Abstract
Problem:
MCH faculty continue to retire at a rapid rate negatively impacting academia capacity, institutional memory, leadership legacies, and advancement of research and MCH outcomes; whereas MCH postgraduates encounter significant challenges in pursuing academic careers, such as lack of preparedness and skills related to the realities of academia roles (e.g., research, teaching, service). There is a need to develop and support postdoctoral fellows, particularly from racial/ethnic minority and other underrepresented groups, within productive scientific environments and communities of practice for successful succession and motivation into MCH academia. Our proposed USF Center of Excellence's Postdoctoral Program will address gaps by providing training and support to postdoctoral fellows in MCH research.
Goals and objectives:
Goals: (1) Recruit and engage postgraduates from racial/ethnic minority and/or other underrepresented groups into postdoctoral fellowship program in MCH; (2) Offer competency-based didactic and applied curricula and training in research, teaching, curriculum development, professional development, leadership, and skills in translation of research to practice; and (3) Foster academic-community practice partnerships with Title V agencies and MCH-related community organizations, collaboration and networking with MCHB-funded partners, opportunities for translation of research to practice, and other professional development activities.
Methodology:
A two-year, competency-based, team-based mentorship program will focus on didactic and applied training in research as well as in teaching, curriculum development, professional development, leadership, and translation of research to practice.
Coordination:
We have a strong, long-standing collaborative network locally, statewide, regionally, and nationally, including: USF Title V training programs (MCH Pipeline Program; CoE; MCH Epidemiology Doctoral Traineeship); multidisciplinary USF Centers, resources and other supports; the Florida Network of MCH Training Programs (UF-Pediatric Pulmonary Center; University of Miami-LEND); the Southeast MCH Collaborative (USF, Tulane, Emory, Saint Louis University); Family Leaders Network (state-wide); Federal and State Healthy Start programs; Florida Department of Health; Prenatal and CSHCN programs; policy/legislative members; and other academic-community partnerships.
Evaluation:
Responsive evaluation and quality improvement employing mixed methods to measure process and outcomes, including early-, mid-, and long-term career outcomes.