TY - JOUR
T1 - A New American University Model for Training the Future MCH Workforce Through a Translational Research Team
AU - Whisner, Corrie M.
AU - Brown, Jean C.
AU - Larson, David M.
AU - Rodriguez, Lizeth Alonso
AU - Peter, Beate
AU - Reifsnider, Elizabeth
AU - Bever, Jennie
AU - Liu, Li
AU - Raczynski, Erin
AU - Chavez, Jose Benito Rosales
AU - Ojinnaka, Chinedum
AU - Berkel, Cady
AU - Bruening, Meg
N1 - Funding Information: We would like to thank the highly engaged members of the Maternal Child Health Translational Research Team for their dedication to collaborative work and student training. Figure 1 was adapted from “Why We Need to Increase Diversity in the Immunology Research Community,” by BioRender.com (2021) Retrieved from https://app.biorender.com/biorender-templates. The CHS MCH Translational Research Team is supported by an internal grant from the College of Health Solutions (MPIs: Bruening & Berkel). A portion of the time preparing this manuscript was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of the Maternal Child Health Bureau Nutrition Training Grant, The TRANSCEND Program in Maternal Child Health Nutrition and Childhood Obesity Prevention (Grant number: T79MC31884; PI, Bruening). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. Funding Information: Community partners benefitted from student involvement in terms of the research skills and time students were able to contribute. For example, one community partner proposed a needs assessment as a project for the MCH TrT. A student took this on as a Master’s thesis. As a result of the thesis, the community partner has changed their practice. Moreover, the results were used as preliminary data for a grant that was funded. The community partner noted: “I have been so grateful… The needs assessment that I didn't have the capacity to do on my own and the work of this team helped me make informed decisions as a practitioner and a program administrator so that I could better serve my community. I am so grateful for the work that we did in collaboration with a student … I've relied on it; I can't tell you how many times I’ve pulled the data over the last like six to eight weeks. So the value I don't think I could understand it or overstate it and, like it has served me immensely as a community partner.” Funding Information: We would like to thank the highly engaged members of the Maternal Child Health Translational Research Team for their dedication to collaborative work and student training. Figure was adapted from “Why We Need to Increase Diversity in the Immunology Research Community,” by BioRender.com (2021) Retrieved from https://app.biorender.com/biorender-templates . The CHS MCH Translational Research Team is supported by an internal grant from the College of Health Solutions (MPIs: Bruening & Berkel). A portion of the time preparing this manuscript was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of the Maternal Child Health Bureau Nutrition Training Grant, The TRANSCEND Program in Maternal Child Health Nutrition and Childhood Obesity Prevention (Grant number: T79MC31884; PI, Bruening). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s).
PY - 2022/8
Y1 - 2022/8
N2 - Objectives: To describe the process of developing and implementing experiential learning through translational research teams that engage diverse undergraduate and graduate students. Methods: After a college redesign, translational research teams were developed to foster multidisciplinary research and better integrate students with faculty research, community, and clinical activities. Three primary approaches were used to engage undergraduate and graduate students in the maternal and child health translational research team (MCH TrT). These included an undergraduate experiential learning course; participation in translational research team meetings and events; and mentorship activities including graduate student theses and supplementary projects. Results: Since 2019, a total of 56 students have engaged with the MCH translational research team. The majority (64%) of students engaging in translational research were undergraduates. Racial and ethnic diversity was evident with 16% Latinx, 14% Black/African American, 12% Asian, 10% two or more races, and 4% Native American or Native Hawaiian. A large proportion (42%) of students indicated that they were first-generation college students, while 24% indicated they had a disability. Five themes emerged from student feedback about their involvement in the experiential learning course: the value of translational research, development of research skills, collaboration, practice development, and value for community partners. Conclusions for Practice: Through an MCH translational research team, we have established a pathway to enhance diversity among the MCH workforce which will increase recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups, and ultimately improve MCH research and practice.
AB - Objectives: To describe the process of developing and implementing experiential learning through translational research teams that engage diverse undergraduate and graduate students. Methods: After a college redesign, translational research teams were developed to foster multidisciplinary research and better integrate students with faculty research, community, and clinical activities. Three primary approaches were used to engage undergraduate and graduate students in the maternal and child health translational research team (MCH TrT). These included an undergraduate experiential learning course; participation in translational research team meetings and events; and mentorship activities including graduate student theses and supplementary projects. Results: Since 2019, a total of 56 students have engaged with the MCH translational research team. The majority (64%) of students engaging in translational research were undergraduates. Racial and ethnic diversity was evident with 16% Latinx, 14% Black/African American, 12% Asian, 10% two or more races, and 4% Native American or Native Hawaiian. A large proportion (42%) of students indicated that they were first-generation college students, while 24% indicated they had a disability. Five themes emerged from student feedback about their involvement in the experiential learning course: the value of translational research, development of research skills, collaboration, practice development, and value for community partners. Conclusions for Practice: Through an MCH translational research team, we have established a pathway to enhance diversity among the MCH workforce which will increase recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups, and ultimately improve MCH research and practice.
KW - Child
KW - Maternal
KW - Training
KW - Translational research
KW - Workforce
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85123258930&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85123258930&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10995-021-03349-3
DO - 10.1007/s10995-021-03349-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 35060070
SN - 1092-7875
VL - 26
SP - 10
EP - 19
JO - Maternal and child health journal
JF - Maternal and child health journal
ER -