The School of Public Health (pictured), along with the Schools of Dentistry and Medicine join the Summer Health Professions Education Program to includ dentistry, running, pharamacy, medicine, optometry and public health in a six-week summer course. Photo from UAB image gallery
Kristina Balciunaite – Staff Writer
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Students interested in pursuing careers in health-related professions will now have the opportunity to participate in a free, revamped summer program through UAB.
The Summer Health Professions Education Program focuses on improving access to resources and information for college students from communities traditionally underrepresented in the health professions. It is a six-week course of study managed by three co-principal investigators from the schools of medicine, dentistry and health professions.
This year, SHPEP is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Over the course of its existence, the program has provided health career opportunities for more than 22,000 students. UAB is one of 13 institutions involved in the program.
“We are extremely excited to be a part of this project and to be included among a highly esteemed group of universities offering an array of programs in health sciences,” said Tracee M. Synco, Ph.D., assistant dean of student recruitment, engagement and success in the School of Health Professions.
Synco is also one of the three co-principal investigators who will direct the course. The others are Marquita Hicks, M.D., an associate professor and a physician in emergency medicine, and Michelle Robinson, D.M.D., an associate professor in behavioral and population sciences and assistant dean in the school of dentistry.
Formerly known as the Summer Medical Dental Education Program, the new program has been expanded to include dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, medicine, optometry and public health. Around 60 students will be selected to participate.
The expansion was made possible by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the nation’s largest philanthropy dedicated solely to health. For over 40 years, the foundation has supported research and programs targeting some of America’s most pressing health issues.
The foundation’s vision is to create a national “culture of health,” that would enable everyone across the geographic, demographic and social sectors to have health coverage.
“Our health and well-being can be greatly influenced by complex social factors such as where we live, and the strength of our families and communities,” the foundation said on their website.
Although the program started out as exclusively for studies of dental sciences, it has now broadened the array of disciplines.
“[The expansion’s] impact will be to enhance the diversity of UAB’s student population enrolled in health care programs whose graduates will then enable the healthcare industry to reach areas that are currently experiencing a severe shortage of healthcare services for their citizens,” Synco said.
Her expectations for this summer course is that the participants will be introduced to all of the opportunities that are available to them with a strong academic experience that will teach students new content and assist them in confirming their goals for health care careers.
The selection process will pay careful attention to students who come from economically or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds and students that identify with a group that is racially or ethnically underrepresented in the health professions.
According to Synco, SHPEP’s diverse selection process will lead to the improvement of the general health and wellness of those who are living in historically under-served areas.
Freshmen and sophomores interested in the program can apply until March 1, 2017. Applications and more information can be found at shpep.org.
