The Prevention Research Collaborative aims to enhance the skills of the public health workforce in conducting community-based prevention research to reduce health disparities by providing training, technical assistance and mentoring to students, post-doctoral fellows, community members, practitioners, and other researchers.
Graduate and Undergraduate Opportunities
Internships
Each summer, the PRC offers paid and unpaid internship opportunities to Masters level students in the UM School of Public Health. Interns work on specific research projects and, depending on the project, may learn skills in data analysis, geographic information systems, qualitative methods, survey design, health communications, and community-based participatory research.
Research Assistantships and Independent Studies
In addition to summer internships, the PRC supports a number of undergraduate and Masters level students, both in the UM School of Public Health and in other schools within the university, throughout the academic year for continued work on specific research projects. Students in the School of Public Health may also request to work with a faculty member in the PRC for independent study credit. Students interested in receiving credit will work with a faculty member to identify goals and create a course plan. Past coursework has included data analysis and manuscript preparation, program development and evaluation, and survey design.
Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program
The PRC participates in the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP). Students participating in the program work alongside a faculty member, research scientist, or professional practitioner on an ongoing or new research project. While the program is primarily for first and second year students, there are also a small number of opportunities for juniors and seniors.
MICHR Health Disparities Summer Program
For the last several years, the PRC has hosted students in the MICHR Health Disparities Summer Program. The 10-week program runs early June – mid August and supports graduate students from medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, social work, and public health from institutions nationwide in a summer experience designed to engage them in health disparities research practice. MICHR students have worked on projects such as HOPE: HIV/STD Outreach, Prevention & Education, Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center, Motherly Intercession, and Weighing In.
Postdoctoral Studies and Visiting Scholars
PRC Postdoctoral and Visiting Scholars are members of the PRC research team. They participate in research projects and program evaluations, provide technical assistance to community organizations and agencies, assist with grant proposal writing, and author publications and other research products. Postdoctoral Scholars are also encouraged to develop their own prevention research projects.
Training Programs and Workshops
Future Public Health Leaders Program
University of Michigan Future Public Health Leaders Program (FPHLP) is a national CDC-funded training program that recruits and exposes highly qualified and promising underrepresented minority undergraduate students to professional career and/or advanced degree opportunities in the field of public health.
Partners in Research (PIR) is a collaborative training program designed to prepare community organizations and academic researchers to work together to improve community health.
Youth Empowerment Solutions (Curriculum Training)
Training is available to organizations wishing to implement or adapt the Youth Empowerment Solutions Curriculum. More information is available from the YES website.
