David Cutler has developed an impressive record of achievement in both academia and the public sector. He served as assistant professor of economics from 1991 to 1995, was named the John L. Loeb Associate Professor of Social Sciences in 1995, and received tenure in 1997. He is currently the Otto Eckstein Professor of Applied Economics in the Department of Economics and holds secondary appointments at the Kennedy School of Government and the School of Public Health. Dr. Cutler was associate dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences for Social Sciences from 2003 to 2008.

Honored for his scholarly work and singled out for outstanding mentorship of graduate students, Dr. Cutler's work in health economics and public economics has earned him significant academic and public acclaim. He served on the Council of Economic Advisers and the National Economic Council during the Clinton administration and has advised the presidential campaigns of Bill Bradley, John Kerry, and Barack Obama as well as being senior health care advisor for the Obama presidential campaign. Among other affiliations, Dr. Cutler has held positions with the National Institutes of Health and the National Academy of Sciences. Currently, Dr. Cutler is a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, a member of the Institute of Medicine, and a fellow of the Employee Benefit Research Institute. He advises many companies and groups on health care.