INTENTIONAL EMPOWERMENT
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Research and Scholarship
Research and scholarship serve as a critical driver for the office ’ s resources , services and decisions . Evidence-based solutions support the creation of best practices and intentional interventions that impact the campus and the broader community . Our research is grounded in community-based participatory practices focused on developing scholarship that addresses health disparities while working in collaboration with stakeholders to create solutions that support individual and collective health outcomes . The office offers two cohort-based programs for health professional students interested in researching health equity and social justice : the interprofessional Health and Social Justice Scholars Program and the Health Equity and Medical Justice Distinction Track for the School of Medicine . In addition to supporting scholarly student projects , the office supports faculty , staff and office research initiatives to increase the body of literature and solutions surrounding health equity and community outcomes .
Exemplar Research Programs
Health and Social Justice Scholars
The Health and Social Justice Scholars ( HSJS ) Program was created in 2017 for current professional and doctoral students on the HSC campus . This three-year ( maximum ) program provides training using an interprofessional model to perform community-based participatory research addressing disparities in health risk and health outcomes among medically underserved populations . Over 25 scholars have matriculated through the program and supported scholarly projects focused on improving community health outcomes .
Health Equity and Medical Justice Distinction Track
The Distinction Track in Health Equity & Medical Justice provides professional and personal development opportunities to refine student skills and competencies as change agents for health equity using a social justice framework . This cohort-based program began in the fall of 2023 to support current medical students . This program allows participants to build upon the knowledge and skills developed in didactic courses and create scholarly projects aligning with their interests and goals as future practitioners .
Future Services / Aims
The HSC Office of Diversity and Inclusion stands out for its remarkable commitment to adapting to the evolving needs of the campus and surrounding community . At the office ’ s foundation , improving individual and collective health through innovation and collaboration has been instrumental in sustaining and growing the office and its initiatives . As the office grows , we will continue to align our vision , mission and name to focus on health equity and engagement to further illuminate the impact on health outcomes we have and strive to achieve .
In addition to the aims mentioned above , we will focus on increasing research and programmatic support critical to meeting recruitment and retention needs , leadership development and other strategic objectives . Data-driven decisions will continue to guide the office toward services and programs relevant to the current and future needs of the students , university and community . Expanding the office ’ s impact begins with securing additional funding to enhance existing frameworks in our office . In late fall of 2023 , the School of Medicine and our office received a four-year grant funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration ( HRSA ). The funding is aimed at identifying , recruiting , supporting and training future primary care physicians . The objective is to encourage students to practice in underserved communities , especially in Kentucky . This grant expands the Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Med program to include a record enhancement component that allows pre-professional students to strengthen their academic prowess to increase success before and during professional school attainment . Other grant components include expanding our nationally recognized Trover Rural Campus Track and creating an equivalent Urban Health Track modeled after Trover . These programs and initiatives developed are meeting and can continue to address critical gaps in the pathway and workforce development to assist in addressing the growing needs of our health care system and communities .
Conclusion
For over a decade , the HSC Office of Diversity and Inclusion has contributed widely to the success of undergraduate , post-baccalaureate and professionals across the HSC campus . We strive to become a national model for health equity and inclusive innovation through excellence in education , research , patient care and service . Our longstanding programs serve as a blueprint to expand and further serve the university and broader community . As we chart our path forward while understanding the evolving landscape of health care , we continue to reaffirm our commitment to advancing individual and community health through compassion , advocacy and collaboration .
Kiana Fields is a Coordinator at the HSC Office of Diversity and Inclusion . ( non-member )
Dr . Jones is the Associate Vice President for Health Affairs and Professor and Vice Chair of Inclusive Excellence in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Louisville School of Medicine . ( non-member )
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