MCH Pipeline Training Program: Connecting with Academia to Build Capacity Through Mentoring

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Workforce Development
• Mentorship in Higher Education

Background:

• Recruiting and retaining diverse Maternal and Child Health (MCH) professionals is crucial for public health.
• Culturally congruent mentorship is essential for transitioning students from undergraduate to graduate studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a culturally congruent mentorship training program within MCH Pipeline Training.
• To describe mentorship practices and lessons learned across six MCH Pipeline programs.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-method study involving retrospective pre-test post-test surveys on mentorship competency.
• Questionnaires completed by MCH Pipeline program leaders on training, evaluation, and lessons learned.
• Analysis of data from 1890 undergraduate scholars supported by MCH Pipeline Programs.

Main Results:

• MCH Pipeline Programs supported 1890 scholars nationally, offering leadership opportunities.
• Qualitative themes highlighted the importance of reflective spaces and mentorship teams.
• A mentoring training workshop significantly improved mentor self-assessed competencies by 14.4 points (p < .001).

Conclusions:

• Pipeline programs incorporating mentoring workshops and culturally congruent teams can increase and retain diverse scholars.
• These strategies support the development of the next generation of diverse MCH leaders.
• Investing in mentorship is key to building a robust and diverse public health workforce.