Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute

Training the next generation

This multi-tiered program provides training and mentorship support, to assist trainees and faculty on their research and scholarly goals at various stages of their career.

The Research Training Program in Child Health Disparities at Brown University is made possible through the generous support of the Hassenfeld family and is done in collaboration with the Department of Pediatrics. This multi-tiered program  provides training and mentorship support to assist trainees and faculty on their research and scholarly goals  at various stages of their career. The overall goal is to promote the launch of independent investigators focused on research in the area of child health disparities. While the focus of the program is on child health disparities, we acknowledge the inextricable link between child, parent, and family health; therefore, we welcome fellows with relevant interests beyond children proper.

The four tiers of the program include:

Open to Brown University School of Public Health undergraduate and graduate students, and Alpert Medical School students, with an interest in child health disparities research.
Prepares post-residency physicians and postdoctoral behavioral scientists to conduct independent research in the area of child health disparities.
Supports the research of junior faculty, and promotes multidisciplinary collaborations and approaches that promote equity in child health.

Research opportunities range from 1-2 years in duration and have a focus on child health disparities. Areas of focus include, but are not limited to: child health and/or mental health; maternal health; maternal mental health; implementation/evaluation of community-based programs and initiatives; prevention; and alternative service delivery approaches.

During each program, individuals work collaboratively with a pre-identified faculty mentor. Together with their mentor, they outline their training and research goals, including participation in their mentor’s ongoing research projects. Typical activities include participation in ongoing research meetings, data collection and analysis, and manuscript writing. Advanced trainees such as Post-doctoral fellows are expected to participate in grant writing and submission.