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Project Name: Public Health Scholarship Program (T52)
Applicant Title: OAKLAND UNIVERSITY
Abstract Text: Address: Human Health Building, 433 Meadow Brook Road, Rochester, MI 48309-4452 Project Director Name: Caress Dean Contact Phone Numbers: Voice-xxx-xxx-xxxx; fax-xxx-xxx-xxxx Email Address: xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx Website Address: https://www.oakland.edu/shs/faculty-and-staff/caress-a-dean-mph-phd Grant program funds requested in the application: $1,249,177 Requested funding preference, priority, or special consideration: The applicant is applying for funding preference for underrepresented racial/ethnic minorities. The applicant met qualification #1 in the areas of educational/environmental disadvantaged, economically disadvantaged, and underrepresented racial/ethnic minorities. The applicant has also met qualification #2. Oakland University's (OU) Master of Public Health (MPH) program aims to increase the public health workforce capacity and prepare future public health professionals to diminish health disparities and inequities experienced by communities. To achieve this aim, OU's MPH program, accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health, has devised the Public Health Scholarship (PHS) program. The PHS program has the following six objectives: Objective 1: Establish the Public Health Scholarship team by October 31, 2022, to assist in implementing and evaluating the PHS program. This will involve hiring an MPH trainee to become the PHS graduate research assistant (GRA). Objective 2: Recruit 27 students to the Master of Public Health program from disadvantaged backgrounds who are committed to working in the public health field starting Fall 2022. The project director and the PHS GRA will implement a six-prong marketing strategy and collaborate with internal OU sectors and community sectors to recruit disadvantaged students to the PHS program. Existing support services will be further integrated to facilitate belonging, student success, and career advising to retain PHS recipients. Each recipient will be matched with an OU MPH alumnus to further support PHS recipients' successful matriculation through the MPH program and expand their professional network. Objective 3: Increase the number of MPH courses and competency-related events that improve the education and preparation of MPH students to address public health inequities and health disparities to 47% (28% increase) by September 1, 2022. MPH faculty will modify the MPH curriculum to incorporate additional didact teaching and course assessment that evaluates students' application of health disparities and health inequity competencies. Objective 4: Increase the number of public health field experiences (practicum) that occur in a medically underserved area (MUA) by April 28, 2023. PHS recipients will be connected to practicum sites in MUA by inviting all sites to attend the annual practicum networking event. Objective 5: Support 100% of PHS recipients in gaining employment in the public health field at an MUA organization six months post-graduation. Aiding PHS recipients Gaining employment in an MUA organization is a critical component; therefore, multiple activities will be performed, including annual career development events, creating ePortfolios, connecting recipients to job opportunities, and hosting a networking event. Objective 6: Disseminate Public Health Scholarship Program outcomes to OU Leadership and the Michigan and Scholarly Communities starting Summer 2023. Project outcomes will be disseminated through meetings, newsletters, and social media posts. The student target audience of the PHS program is disadvantaged (1) underrepresented racial/ethnic minorities, (2) traditional student learners, and (3) adult learners who currently work in the public health field. The PHS program will fund 27 disadvantaged MPH trainees.