As an undergraduate at Harvard College, Rothenberg majored in Social Relations and graduated with honors. There, he was influenced to pursue later research in creativity through the example and thought of psychologists Henry Murray and George Klein. His medical career began at Tufts University School of Medicine where he was awarded both the annual Dermatology Prize and Medical Alumni Award. After graduation as doctor of medicine he went on to pursue residency training in psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine.