20 Years of Impact on the MCH Workforce: The Tulane Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health.

Abstract

Purpose: The Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) provides funding to support Centers of Excellence (CoE) to prepare the next generation of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) leaders through specialized training and mentorship. This study describes the impact of Tulane University's workforce development program in MCH.

Description: We utilized a holistic evaluation approach to examine the impact of Tulane University's CoE, from the program's inception in 2000 through 2024, in building the MCH workforce.

Assessment: Utilizing a retrospective evaluation design, routinely collected quantitative and qualitative enrollment and follow-up survey data from program alumni were analyzed. Data reveal the following: (1) the program has trained a broad group of MCH professionals from a wide range of backgrounds, strengthening a workforce prepared to respond to needs of varied communities, (2) alumni overwhelmingly continue to work in MCH after graduation, frequently serving populations with significant unmet health needs and in collaboration with Title V (MCH) agencies, and (3) the majority of trainees go on to serve in leadership positions in policy, practice, academia, or clinical settings.

Conclusions: A well-trained MCH workforce is contingent upon high-quality education and preparation for leadership roles. Through funding from HRSA's MCH Workforce Development Division, Tulane University's CoE has trained people from varied backgrounds, including from populations not well represented in health sciences and communities disproportionately affected by adverse health outcomes, to assume leadership roles and contribute substantively to the field. These results can inform MCH training programs to further strengthen their impact on developing the MCH workforce.