Community Assessments as an Opportunity for Innovative Graduate Public Health Pedagogy, Student Practicum Opportunities and University - Community Collaboration

The MPH Program at San Francisco State University partners an ethnically and socio-economically diverse student cohort with community based organizations to collaboratively implement community assessments. In 2011/12 this integrated academic-practice experience is part of a partnership between the University, local public health department and HOPE SF, a City initiative to transform 8 distressed public housing sites. Through the Community Assessment for Change course, 22 MPH students and the instructors are collaborating with community partners to assess opportunities for and barriers to implementation of peer-to-peer health promotion strategies in HOPE SF communities. The project is guided by an Advisory Group of community agency staff, residents and faculty. Assessment methods integrate academic and practice activities designed and undertaken by students including, a comprehensive literature review conducted collaboratively using web-based research software; over 40 key informant interviews; and, a workshop bringing together local researchers with the Advisory Group to discuss best practices. Students engage in 3 hours a week of class time and approximately 300 hours of practice activities during the project. Final products include 1) literature review; 2) workshop proceedings; 3) report and presentation of findings and recommendations to key stakeholders. Key learnings include benefits and challenges of conducting community assessments that incorporate collaboration in the classroom between students as well as University-Community partnerships. Overall, this project is a model of how assessment design and implementation can bring together students, faculty and community organizations to explore community needs and strengths while creating a robust learning opportunity and mechanism to foster community change.