Expanding our reach: Collaborating with HBCUs to create BA/MPH and BS/MPH 4+1 programs

During the fall of 2007, the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (COPH) collaborated with three Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) within Arkansas to develop BA/MPH and BS/MPH (4+1) degree programs that encourage under-represented minority (URM) students to pursue graduate public health education. Session attendees will examine and discuss the successes and challenges experienced. The Sullivan Commission and IOM, among others, have persuasively argued that increasing the representation of URM students and faculty in the health professions is a crucial aspect of addressing health disparities, yet African-American scholars remain under-represented at all levels of higher education in public health. The vision of the 4+1 programs is to increase the proportion of URM students and faculty engaged in disparities research, and in so doing improve access to quality prevention and healthcare programs for racial and ethnic minorities with a goal of eliminating health disparities. As with any program there have been successes and challenges developing the 4+1 programs. The purpose of this examination is to explore the process of establishing the 4+1 programs including leveraging existing innovative partnerships with HBCUs, identifying and establishing key relationships with each HBCU, managing the growth of the program to allow for problem solving where necessary while impacting the fewest students and faculty, addressing academic issues with students in the programs, and recognizing the unique advising needs of URM students providing the appropriate level of support prior to and throughout the student's tenure in the program.