Community Health Education and Food

The Community Based Research Faculty Fellowship at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) advances community health education through faculty-led, student-engaged collaborative research projects across PCOM locations. Launched with support from the PCOM Alumni Association and developed by the Office of Campus and Community Partnerships in partnership with the Division of Research and the PCOM Library, the fellowship funds up to three full-time faculty annually to collaborate with community-based organizations and to engage inter-professional student teams in applied research that addresses pressing health disparities in underserved rural and urban settings. Projects funded under the fellowship illustrate a pragmatic, education-driven approach to improving community health outcomes while training future health professionals in culturally responsive service and public health practice. One project evaluates a student-facilitated first aid and CPR program for migrant farmworkers in Colquitt County, Georgia. Building on a prior phase, bilingual PCOM students—many from the Latino Medical Student Association—deliver culturally tailored Spanish-language sessions using the American Heart Association CPR in Schools with First Aid Training Kit.

The program emphasizes hands-on skills relevant to occupational hazards such as heat-related illness and wound injuries, and includes distribution of first aid kits and protective sleeves. Mixed-methods evaluation of knowledge, confidence, and instructor feedback aims to create a sustainable pipeline of Spanish-speaking certified instructors and a scalable model for improving emergency preparedness in rural agricultural communities. Another fellowship-supported study addresses pediatric medication adherence through development and pilot testing of a community-based Medication Therapy Management (MTM) support program. Analyses of national data including the National Health Interview Survey revealed adherence disparities linked to race, ethnicity, caregiver education, and socioeconomic status. The research team has used these findings to design a community survey and recruitment materials to assess local needs. The pilot MTM program will examine feasibility and preliminary impacts for children taking multiple medications, informing targeted interventions to reduce inequities in adherence and health outcomes. Community Rx, a bilingual, student-led health literacy initiative mentored by faculty, focuses on improving healthcare navigation and chronic disease self-management among underserved populations in Southwest Georgia and Philadelphia.

The initiative delivers culturally tailored workshops on preparing for doctor visits, understanding prescriptions, using pill organizers, and tracking vital health metrics. Using bilingual pre/post surveys, student reflections, and community partner input, Community Rx evaluates changes in self-efficacy, appointment preparedness, and medication confidence while training future clinicians in patient-centered, health-literacy–aware education. Another proposal expands naloxone training to interdisciplinary healthcare students and community patients to increase opioid overdose awareness and prevention. Across projects, the fellowship emphasizes inter-professional collaboration, experiential learning, community partnership, and scalable interventions that integrate education with measurable community health benefits. PCOM’s Community Based Research Faculty Fellowship embodies the institution’s commitment to equity, community engagement, and training health professionals to address real-world health challenges through culturally competent, evidence-informed interventions.