Rebecca Arden Harris (“Arden”), MD, MSc, is an Assistant Professor, primary care and addiction medicine physician, and researcher in the Penn Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. Dr. Harris’s research aims to reduce drug use harms and improve patient outcomes through two complementary lines of inquiry. She analyzes national drug use, morbidity, and mortality trends in relation to drug policies and public health. Additionally, she studies innovative addiction treatment models to enhance care quality and accessibility, especially for vulnerable populations. By integrating population-level analysis with practical treatment solutions, her work strives to bridge the gap between macro-policy and micro-implementation. Dr. Harris is committed to translating research insights into actionable strategies for care teams, policymakers, and public health officials, with the goal of creating a more effective and compassionate system for preventing and treating drug use disorders.
Dr. Harris attended Thomas Jefferson University for medical school, and completed her residency training at Montefiore Medical Center in New York. She later earned a Master of Science in Health Policy Research from Penn. She is board certified in both family medicine and addiction medicine.