Alabama State University

Problem:

Consistent with the purpose of the Maternal and Child Health Pipeline Training Program (MCHPT), Alabama State University (ASU) proposes to implement a training program that will promote the development of a culturally diverse and representative MCH public health care workforce by recruiting, training and retaining students from under-represented minorities into careers in maternal and child health (MCH). ASU will collaborate with the University of Alabama at Birmingham's (UAB) MCH long-term training programs to promote interest in MCH public health careers among ASU students who are from an under-represented minority group.

Methodology:

A cohort of twenty undergraduate students will be selected annually to enroll in the Pipeline Training Program from the population of students who are matriculating at Alabama State University. The ASU Pipeline program has been structured to expose freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors to a series of activities designed to introduce them to career choices in the health professions which serve MCH populations. Four themes will be stranded throughout the experiences across the academic year-cultural competency, leadership, career development, and academic skills acquisition. Using monthly seminars, mentors, field trips, observation of practicing clinicians, intense summer programs, and tutoring for enhanced academic skills, Pipeline trainees will have in¬depth experiences which will facilitate their choice of and retention in a career in the health professions. During the summer between their freshman and sophomore year, the pipeline trainees will participate in an intense five-week summer health profession academy. Throughout the fall and spring semesters the students will be enrolled fulltime at ASU completing their majors. Seminars and elective courses are offered which provide the requisite foundation to choose a health profession and make a commitment to practice in maternal child health settings.

Coordination:

The collaborative partnership between ASU and UAB's MCH programs will provide an opportuntity to positively impact maternal child health practice in Alabama and throughout the region in multiple ways. The UAB MCH programs (LEAH, LEND, PPC, SOPH MCH) will collaborate with ASU to provide onsite courses, as well as opportunities for clinical and leadership experiences at the UAB campus during the summer terms (using existing UAB summer minority student enhancement programs). Likewise, Alabama State University serves as a rich referral source of African American students, to UAB, who are committed to MCH careers and are well on their way to understanding health disparities and becoming cultural competence.

Evaluation:

During the five year period, 100 students will have entered the program, forty of which will have received their undergraduate degrees and will be ready to enter graduate programs that train individuals to work with the MCH population. Specifically, this pipeline of 100 undergraduate students will have been directed, advised, and mentored toward occupational therapy and physical therapy at Alabama State University and toward UAB's MCH programs in Public Health, Nutrition, Nursing, Social Work and Respiratory Therapy. It is anticipated that by the five year follow up, this project will have realized a significant success in the direct credentialing of MCH professionals.