Training / Career Development

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A. OVERVIEW ~ As the field of health communications is relatively young and struggles with many of the issues that face any developing discipline: variable quality of research and training, minimal professional standards, lack of direction for new researchers, and a crude grasp of relevant policy issues. Currently, public health colleges, medical schools, and universities have few, if any, faculty experienced in health communications; and the research and training occurring in this field is typically unconnected with other potentially relevant research. CECCR1 emphasized career development opportunities in this evolving field by providing pre-and postdoctoral fellowships, monthly cancer communication seminars, and, in the Summer of 2008, a week-long tailoring training institute. CECCR1 funded the research of 9 junior investigators and directly funded 3 postdoctoral fellows, 13 doctoral students, 14 Masters students, and 3 undergraduate students. In addition, the CECCR1 attracted senior investigators, including Drs. Rodrick Little, Vijay Nair, Susan Murphy, and Mick Couper, to focus their research in the cancer communications area. This investment is already paying off. Of the 35 extramural grants that were stimulated by CECCR1 funding, 22 of these grants came from junior investigators and 3 came from senior investigators who were new to the cancer communications field. (See Section 1: Center Overview.) : ; Current leaders in health communications have varied but relevant backgrounds in physical and social epidemiology, health behavior, communication science, health administration, environmental health, oncology, survey research, and information technology. These fields have informed and advanced the field of health communications. Now, more than ever, the field also needs to include clinicians who will help identify the major communication issues faced in clinical settings, as well as identify the most practical and adoptable solutions. The career development challenge facing this field is to build on the knowledge from these varied but relevant disciplines. The resulting researchers and practitioners better understand the role and positioning of their work in the bigger picture of health services delivery. The CECCR2 aims to further draw from the existing expertise of its participating health communications researchers to continue training a new generation of specialists. By placing great emphasis on career development, the CECCR2 strives to prepare new behavioral and clinical researchers in health communications, bringing greater rigor and consistency to the field.