Howard University Pathways to MCH Professions
Grant Status: Completed
Training Category: Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Leadership Education and Advancement in Undergraduate Pathways (LEAP) Training Program
Project Director(s):
Denyce S. Calloway, Ph.D.
Department of Health, Human Performance & Leisure Studies
Howard University
6th & Girard Street, NW
Washington, DC 20059
Phone: (202) 806-7183
FAX: (202) 806-4894
Email: dcalloway@howard.edu
Problem:
The US continues to struggle with health disparities. Diversifying the healthcare workforce is seen as a key strategy to addressing the health disparities that exist. HU's Pathways to MCH Professions will increase undergraduate interest in MCH public health professions.
Goals and Objectives:
Goal 1: Promote the development of a culturally diverse & representative health care workforce by recruiting, training, & retaining students from underrepresented minorities into MCH public health professions Objective 1: Recruit and retain 15 financially disadvantaged underrepresented undergraduate students for the summer "MCH Summer Institute" course (annually completed by May). Objective 2: Expand the current undergraduate course, entitled "The Health of Women, Children and Families" to include more opportunities for exposure to MCH professions by January 2012. Objective 3: Develop and implement a second course "Applied Research in Maternal and Child Health Public Health" which will expose students to basic research methods incorporating the lifecourse perspective (completed by August 2012). Goal 2: Develop institutionalized broad-based support within Howard University for MCH training. Objective 1: Incorporate the "Applied Research in Maternal and Child Health Public Health" course into the Health Education curriculum as a requirement for health education majors (completed by October 2012). Objective 2: Include "The Health of Women, Children and Families" and "Applied Research in Maternal and Child Health Public Health" courses as major elective courses for sociology, nutrition sciences, nursing, and other health and social science related undergraduate majors by January 2013.
Methodology:
Review current health education course syllabi to identify opportunities for inserting MCH topics; Develop classroom lectures focusing on MCH topics identified; Incorporate lecture into health education course; Consult with Advisory Board to identify three additional clinical and two health policy sites; Establish agreements with additional sites for student field practicum experiences; Work with Maternal and Child Health Program at the UIC (MCHB long term MCH training program) to draft course syllabus linking research topics to specific MCH competencies as required by MCHB and MCH public health careers; Identify Title V and other guest speakers for course; Secure practicum/field experience placements within Title V agency and community-based organizations for students; Conduct aggressive outreach and recruitment activities that include presentations at club meetings, discussions with professors to identify students who may be interested, e-mail Summer Institute information to all undergraduates, use HU MCH Pathways Facebook page, twitter, and place an announcement in the school newspaper; Work with Advisory Board to incorporate the undergraduate MCH course as one of the major elective courses for their specific area of responsibility.
Coordination:
HU Pathways to MCH Professions collaborates with several organizations including: the State Title V agency, AMCHP, HU Medical School, HU Hospital, and three long term training programs: the MCH Program at the University of Illinois, CNMC LEND Program, and Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development UCEDD Program. These organizations serve as field practicum sites for the students, guest lectures, and advisory board members.
Evaluation:
Specific evaluation activities will include surveying students and field preceptors to determine achievement of targeted MCH competencies, assessing outreach and recruitment activities, and conducting a follow-up survey with students to determine whether or not the course had an influence on their desire to pursue a MCH related health profession, and if they pursued a MCH professions.