Abstract
Problem:
Given the gaps in maternal and child (MCH) public health faculty as well as the competitive grant environment for research, increasing need for interdisciplinary collaboration, and continued intractable disparities in MCH outcomes, there is a growing need to support postgraduate training.
Goals and objectives:
The overall goals of the Tulane MatCH Program are to build capacity for future MCH research leaders to improve population health and to address challenges in academic-practice partnerships. We will implement interdisciplinary mentorship and training that supports MCH research for a diverse group of postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty, while improving the efficiency, skills, and networks of established MCH researchers and mentors. Specific goals are: 1) To foster diversity in MCH academic research and teaching by identifying and recruiting scholars from diverse backgrounds and by providing in-depth, individualized training and team-based interdisciplinary mentoring to support the independent career development of MCH academics; 2) To develop the skills necessary to conduct research in key areas that will support innovative approaches (e.g., social determinants, transgenerational issues, new methodologies) to address inequities and disparities in MCH; and 3) To promote MCH academic-practice partnerships aimed at reducing disparities in MCH outcomes.
Methodology:
The selected postdoctoral fellow(s), focused on MCH research, and junior faculty will be supported by a team of three faculty mentors based on their research interests and will have access to research and teaching resources as well as targeted training aimed at ensuring scholar success. Training for mid-career and senior faculty, open to all CoEs, will also aid in building the institutional capacity for more diverse academic settings with stronger academic-practice partnerships. Program content will build upon our existing training and mentorship of postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty, with low cost and innovative approaches to strengthen MCH academic pathways and academic-practice partnerships for selected scholars as well our larger MCH infrastructure.
Coordination:
Our core faculty have been collaborating with local city and state health departments as well as community-based organizations for more than three decades, and coordinated efforts surrounding research and practice priorities and recruitment of scholars and faculty are in place. Furthermore, coordinated bi-monthly training for scholars and bi-annual training for faculty mentors are planned with other CoEs and will be open to all fellows and faculty as well as mentors in the CoE network.
Evaluation:
The program will build upon our ongoing system for monitoring and evaluating current postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty, including individual development plans (IDPs) designed to help scholars identify annual progress, professional development needs, and career objectives.