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Summer Programs

Community Health Fellowship Program (CHFP)

A group of men and women in masks standing in a warehouse that is stocked with food items
A group of students seated in a conference room listening to a speaker who is seated at the main table
A group of smiling students seated in a conference room
A group of students in masks sitting at desks while watching a presentation
A group of UTSW students with the director of The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center posing for a photo under The Bridge sign
 
 

A component of CART, students participate in the competitive Community Health Fellowship Program (CHFP). This nine-week summer program for first year medical students provides a comprehensive community-based participatory research experience to a small group of exceptional medical students annually. Students do not have to be enrolled in CART to be considered for the CHFP, but all students interested in CART are invited to apply for the Community Health Fellowship Program if they are seeking a comprehensive community-based learning experience.

Application process begins again January 2026. Application deadline is March 1, 2026.

  • Goals and Objectives

    The focus of the experience is to develop relationships between the UT Southwestern (UTSW) Medical Center Community, and community-based health and social service delivery organizations in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. The partnerships are designed to assist community-based organizations in identifying the needs of those they serve. All work is done in a way that benefits the participating organization, while teaching medical students the value of collaboration to achieve optimal health outcomes among underserved ommunities.

    The CHFP annually offers medical students an opportunity to address the health care needs of underserved patients in a community-based setting and gain applied research knowledge through participating in a didactic research training curriculum combined with developing and implementing a community health agency-based research project.

    This fellowship is nine weeks during the summer and provides a stipend. Supplemental sessions are required to refine community projects and equip students with basic HIPAA research and human subjects training prior to the summer program. A limited amount of additional funding is also available for presenting research findings at national or regional professional meetings and conferences.

  • Program Curriculum

    The nine-week program blends interactive lectures to provide participating students with the necessary knowledge to successfully conduct community-based research. Among the topics included in this facet of the program are the following:

    • Behavioral Medicine
    • Biostatistics
    • Bioethics
    • Cultural competency in CBPR
    • Data Analysis & Interpretation
    • Health Disparities
    • Health Literacy
    • Homelessness
    • Original Research Presentations
    • Race and Medicine
    • Study Designs

    Students participating in the program complete a CBPR project under the guidance of a community mentor and a faculty mentor from UTSW. Academic work each student is responsible for developing are:

    • Abstract
    • Manuscript draft/executive summary
    • Oral presentation
    • Poster presentation submission to conference

    Ongoing guidance and support will be provided throughout the fellowship to ensure students are able to successfully meet the above deliverables.

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