Child Health Equity Research

Curriculum

Objectives

The objectives of the fellowship include:

  1. Recruit outstanding underrepresented racial/ethnic (UR) fellows from a national applicant pool with attention to diversity in clinical and academic backgrounds, socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, and gender.
  2. Equip fellows with a strong, comprehensive background in health equity research methodology and research skills.
  3. Support fellows in completion of an impactful, rigorous research project focused on child health equity.
  4. Establish and maintain a supportive and collaborative network of mentors for fellows.

Components of the Training Program

CHERPP-T is designed to produce pediatric health equity researchers by combining: 1) formal didactics in pediatric health equity research methods and translational research through a weekly seminar series, 2) required core coursework in the UW School of Public Health, with the option to take additional coursework to complete a degree program, 3) training and experience in engaging community-based organizations and communities in research, and 4) research training and experience under the direction of a primary research mentor and Scholarly Oversight Committee (SOC). The training program has a core of required courses that includes basic instruction in epidemiology and biostatistics, as well as coursework in health services, maternal and child health, and community-engaged research. The training environment is strengthened by its diverse faculty and interdisciplinary collaborations.

The program is a 2-year training experience. During the first year of training, fellows participate in a weekly seminar series (described below) and take coursework through the UW School of Public Health, which provides them with the desired breadth in knowledge of pediatric health and depth in pediatric health equity research. However, training is individualized for the fellow’s background and research interests. For example, elective coursework is offered and fellows enroll in coursework that best fits their research interests: design of randomized trials and quasi-experimental studies, conducting mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative) research, community-partnered research and coalition building, and culturally adapting interventions and instruments for underserved populations.

Year 1

Fellows participate in existing weekly research seminars in all years of fellowship at the Seattle Children’s Research Institute (SCRI). By the middle of their first year, fellows identify a research concentration area, mentorship team (the Scholarly Oversight Committee or SOC), and research projects that can be completed by the end of fellowship. Fellows work with the CHERPP-T program directors and their mentors to ensure that their project plan fits into one of the two following plans: 1) primary data collection project + potential secondary data analysis project, or 2) secondary data analysis from one data set with two independent analyses.

Year 2

In the second year of CHERPP-T, fellows complete any additional specialized coursework needed for their specific research area, but the primary focus of the second year is on the fellow’s chosen research projects, completed under faculty mentorship and SOC guidance. It is expected that each fellow’s research results in 1-2 submitted manuscripts and at least one national research meeting presentation. An optional, uncommon third year is designed for the exceptional fellow to pursue additional research projects, such as pilot data collection, and/or grant-writing.

Examples of seminars and coursework

  • Joint Fellowship-Sponsored Weekly Research Seminars. We partner with an established training program of the Institute for Translational Health Sciences (ITHS), funded by a Clinical and Translational Science Award, for a joint research seminar series that provides structured and interactive sessions on key topics including study design, research methods, health equity, implicit bias in research, research operations, research team leadership, and critical thinking, as well as practical aspects of conducting research in clinical and community settings. Occurs weekly, 3 times/month.
  • Child Health Equity Seminars. CHERPP-T Core Faculty lead the monthly child health equity-focused seminars, which cover topics relevant to underserved children and families, including social determinants of health; working with school districts, community-based organizations, and other child-focused agencies; multi-level interventions; child health policy; and culturally tailoring interventions and instruments for parents and children. Occurs once/month and coordinated with the joint fellowship seminar above.
  • Responsible Conduct of Research. Training in the responsible and ethical conduct of research is an ongoing and integral part of any research training program. Fellows enroll in the Biomedical Research Integrity Program (1 credit, Summer) at the UW School of Medicine. This program offers lectures with associated discussion groups on the responsible conduct of research. Trainees attend this series of lectures and the discussion component. The program covers the following topics: conflict of interest, data acquisition and ownership, peer review, responsible authorship, and research misconduct.
  • Works-in Progress, Journal Club, Academic Writing, and Career Development. We provide fellows with multiple opportunities to build peer mentorship relationships among each other, interact with core faculty and available mentor faculty on a regular basis, and gain key insights from successful health equity researchers in a small group format. These twice monthly sessions are comprised of a journal club that covers major child health equity studies, “work in progress” sessions where fellows present research ideas and progress for ongoing projects (each fellow presents 2-3x year), abstract/manuscript and grant preparation led by experienced journal editors and NIH grant writers/reviewers, and career development sessions where guidance on the academic job search, job negotiations, and early career faculty advice are provided with unique considerations for UR faculty. Each year, a nationally renowned health equity researcher serves as our visiting faculty member and provides a seminar, meets with fellows individually, and shares insight on establishing an academic research career, with special attention to considerations for UR faculty.
  • UW School of Public Health Coursework. Although obtaining a master’s degree is optional, the master’s degree program in the UW School of Public Health provides structure and rigor to the training of most fellows with clinical degrees, while research oriented PhD fellows may wish to instead pursue more advanced methods coursework. Whether in pursuit of a master’s degree or not, specific coursework is required to meet the CHERPP-T learning objectives and core competencies that are important to conducting interdisciplinary research in pediatric health equity. Decisions about graduate coursework and a potential graduate degree are individualized to each fellow’s background, interests, and goals. Entry into master’s degree programs by postdoctoral fellows is contingent on acceptance into the respective department’s graduate program. All interested applicants should simultaneously apply to the UW School of Public Health if interested in this fellowship. For more information see: http://sph.washington.edu.

 

Sample coursework for fellows with clinical backgrounds, Year 1 (UW School of Public Health)

AUTUMN WINTER SPRING 
EPI 512 Epidemiologic Methods I (4)BIOST 511 Medical Biometry I (4)

Optional: HSERV 541 Topics in Maternal and Child Health (MCH) (3)

* The majority of open time is available for research. The second year is less structured and not shown here.

EPI 513 Epidemiologic Methods II (4)BIOST 512 Medical Biometry II (4)

Optional: HSERV/EPI 542 Epidemiology of MCH Problems (3-4) 

     

HSERV 514 Social Determinants of Population Health and Health Disparities (3)

HSERV 589

Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR) (3)

Optional: ANTH 519/HSERV 521/GH 538 Advanced Qualitative Methods in Anthropology and Public Health (5)

 

  • Learning Contracts and Scholarly Oversight Committee. Ongoing regular evaluation of fellow progress is accomplished through learning contracts. Fellows draft learning contracts and revise them quarterly, as a means of setting goals and objectives and tracking their progress. Each fellow has a Scholarship Oversight Committee made up of 2-3 faculty mentors (including one of the program directors). This committee assesses their progress, provides advice on coursework and projects, and assists with future career development and networking.
  • Fellows may participate in research seminars hosted by the Seattle Children’s Research Institute, as appropriate.
  • Fellows have dedicated office space at the Seattle Children’s Research Institute in order to be co-located with other fellows and junior faculty and in close proximity to other senior faculty-scientist researchers.