PROGRAMS FOR FELLOWS AND JUNIOR FACULTY

THE MONGAN COMMONWEALTH FUND FELLOWSHIP IN MINORITY HEALTH POLICY
(Formerly The Commonwealth Fund/Harvard University Fellowship in Minority Health Policy)

PROGRAM DETAILS

The Program

The Mongan Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Minority Health Policy is a one-year, full-time, academic degree-granting program designed to create physician-leaders who will pursue careers in health policy, public health practice, and academia. It is designed to incorporate the critical skills taught in schools of public health, government, business, and medicine with leadership forums and seminar series conducted by Harvard senior faculty and nationally recognized leaders in minority health and public policy; supervised practicums and shadowing opportunities; site visits; conferences; and travel.

Each fellowship provides: $50,000 stipend, full tuition,health insurance, books, travel, and related program expenses, including financial assistance for a practicum project.

The Fellowship is designed to prepare physician-leaders who will, over time, improve the capacity of the health care system to promote policies and practices that improve minority, disadvantaged and vulnerable populations’ access to high quality care. To accomplish this, the program will:

• Provide strong academic training, including an MPH or MPA, for highly qualified physicians.
• Enhance the leadership ability of physicians, offering them substantive knowledge in health policy and management, while creating a network of physician-leaders capable of advancing successfully among the public, nonprofit, and academic sectors.
• Provide each fellow with mentoring by Harvard senior faculty and administrators as well as access to national leaders in health policy and public health practice.
• Bring together the faculty and resources of HMS, HSPH, and HKS to provide an enhanced curriculum addressing issues of public health, health policy and practice, and quality improvement, particularly as they relate to minority health issues.
• Utilize resources at HMS, including the Office for Diversity and Community Partnership (DCP) and MFDP, to enhance the networking, career development, and career advancement of fellows.
• Link to program activities co-sponsored with the HSPH Division of Policy Translation and Leadership Development.
  
  

Fellows of the Mongan Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Minority Health Policy are required to complete the requirements for a Master of Public Health degree (MPH) from the Harvard University School of Public Health (HSPH) in the 2012-2013 academic year and to fulfill the requirements of the fellowship.

A minimum of 42.5 credits is required for graduation, including 10 credits of fellowship requirements and core requirements for each concentration (25 credits in CMP or 22.5 credits in HSB).  Coursework expected by the HSPH and the Fellowship will be taken at HSPH and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government (KSG).  Other recommended courses are offered at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Harvard Business School.

In addition to the completion of the academic training leading to the MPH, Fellows are required to receive leadership training.  Fellows must complete training components which are designed specifically to help them acquire the skills that will prepare them for leadership positions in minority health and health policy.

Fellows at HSPH may establish a concentration in one of the following two fields:

HEALTH CARE MANAGEMENT AND POLICY (CMP)

The MPH in Health Care Management and Policy (CMP) offers two substantive areas of focus.  The Management Focus prepares professionals for positions in health care delivery organizations from integrated health systems to the various components (e.g., insurers/risk-takers, hospitals, physicians, sub-acute and long-term care, pharmaceuticals).  The Policy Focus prepares health professionals for positions in health policy, as consultants, advocates, or directly as policy makers.  Both the policy and the management areas can lead to careers in the private or public sector.

HEALTH AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR (HSB)

The focus of the Family and Community Health (FCH) concentration emphasizes the identification and understanding of health disparities, community assessment and intervention to promote health and prevent disease in populations through the preparation of health professionals with leadership skills in public health. The concentration prepares graduates for positions in diverse public health and non-profit settings, including federal, state and local government, voluntary health organizations, and community-based primary care settings. Program graduates fill many positions including director of public health, director of a health agency or program, planner, analyst, and health advisor.  Others continue in academic settings, their practice and research concerned with vulnerable population or patient groups or important health problems.

Core Curriculum and Course Listing

Please see the core curriculum and course listing in the Curriculum page.

Advanced Training

The Mongan Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Minority Health Policy incorporates academic work leading to a master degree in public health management and training components beyond the basic curriculum: Leadership Forums, Seminar Series, Practicum, Site Visits, Shadowing, Journal Club, Annual Meeting.

Please see the Program Components page for more information about the advanced training.