Johns Hopkins Univeristy

Problem:

Youth of color and youth residing in economically disadvantaged communities are at greatest risk for many of the common morbidities of adolescents. There is a need for diverse leaders in the public and private sector trained in innovative and effective interdisciplinary approaches to adolescent health promotion and disease prevention to address adolescent health disparities.

Goals and Objectives:

Goal 1: To increase the number of professionals working in the fields of nursing, social work, medicine, psychology, and nutrition who have mastered core competency in adolescent health and leadership Objective 1: By the end of Year 5, 5post-residencey medical fellows will have successfully completed their long-term training fellowship in Adolescent Medicine and be eligible for sub-0specialty certification. Objective2: By the end of Year 5, the following health professionals will have completed their long-term training in the program: 5 masters level or doctoral level nurses, 5 masters level or doctoral level social workers, 5 post doctoral psychologists, and 5 doctoral level public health students in the nutrition track. Goal 2: To increase the racial/ethnic diversity and the cultural competency of the scientists, clinicians, educators and policy makers in the public and private sector focused on reducing disparities in adolescent health. Objective1: By the end of the project period, 50% of physicians completing the program will be from a disadvantaged background or under-represented racial/ethnic group. Objective 2: By the end of the project period, 405 of the non-MD trainees completing the program will be from a disadvantaged background or under-represented racial/ethnic group. Goal 3: To develop new interdisciplinary approaches to reducing morbidity and mortality among disadvantaged youth. Objective 1: Each year, all trainees and fellows participate in a case-based curriculum that utilizes and interdisciplinary approach and is focused on reducing disparities in adolescent health. Goal 4: To improve the capacity of public health professionals in Region III to deliver evidence-based, positive youth development oriented programs to the region's population of young people. Objective 1: By the end of the project period, all 5 states and Washington, DC will have a positive youth development plan for adolescent health programming. Objective 2: By the end of the project period, adolescent health coordinators in all 6 Region III locales will have developed strategies to address obesity prevention and reduction among youth, HIV prevention and STI reduction with special attention to economically disadvantages populations.

Methodology:

Our core curriculum has been developed with long term trainees in mind though medium term trainees and short term trainees may participate in selected elements of the core curriculum. We have chosen to categorize training into 4 core components: Leadership; Adolescent Base Knowledge and Context; Research; and MCH/Title V and Related Legislation. While various strategies will be utilized in the Leadership component of the curriculum, the main methodology will involve the Advanced Leadership Seminar which is a case-based approach to leadership training. Additional activities will include discipline-specific mentoring, courses and seminars on research ethics, courses in public health leadership, grant writing seminar, trainee presentations, and media training symposium. Core adolescent health knowledge and context training is incorporated at all levels including practice, teaching , research, advocacy, and leadership. Core research activities will include participation in the weekly Research Seminar, presentation at journal club, and a research project. The core MCH/Title V and Related Legislation activity will involve the Maternal and Child Health Seminar and Advanced Leadership Seminar.