With a global pandemic shining a spotlight on the field, the importance of health professionals has never been more evident. California State University, Bakersfield’s School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering (NSME) has received a $3 million, five-year Title V grant from the Department of Education that will launch students on paths toward a variety of health careers and develop a new major in public health, so needed in the local community.
“This grant will have a great impact not only for our students, but also for our community,” said Dr. Todd McBride, Associate Dean of NSME and Principal Director for the grant. “There is major interest in health-related fields from our students, and numbers show there is a great need for better access to healthcare and health information in our area.”
Kern County has consistently ranked low among California counties when it comes to overall health, with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation putting it 52 out of 57. Kern County also has among the lowest ratio of health professionals per 100,000 in population.
The new public health degree is currently under review by the CSUB Academic Senate. Though the idea for this degree predates the current public health crisis, the pandemic does underscore how essential public health experts are.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented need for a strong public health workforce,” said Jane Yadon, Assistant Professor of Nursing, public health nurse, and member of the grant’s leadership team. “The CSUB Bachelor’s in Public Health degree will create a pipeline of qualified professionals that will meet this critical need.”
Funds from the grant will go toward additional faculty positions to develop and teach new courses. In collaboration with the COPE Health Scholars program at Adventist Health Bakersfield, NSME will also be developing internship opportunities in which students get hands-on experiences and become an integral part of the care delivery team at the hospital, assisting with basic care for patients and care coordination alongside members of the care delivery team including providers and administrative staff. The grant will support student participation in this program.
“These internships will provide students with real-life experience in multiple different areas of health careers and will assist them in gaining access to schools beyond their four-year degree,” Dr. McBride said. “It will look really good for further academic endeavors.”
The grant also addresses the need for qualified professionals in diverse healthcare occupations from pharmacist to physical therapist to health educator. Though there are shortages in these fields, many students interested in a healthcare career have only considered becoming doctors or nurses. The grant will support new CSUB programming and opportunities that enable students to explore the wide variety of interesting and impactful healthcare professions.
In anticipation of receiving the grant, NSME admitted 300 pre-health majors this fall and enrolled them in the new program’s first-year seminar sessions.
“This will help us open students’ eyes to all the possibilities the health field holds for them,” Dr. McBride said. “When they know what is out there, they can choose what to focus on earlier in their academic career and stay on track to graduate within four years.”
Dr. Kathleen Madden, Dean of NSME, said getting the grant and implementing the new pre-health and public health programs is an incredible opportunity for the school.
“As NSME continues to grow and add new programs in order to meet the needs of our students and community, adequate funding is essential to putting our ideas into action,” Dr. Madden said. “Grants like this one from the Department of Education are game changers!”
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