Washington University in St. Louis recently graduated its fourth group of community researchers who voluntarily embarked on a 15-week intense graduate-level study for those interested in making a difference in how research is conducted, known as the Community Research Fellows Training program (CRFT). The program provides community members interested in reducing health and cancer disparities with education and hands-on experience to take back to their own communities.
The 15-week program is based on a Master of Public Health curriculum. Members committed to a three-hour evening once each week in the classroom and to homework or assignments. Ideally, upon completion, CRFT alumni are able to address health disparities within their own neighborhoods and work towards the Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities’ goal of eliminating health disparities in the St. Louis region.
Tyrell Manning was one of this year’s two dozen CRFT graduates. He works as a regional integration specialist at Rustin’s Place for Willliams and Associates, Inc. an advocacy and support organizations for persons living with HIV and AIDS.
“Basically, I test black people for HIV and integrate them either into care or prevention,” he said.
Participating in the program gave him a better understanding of systemic issues in St. Louis, methods of research and health outcomes.
“The whole process has really shown me, even though we’ve come here learning about research, it’s actually like taking a deeper look at where we live at and what’s happening around us,” Manning said. He said the experience has empowered him.
“The systems here are actually set up so that you don’t succeed, but we’re going to now take this research, apply it to the work you do so that now you can go and do better work in the community.”
Learning about research has given him a fresh perspective and focus on his job – and how to do better work in the community because of it. He said when next year’s group is solicited, “I’m going be sending it out to friends that I have and to people in the community that I know need this, because it’s very applicable to life right now.”
Vetta Sanders-Thompson, professor in the Brown School of Social Work and the Institute of Public Health at Washington University, said it is not how the university benefits, but how and whether the community benefits from these efforts.
“The most important outcome of this work is that CRFT alum are more critical consumers of health-related research,” she said. “In addition, CRFT alum have worked with Washington University, Saint Louis University and University of Missouri – St. Louis faculty on research and projects to improve health in the region. They provide consultation and input during the planning phase of projects, assist in data collection and dissemination of findings.”
Sanders-Thompson said participating faculty will be working with interested CRFT alum on strategies to improve and increase cancer education outreach for the Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities.
The Community Research Fellows Training program receives support from Siteman Cancer Center, Prevention and Control, Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Surgery and the Staenberg Foundation.
