In preparing physician leaders to translate new knowledge into action, community-based research provides Scholars a starting point to experience the transformative process of community, program, and policy change. New Haven is an ideal setting for community-based projects. The city is large enough to experience many of the health, social, and economic issues that confront urban centers throughout the country, yet small enough to allow the Program to maintain strong relationships with key healthcare providers and community groups. In this setting, Scholars become familiar with the politics, practices, and policies that are affecting the population’s health.
Increasingly, the NIH is emphasizing community engagement and collaboration in grant applications. Understanding and experiencing the fundamental principles of community-based research in local communities will aid all Scholars who pursue a career in research.
Each Scholar is expected to engage in at least one New Haven-based community research project of a participatory nature. Scholars should plan on spending 4-6 hours per week on their community project or 16-24 hours per month. Projects are initiated in the fall of the first year. Projects can be initiated either on a group or individual basis.
In 2004, a Deputy Director was hired to create an infrastructure to enable Scholars to: 1) engage in community-based health research with local community organizations, 2) provide opportunities for Scholars to develop skills in working as part of a team in addressing community health issues, and 3) nurture a Scholars' sense of responsibility to the communities in which they work. The School of Medicine has provided funds to support RWJ Clinical Scholar-driven community research projects over and above research funds provided by the Program.
To oversee and help guide community research efforts, a Steering Committee on Community Projects was formed. Its members are fully engaged. The Committee is composed of representatives of community-based organizations and representatives of relevant Yale-community-partnered research projects. The Committee also includes two Program alumni and rotating representation from Scholar cohorts. The New Haven Health Department, the two local federally qualified community health centers, the New Haven Family Alliance, and the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven are represented on the Committee. One individual on the Committee represents the Greater New Haven Partnership for a Healthy Community, serves as the Chair of the NAACP Committee on Health and is the Executive Director of Community Services for Yale-New Haven Hospital.
The Program's community research efforts are designed to help improve the health of New Haven. Through the efforts of Program faculty and Scholars, we hope to have made an identifiable impact on the health of New Haven over the duration of the Program. Through community-based research, we will be working with Scholars, the Steering Committee, community organizations, and faculty to map out a strategy to achieve the Program’s long range goals.
There are opportunities for Scholars to participate in additional community-based research projects. The Program has surveyed a wide range of community research opportunities that may be of interest to Scholars. Examples of ongoing research and potential partners include:
