Community Based Health Professions Education

To educate health professions students for careers in primary care in community based settings through "academic community health centers " that integrate community service, with health professions education and community derived and directed research.

Assumptions

A. Training in health professions education occurs largely within hospital settings, supervised by those professionals whose experiences are primarily based in academic medical centers serving relatively homogeneous populations. Interdisciplinary training of health professions students in community health centers will afford students the opportunity to be sensitized to working with diverse urban communities develop community assessment skills, appreciate issues of culture and understand related public health issues.

B. Training of health professions students requires that they be provided experiences that promote
cultural competency, both within the communities they serve and also by faculty who are adept
in teaching culturally competent curricula. Curricula in health professions schools often are
lacking in the inclusion of content which includes issues of diversity, cultural competency, and
responsive to broader community health needs.

C. Generally, faculty at universities are no longer practitioners in community based health care. Their expertise, for the most part, is based primarily in theory rather than practice. While theory is essential in establishing a base for practice, exposure of health professions students must also occur within communities where they will be able to apply theory in practice, and ultimately become more sensitive and adept in providing appropriate services and treatment for the populations they serve.

D. Community and university partnerships are essential for educating the health professions
workforce of the future. Changing demographics in urban cities requires a more diversified and
culturally competent workforce. Opportunities must be developed to increase the number of
underrepresented minorities, from communities, in the health professions.


Accomplishments

* CCHERS has institutionalized community based education of medical and nursing students, residents, and advanced practice nurses in its partner institutions with sustained funding from graduate medical education dollars.

* CCHERS has facilitated acquisition of other grants to support community based education of other health professions students. The Allied Health Project promotes interdisciplinary teaching of physical therapy, respiratory therapy and speech and audiology students in community based elder service organizations. The Boston Clinical Pharmacy Practice Network works with the School of Pharmacy, community health centers and local pharmacies to develop cost effective "in house" and contracted pharmacy services.

* Bouve College of Health Sciences faculty have begun to develop clinical affffiations with community health centers for incorporating faculty practices and designing models of interdisciplinary practice in the health centers.

* CCHERS has created and developed the Health Careers Academy, a public charter high school for students interested in pursuing careers in the health professions, as an educational pathway minority students.

* T'he CCHERS Community Health Service Corps promotes service and experiential education of health professions students in community based health service programs through the cooperative education programs at Northeastern University.

Policy Objectives

Promote increased cultural competency among the health professions workforce, particularly those working in primary care community based health care settings.

* Documenting cost effectiveness of culturally competent primary health care.

* Documenting improved patient/provider interaction. patient compliance and patient satisfaction resulting from culturally competent health care delivery.

* Creating financial incentives for institutionalizing culturally competent practices, procedures and protocols.

Increase workforce diversity within the health professions, specifically from among low income underrepresented minority populations.

* Developing and sustaining vehicles to ensure access to health professions education for low income minority populations beginning with middle and high school aged youth through working adults.

* Ensuring funding for programs that increase entry level opportunities in health care for community residents.

Promote community health outreach workers and advocates as integral members of an effective, interdisciplinary health care services delivery model.

* Providing ongoing training and professional development opportunities for community health outreach workers and advocates that encourage and validate certification of their skills and training.

* Sponsoring and supporting legislation to increase utilization of community health workers, medical interpreters and health advocates in the health system.

Sponsor and develop models of interdisciplinary health professions education that incorporate community based andpractice oriented training and internships.

* Continuing to identify and develop capabilities of other community health centers willing to become academic community health centers.

* Promoting increased collaborations between the partners in CCHERS and other academic institutions and community based organizations.

Promote academic and community partnerships that ultimately serve to improve the public health and well being of the CCHERS targeted communities.

* Analyzing potential collaborative and mutually beneficial ventures between academia and community.

* Identifying and pooling resources for joint academic and community ventures.