Community Science conducted a multiyear process and outcome evaluation of a leadership program designed to train the next generation of equity–focused public health leaders. The study design followed participants through various stages of their training and 12 months after program completion.
As a result, the Office of Minority Health (OMH) trained over 100 students in the last four years who acknowledge being motivated to pursue a career in health equity, solidifying their existing plans to work in health equity, and/or clarifying their paths toward a specific health equity–related career. Many alumni credit the program with guiding the next steps in their professional and academic careers. The evaluation report has been used to fine-tune recruitment requirements, the curriculum, and the inclusion of mentors and peer mentors as key components of the training program.
Using qualitative and quantitative methods, we examined the effect of the training through interviews with fellows, mentors, and organizations that hosted fellows for the practicum. We generated useful lessons about the recruitment and eligibility requirements that made the program more targeted and accessible to racial and ethnic minority students, as well as for fellows from various levels of education. In addition, the findings helped OMH develop materials to market the program to other federal agencies to sustain and expand the program’s influence. 00584