RWJF grants look for faculty teamwork

Howard Liu, M.D., assistant vice chancellor for faculty development, serves on the selection committee for the RWJF Clinical Scholars Program.

Applications for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Clinical Scholars National Leadership Program launch on Jan. 4.

The RWJF Clinical Scholars Program is a funded national leadership program for clinically active health care providers from a broad range of disciplines. The program is supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as part of their new national initiative to achieve a “culture of health.”

“This is an exciting opportunity for UNMC faculty,” said Howard Liu, M.D., who serves on the selection committee for the RWJF Clinical Scholars Program. “The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s goal of creating a culture of health in communities aligns perfectly with UNMC’s own goals to lead the world in transforming lives to create a healthy future and our legacy of improving access in rural and urban underserved neighborhoods in Nebraska.”

John Linville, D.V.M., a UNMC College of Public Health adjunct faculty member, also serves on the selection committee. College of Public Health faculty member Katie Brandert serves as a coach for the awardees.

Eligible participants are licensed and clinically active health care providers who have been in practice at least five years. Examples of eligible occupations include providers trained as audiologists, clinical counselors, dentists, dietitians, nurses, nurse practitioners, nutritionists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, physical therapists, physicians, physician assistants, psychologists, social workers, speech therapists and veterinarians.

Applicants apply in multidisciplinary teams of two to five providers. Teams identify complex “wicked problems” compromising a culture of health in their communities and propose innovative, community-focused approaches to improve community health and health equity.

Awarded teams receive program funds and leadership training to implement their approaches in their communities. Program funds are determined by team size — $35,000 per clinician per year for three years. Teams travel twice a year to participate in leadership skills training tailored to active providers and utilize a multi-platform, distance-based system in between onsite training retreats.

Interested applicants are encouraged to participate in an applicant webinar on Jan. 19 from 11 a.m.-12:30p.m. CST. RSVP for the webinar here or contact Melissa Green for more information.

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