Keck Graduate Institute has been awarded a grant from the McKesson Foundation to support the development and evaluation activities for KGI’s Master of Science in Community Medicine (MSCM) program.

“The McKesson Foundation is thrilled to partner with Keck Graduate Institute to help provide high-quality education in community medicine to underserved and underrepresented populations,” said Dr. Kelvin Baggett, executive vice president and chief impact officer at McKesson.

“Diversifying the healthcare talent pipeline is a strategic focus area for the McKesson Foundation, and this partnership is an important step forward in our efforts.”

The MSCM program helps to address shortages in physicians and healthcare workers in underserved and underrepresented populations in the United States. The program prepares aspiring health professionals from underserved and underrepresented populations to collaborate with their communities to improve overall health.

KGI launched its first MSCM class in 2021 with an online, fully asynchronous learning model. KGI is focused on making the MSCM degree accessible nationwide to full-time working healthcare professionals who want to pursue a career in community medicine or upskill within their current roles.

KGI has also partnered with the California State University system, the largest, most diverse university in the nation, to create a pipeline for qualified students to enter the program. With these program goals in mind, the McKesson Foundation grant will support the future of the MSCM program as it builds and tests all aspects of the program.

Within the next two years, KGI will:

  • Test, evaluate, and improve all aspects of the MSCM program
  • Integrate students and faculty into KGI, utilize existing resources, and design and implement plans to incorporate lessons from the MSCM program into KGI
  • Expand full-time student enrollment to 90 students
  • Develop multiple revenue streams and student financial aid
  • Increase demand for graduates
  • Expand program offerings

Toward the end of the build and test phase, KGI will have a clear sense of how well the MSCM program is working, what student demands are, and what employer and professional education demands look like.

The build and test phase also contains a two-pronged approach to mitigate risk for enrolled students. Beginning with the MSCM’s second cohort, an adversity index model will evaluate student achievement relative to background and resources. Once students are admitted, KGI will use a new dimension to the evaluation process to focus on predictive and early warning metrics through data analytics systems to ensure that MSCM students have the best chance at success.

Learning from institutions with proven success with these programs, such as Georgia State University’s (GSU) National Institute of Student Success and the University of California, Davis, KGI will implement a system of predictive data analytics and the appropriate resources for early intervention. These include data collection, management, translation, and human resources for counseling and student success advising.

KGI’s activity will include further learning from GSU and UC Davis teams to evaluate their data and counseling system and determine how best to adapt it for KGI, then test and refine it with the MSCM program in the first and second classes. The longer-term intent is to adapt this for general use at KGI in the graduate school setting.

“The McKesson Foundation is dedicated to helping create healthier communities,” said KGI President Dr. Sheldon Schuster. “As such, it is a great fit with KGI’s MSCM program, which is committed to providing new opportunities for qualified students to become the healthcare providers and health professionals our country needs. We are extremely excited about this partnership.”