Public Health in Practice: Implementation of the CDC Lewis Public Health Scholars Programs

Abstract

ABSTRACT The CDC John R. Lewis Undergraduate Public Health Scholars Program is a multi-institutional pathway initiative designed to prepare undergraduate and recently graduated students for future education and careers in public health through integrated didactic and experiential learning. Although program models vary by site in modality, duration, and curricular emphasis, all seven partner institutions include 4 pillar components: didactic instruction, experiential learning, research development and dissemination, and professional development. Since its launch in 2012, the program has expanded from four to seven sites and has served an estimated 2671 scholars. Across sites, scholars have contributed substantial public health practice hours through experiential learning placements in more than 240 governmental, academic, Tribal, health care, and community-based organizations. These findings illustrate how diverse implementation models can support a shared framework for undergraduate public health training and inform future pathway program design, adaptation, and scale.