2018

CDC awards the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health $2.7 million to train undergraduates as future public health leaders

UCLA Public Health Scholars Training Program logo

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Minority Health and Health Equity has awarded a five-year, $2.7 million grant to the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health to launch a training program that will inspire undergraduate students to pursue careers in public health and strengthen the future public health workforce.

The UCLA Public Health Scholars Training Program will be part of the larger CDC Undergraduate Public Health Scholars (CDC CUPS) program network. The UCLA Public Health Scholars Training Program provides undergraduate students the opportunity to explore the field of public health through hands-on training, structured workshops, group excursions, and leadership and professional development. The scholars participating in the 8-week summer program at UCLA will be partnered with Los Angeles-based organizations, health systems, and government agencies where they will contribute three days per week toward substantive public health projects. Scholars will also participate in structured educational workshops two days per week. The workshops will explore cutting-edge public health topics and will address crosscutting themes, such as health equity, social justice, health disparities, social determinants of health, and prevention. Mentorship is incorporated throughout the program, providing additional support to scholars.

“The idea is to not only provide educational and field experience opportunities to scholars, but to also foster community among the students, faculty, and public health practitioners, which will help the scholars develop a strong connection to public health,” said Dr. Michael Prelip, Program Director and Chair and Professor of Community Health Sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.

The launch of the training program comes at a critical time for public health and the public health workforce. There is currently a shortfall in the public health workforce and a minimum of 250,000 new public health workers will be needed by 2020 to fill gaps created by retirement and other turnover.

“Not only is there a need to increase the workforce, but also its diversity,” said Lindsay Rice, MSW, Program Manager of the UCLA Public Health Scholars Training Program. To be effective, the public health workforce must be responsive to dynamic demographic factors in the U.S. population. While the U.S. Census Bureau projects that underrepresented minorities will compose 40% of the U.S. population by 2050, the current public health workforce lacks racial and ethnic diversity. Disparities also persist in the distribution of public health personnel with many rural areas facing significant shortages and challenges accessing care.

The UCLA Public Health Scholars Training Program partners with community-based organizations, health systems, and government agencies located throughout Los Angeles to address the need to increase the diversity of the public health workforce, improve the representation of underserved and underrepresented groups in public health, and solidify the public health pipeline, all of which will ultimately raise the quality of public health services.

About 200 scholars will participate in the program over the course of five years, and will be provided with a stipend of $3,000, housing, some meals, transit passes, and a trip to the CDC. Applications for 2018 will be accepted until Jan. 31.

“We hope the program propels these scholars through successful academic endeavors and into meaningful careers in the health professions,” said Dr. Prelip.

For more information on the UCLA Public Health Scholars Training Program visit http://bit.ly/2FV3iPf.

Written by Sarah Blenner


The UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, founded in 1961, is dedicated to enhancing the public's health by conducting innovative research, training future leaders and health professionals from diverse backgrounds, translating research into policy and practice, and serving our local communities and the communities of the nation and the world. The school has 650 students from more than 25 nations engaged in carrying out the vision of building healthy futures in greater Los Angeles, California, the nation, and the world.

Faculty Referenced by this Article

Dr. Michael Prelip
Michael Prelip
Community Health Sciences
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Lindsay Rice

Director of Pathways Programs

Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Judith M. Siegel
Judith M. Siegel
Community Health Sciences
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Natalie Muth
Community Health Sciences
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Diana Bonta
Diana Bonta
Community Health Sciences
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Sean Darling-Hammond
Sean Darling-Hammond
Biostatistics Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Elizabeth D'Amico
Elizabeth D’Amico
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Samuel Stratton
Samuel Stratton
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Hiram Beltrán-Sánchez
Hiram Beltrán-Sánchez
Community Health Sciences
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Virginia C. Li
Virginia C. Li
Community Health Sciences
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Charlotte Neumann
Charlotte G. Neumann
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Donald Morisky
Donald E. Morisky
Community Health Sciences
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Robert Kim-Farley
Robert J. Kim-Farley

Robert J. Kim-Farley, MD, MPH, is a Professor-in-Residence with joint appointments in the Departments of Epidemiology and Community Health Sciences

Community Health Sciences Epidemiology
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Dr. Anne Pebley
Anne Pebley
Community Health Sciences
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Courtney S. Thomas Tobin
Community Health Sciences
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Wendelin Slusser
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. May Sudhinaraset
May Sudhinaraset
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Randall Kuhn
Randall Kuhn
Community Health Sciences
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Philip Massey
Community Health Sciences
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Dawn Upchurch
Community Health Sciences
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Dena Herman
Dena Herman
Community Health Sciences
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Cathy Lang
Cathy Lang

Assistant Dean for Research & Adjunct Associate Professor of Community Health Sciences

Community Health Sciences
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Sheba George
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Shira Shafir
Shira Shafir
Community Health Sciences Epidemiology
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James Macinko
James Macinko

Professor of Community Health Sciences & Health Policy and Management, and Associate Dean for Research

Community Health Sciences Health Policy and Management
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Bo-Kyung Elizabeth Kim
Community Health Sciences
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David Eisenman
David Eisenman
Community Health Sciences
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Deborah Glik
Community Health Sciences
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Kimberley Shoaf
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Dana Rose Garfin
Dana Rose Garfin
Community Health Sciences
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halbert, ronald
Ronald Halbert
Community Health Sciences
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Valentine M. Villa
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Chandra Ford
Chandra Ford
Community Health Sciences
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Sarah Blenner
Sarah Blenner

Director of Field Studies and Applied Professional Training

Community Health Sciences
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Ilan H. Meyer
Ilan H. Meyer
Community Health Sciences
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Paula Tavrow
Paula Tavrow
Community Health Sciences
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Marjorie Kagawa-Singer
Marjorie Kagawa-Singer
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Elizabeth Yzquierdo
Elizabeth Yzquierdo
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Gilbert Gee
Gilbert C. Gee
Community Health Sciences
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May C. Wang
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Michael Goldstein
Michael Goldstein
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Jessica Gipson
Jessica Gipson
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Michael Rodriguez
Michael Rodriguez
Community Health Sciences
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Ondine S. von Ehrenstein
Community Health Sciences Epidemiology
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Dr. Alina Dorian
Alina Dorian
Community Health Sciences
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Jennifer A. Wagman
Jennifer A. Wagman
Community Health Sciences
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Kimberly Gregory
Kimberly Gregory
Community Health Sciences
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Dana Hunnes
Dana Hunnes
Community Health Sciences
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