236150 Using a pipeline approach to address MCH workforce shortages and health disparities

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Deneen Long-White, MS, CHES , College of Arts and Sciences/ Department of Health, Human Performance and Leisure Studies, Howard University, Washington, DC
Denyce Calloway, PhD , College of Arts & Sciences/ Department of Health, Human Performance and Leisure Studies, Howard University, Washington, DC
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. For the past five years Howard University's Pathways to MCH Professions program, one of four MCHB pipeline training programs, has successfully addressed this critical gap by implementing a program that increased students' interest in MCH public health professions (i.e., health education, pediatrics, public health nursing, social worker, speech language pathology, etc). The program, located at one of the nation's premier HBCUs, targets financially disadvantaged underrepresented undergraduate students and provides training and mentoring (shadowing and field practicum experiences) that promotes the development of a culturally diverse and representative health care workforce. The program, which contains a number of components that are replicable at other undergraduate institutions, has been successful at encouraging students to enter public health with 21% of its former students currently enrolled in a graduate program and 9% enrolled in a MD program. Pipeline programs not only address health care workforce shortages but also expose future public health professions to concepts that many State Title V Officers have noted as the greatest needs for training in their departments such as family centered and culturally competent care.

Learning Areas:
Administration, management, leadership
Diversity and culture
Program planning

Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be able to: 1.Discuss how to design a MCH professions pipeline program targeting financially disadvantaged underrepresented undergraduate students. 2.Identify key components necessary to establish a sustainable undergraduate MCH professions pipeline program

Keywords: Workforce, Maternal and Child Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I serve as one of the key staff on the grant, my activities include serving as a lecturer for the courses as well as the program evaluator.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.