UW-Milwaukee MCH Interdisciplinary Pipeline Training Program
Grant Status: Completed
Training Category: Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Leadership Education and Advancement in Undergraduate Pathways (LEAP) Training Program
Project Director(s):
Lora Taylor de Oliveira, MPH, BS, MBA
College of Health Sciences
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Enderis Hall 433
P.O. Box 413
Milwaukee, WI 53201-0413
Phone: (414) 229-2961
FAX: (414) 229-2619
Email: ltaylor@uwm.edu
Problem:
There is a critical shortage of health care professionals from underrepresented groups to serve children and families from underserved populations, and this need gets greater for children with special health care needs. The proposed UWM Pipeline Training Program will support and train qualified undergraduate students from racial/ethnic underrepresented groups in preparing for leadership and admission to graduate programs in maternal and child health.
Goals and Objectives:
Goal 1: Recruit, retain, and prepare undergraduate students from underrepresented groups. Objectives 1a-d: Recruit and retain 30 early undergraduate students and advance 8 senior undergraduate students per year for specialized training in maternal and child health and research. Goal 2: Educate these students in within an interdisciplinary model. Objectives 2a-b: Foster an understanding of emerging clinical and research issues in maternal and child health and an appreciation of long term training programs in maternal and child health through collaborative training with and peer mentoring from the Wisconsin LEND program. Goal 3: Develop and disseminate materials to expand resources for undergraduate training in MCH disciplines nationally. Objectives 3a-b: Create and disseminate curricular and training materials to other MCHB Training Programs, other public health programs, and MCH professional associations to increase the resources available for motivating and supporting undergraduate students into careers in maternal and child health, nationally.
Methodology:
The goals and objectives of this program are met through an early specialized training program (freshmen-juniors) and a senior intensive training program that collectively recruit, support, engage, motivate, and prepare students for careers in maternal and child health through academic support, leadership development, family mentoring, seminars devoted to public health and life course training, field experiences, research experience, and interaction with long term training programs.
Coordination:
This project is collaborating with and will serve as a pipeline to the WI-LEND, IL-LEND and the IL MCH MPH programs. Regional agencies that specialize in urban health initiatives and maternal and child health care serve as fieldwork sites and provide speakers for the formative seminars that anchor this program's curricula.
Evaluation:
The stated goals of this project will be evaluated and monitored using measures of trainee knowledge and process, program outcome measures, and advisory board oversight across the early and senior phases of training.