UAMS to offer new maternal and child health certificate program

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KNOE) - The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health is soon to begin offering a maternal and child health certificate program.

Starting in 2023, the program aims to address the unsatisfactory care of maternal and child health in the state of Arkansas. Maternal and child care includes maternal, infant, child and adolescent health including children with special health care needs.

“There are a number of health disparities in maternal and child health,” said Alex Marshall, Ph.D., MPH, associate professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Education. “The main goal of our program is to learn about and improve maternal and child health in Arkansas. We’re going to do that by growing, educating and equipping future public health practitioners and health care providers with the knowledge they need to address maternal and child health outcomes.”

Students in the program will study the aforementioned areas as well as look at the cultural, historical, and political factors that influence health and a family’s ability to provide a healthy environment for children.

The coursework will teach students how to communicate with underserved, marginalized communities as well as consist of practical experience in educating women and children on different health outcomes. Those in the program must complete a maternal and child health practicum to earn the program certificate.

The program is a total of 13 credit hours and can be completed in two semesters.

Students can expect to be taught by Marshall as well as Brooke EE Montgomery, Ph.D., MPH, assistant professor for the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education; and Wendy Nembbard, Ph.D., MPH, director of the Arkansas Center for Excellence in Birth Defects Research and Prevention.

These instructors will be able to mentor students and also provide them with access to MCH research opportunities and connections to professional organizations.

“We have wonderful faculty who have knowledge of the situation and can properly prepare students to help address the problem,” Marshall said. “It helps that we already have well-established partnerships with great community organizations that are in the field doing the work to help improve a variety of maternal and child health outcomes.”

To find out more about the program, contact Marshall via email at smarshall@uams.edu.