Howard University Pathways to Maternal and Child Health 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.
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Health, Human Performance and Leisure Studies
Howard University
6th and Girard St. NW, Room G-09
Washington, DC 20059
Phone: (202) 806-7183
FAX: (202) 806-4894
Email: dcalloway@howard.edu
Problem:
The US is struggling with persistent racial and ethnic health disparities in all Healthy People 2010/2020 focus areas including MCH. Diversifying the healthcare workforce is seen as a key strategy to addressing the severe health disparities that exist among minority populations. Although the undergraduate level is an excellent time to nurture future interest in pursuing a career in the MCH professions, few programs focus on the beginning of the pathway/pipeline, the undergraduate student.
Goals and Objectives:
HU's Pathways to MCH Professions has two goals: (1) Promote the development of a culturally diverse and representative health care workforce by recruiting, training, and retaining students from underrepresented minorities into MCH public health professions; and (2) Develop institutionalized broad-based support within HU for MCH training. Objectives include developing MCH focused topics in the current undergraduate curricula to increase students' interest in MCH public health professions; implementing a third course "Applied Research in MCH Public Health" which will expose students to basic research methods incorporating the life course perspective; and recruiting and retaining 15 financially disadvantaged undergraduate students for a summer course.
Methodology:
Several strategies will be used to continue our success including: implementing three undergraduate MCH courses, providing field practicum experiences for students, conducting site visits to MCH clinical settings, having MCH Professionals as guest lectures, providing stipends and tuition for the summer course, and taking students to MCH professional meetings.
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.
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.