Developing Community-Based Mentorship: Supporting Health Science Training in Historically Marginalized Communities

Area of Science:

• Community-based participatory research
• Health professions education
• Social determinants of health

Background:

• Community mentors are vital for graduate and health professional student education in underresourced settings.
• Mentors often require preparation to effectively teach complex social and structural health issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance community mentors' capacity as teachers for graduate-level health science students.
• To improve student learning regarding social determinants of health and community organizations.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a half-day mentor workshop within the Bridging the Gaps-Pittsburgh program.
• Ongoing support for mentors by program staff, connecting them with faculty and community resources.
• Utilizing a community-engaged, interdisciplinary practicum model.

Main Results:

• Enhanced mentor abilities to teach diverse, graduate-level health science students.
• Improved student understanding of historical social and structural health determinants.
• Greater student comprehension of organizational contexts serving vulnerable populations.

Conclusions:

• Supporting community mentors' teaching capacity significantly enhances applied learning for health professional students.
• Investing in mentor training is crucial for effective community-based health professions education.