills and coding, to the ancillary aspects of research like regulatory interactions, this is the program for you.”

For Moloney, the program provided the structure, guidance, and confidence she needed to set the foundation for the next stage of her career—one she now approaches with clarity, purpose, and enthusiasm.

Written by Lauren Young