About

OVERVIEW 

The Health and Social Justice Scholars Program provides a unique opportunity of educating professional and doctoral students in an interprofessional manner to produce high quality scholarly activities related to health equity, health and healthcare disparities, social justice, and healthcare innovation with the goal of benefitting underserved and disadvantaged populations. The program is comprehensive, providing scholars conceptual learning modules, research experience, mentoring, service learning, and professional development. The program is managed by the Health Sciences Center (HSC) Office of Health Equity and Engagement with high collaboration with Schools of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health & Information Sciences, as well as community partners.  

Students who have a demonstrated interest in health disparities from a community engagement perspective, attend a school at the HSC campus and will be entering their second year of a doctoral program (Au.D., D.M.D., D.N.P., M.D., Ph.D.) in Fall 2024 are eligible to apply. Students must be in academic good standing to apply. Four scholars will be selected (1 scholar from each HSC school). Each scholar will receive a scholarship/stipend for each academic year of participation in addition to mentoring support, research opportunities, and professional development travel support. Scholars may participate in the program for a maximum of three years.

Scholars will participate in clinical work (when appropriate), didactics, community-based experiences and scholarly activities. Scholars will be trained in the techniques of community-based participatory research and evaluation, and will be actively involved in the interactive process of translating research findings into policy development and implementation. Each scholar will have two mentors; one to help them negotiate the rigors of the program and the other from their chosen field to provide guidance in their careers.