269547 Environmental health training at the Border: Ensuring that physicians and public health professionals are prepared to integrate environmental health into their practice

Wednesday, October 31, 2012 : 1:30 PM - 1:50 PM

Beatriz Tapia, MD, MPH , Department of Family and Community Medicine, South Tx. Env. Education & Research (STEER), University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio - Harlingen Regional Academic Health Center, Harlingen, TX
Tatjana Walker, MPH, RD, CDE, CPH , The University of Texas School of Medicine at San Antonio, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
Roger B. Perales, MPH, RS , Faculty Associate, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Assistant Director, South Tx. Env. Education & Research (STEER), University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio - Laredo Campus Extension, Laredo, TX
Noe Garza, DDS, MPH , Academic Coordinator. Department of Family and Community Medicine, South Tx. Env. Education & Research (STEER), UT Health Science Center San Antonio, Harlingen, TX
Rodolfo Rincon, MD, MPH , Department of Family and Community Medicine, South Tx. Env. Education & Research (STEER), UT Health Science Center San Antonio, Laredo, TX
Claudia S. Miller, MD, MS , Professor, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Vice Chair, Community Medicine, Director, STEER Program, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
     
The South Texas Environmental Education and Research (STEER) Program has contributed to environmental health workforce development for over 15 years by training hundreds of young public health and medical professionals in a rich, rewarding, enlightening educational experience at the Texas-Mexico Border In particular, STEER addresses the need for a diverse and culturally-aware environmental health workforce by training large numbers of MD/MPH dual degree students in a one-month intensive course (46 MD/MPH students over 4 years) and by mentoring CDC/Hispanic Serving Health Professions Schools fellows, interns and trainees (24) in 8 weeks to 6 months research-focused summer traineeships since 2005. With a unique blend of service, learning and research the STEER program works to serve the needs of border residents while enabling health professionals to recognize and address environmental health concerns within their scope of practice. STEER is based in Laredo and Harlingen satellite campuses of the University of Texas School of Medicine at San Antonio, and trains students and healthcare professionals through “in vivo” experiences, with direct exposure to the many environmental medicine and public health concerns of the border region. We will detail the “in vivo” training for physicians, health profession students and research trainees. Describe at least two environmental health research projects for trainees. Explain current limitations for developing environmental health workforce in a school of medicine.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Environmental health sciences
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe an environmental health teaching model that can increase environmental health practices among physicians and health care professionals 2. Discuss the importance of integrating trainees into current environmental health projects

Keywords: Environmental Health, Workforce

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been a faculty for the South Texas Environmental and Education Program for 6 years. Since 2006, I have been teaching environmental medicine and public health to physicians and health care professionals in training. I have served as a mentor to HSHPS/CDC interns and fellows on a variety of environmental and public health topics since the summer of 2006.
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.

Back to: 5173.0: Public health clinician training programs: Addressing the environmental public health workforce shortage