Project Title:
From Survivor to Innovator: Digital Health Equity and Community Impact
Funding Program:
Connecting Minority Communities Program
Project Purpose/Type:
The Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) aims to lead the creation and advancement of health equity, which includes digital health equity: the access to health and health-related careers predicated on digital literacy. To accomplish this goal, the MSM "From Survivor to Innovator: Digital Health Equity and Community Impact" project will expand student access to basic technology and broadband, improve telehealth access in MSM's anchor community, expand science and health careers exploration with its educational partners, and improve MSM faculty’s ability to integrate technology into the teaching and learning process. Overall, MSM aims to understand the impact increasing technological access and literacy will have on digital health equity.
City/Town/Service Area:
State(s):
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$4,231,058.00Funding Amount$4,231,058.00Total Project Cost0.00Non-Federal Cost Share
MSM will increase technological access and literacy, and thus digital health equity, in the anchor communities with four primary initiatives. The UHSA Connects: The Community Broadband Initiative will expand the health careers pipeline for learners in grades K-8 and college. This project will provide technology, equipment, and access for K-8 and undergraduate students from Atlanta communities that suffer from low investment in broadband internet connectivity. MSM’s current Undergraduate Health Sciences Academy (UHSA) prepares undergraduate students to compete and successfully matriculate to medical school and other professional health careers. The MSM Digital Impact Initiative will mitigate inequities for students at the high school level. MSM is partnering with South Atlanta High School to expand broadband capabilities, technology access, and provide teacher and student technology training. These resources will allow MSM to expand opportunities for additional students in its existing S.T.E.A.M and HCOP programs using technologies outlined in this proposal. The Digital Health Educator Initiative is an MSM faculty development enhancement effort to include technology integration into MSM curriculum development, and instructional design to improve teaching and learning delivery. Processes will utilize online training, technology coaching, seminars, external coaching, and peer coaching. The MSM Health Equity for All Lives (H.E.A.L) Initiative will expand existing student-run clinics via telehealth technologies which contribute to the health equity of the underserved and uninsured populations by providing medical and screening services to local populations in the anchor community.
The "From Survivor to Innovator: Digital Health Equity and Community Impact" project will achieve expanded student access to technology and programming to encourage more students to seek health careers and improved health outcomes for those in MSM's most at-risk communities. The UHSA Connects: Community Broadband Initiative will result in increased digital literacy skills and increased awareness around health equity and the social determinants of health in the anchor community. The MSM Digital Impact Initiative will provide improved broadband speeds, a digital health equity curriculum, computer labs equipped with distance learning technology, and improved college and career readiness at an anchor community high school. The Digital Health Educator Initiative will develop and implement a scalable faculty development curriculum to improve MSM faculty’s competencies in digital teaching to meet the need for digital health educators as technology plays an increasingly important role. The MSM Health Equity for All Lives (H.E.A.L.) initiative will enable physicians to reach more patients using telemedicine technology.
This project will benefit Morehouse School of Medicine students as well as K-8 students, high school students, residents, and patients at student-run clinics in the MSM anchor community in Atlanta, GA.
The recipient does not intend to subaward funds.
The applicant does not fund a consortium. The applicant’s activities do occur in the surrounding anchor communities. Details of community involvement are described below.