Summary of STEP UP Curricular Innovation Projects

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Summary of STEP UP Curricular Innovation Projects

• Sara Savage, MPH
• Program Manger
• University of Washington Tobacco Studies Program

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Objectives of the Curricular Innovation Grants

• To integrate tobacco education into core graduate
  public health curricula
• To support interdisciplinary approaches to
  tobacco research, education, service, policy and
  practice

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Curriculum Innovation Projects
Univ. of WA
Univ. of IA
UMDNJ
Johns Hopkins
Univ. of S.C.
Loma Linda
UCLA
Univ. of P.R.
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Curriculum Project Outcomes
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Challenges Barriers

• Limited faculty and administration interest
• Lack of local expertise
• Competing issues (obesity, HIV/AIDS, etc)
• Tobacco perceived as passe or boring
• Crowded curricula - schedule challenges
• Faculty often not paid to teach
• Scope of tobacco material overwhelming
• Faculty support does not translate to inclusion
• Institutional structures, procedures and culture
• Perception of individual responsibility vs PH
  problem
• Web-based course development is time intensive
• In person courses reach fewer students

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Lessons Learned

• Value of collaboration and partnerships
• Student involvement builds reputation of program
• Marketing and publicity are key
• Course development and integration into existing
  courses and seminars both important
• Web-based courses are interactive, easily
  accessible and students like them
• Students can get excited about tobacco control
  when given the opportunity
• A passionate insider often required to champion
  the cause and effect change
• Projects have increased visibility and legitimacy
  of tobacco education within schools of PH

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Sustainability

• Collaboration with governmental and private
  organizations can lead to support (UW)
• Integration into existing curricula may be more
  sustainable than separate tobacco courses
• Courses are starting to develop a following
• Snowball effect - more inclusion leads to more
  interest leads to more demand
• Web-based courses may be more sustainable (LL,
  JH, NJ)

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Acknowledgements

• American Legacy Foundation
• ASPH - Liz Weist and Kalpana Ramiah