The mission of the Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety (MCOHS) Education and Research Center (ERC), as a center of excellence, is to provide: 1) cutting-edge interdisciplinary academic and research training to prepare exceptional leaders who make significant contributions to occupational safety and health (OSH), and 2) continuing education (CE) to prepare professionals to address current and emerging threats to the nation's workforce. This proposal requests continued funding for the period, July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2020. Objective: To address the need for an adequate supply of qualified personnel to carry out the purposes of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and reduce the national burden of work-related injury and illness in the Midwest region served by the MCOHS, and beyond. Rationale: A previous conclusion in an Institute of Medicine report, that remains true, stated, ...the continuing burden of largely preventable occupational diseases and injuries and the lack of adequate occupational safety and health (OSH) services ...indicate a clear need for more OSH professionals at all levels. Further confirmation is noted in the recent NIOSH-commissioned report, National Assessment of the Occupational Safety and Health Workforce, identifying needs that greatly exceed available trained OSH professionals. Design: An innovative administrative structure, guided by a strategic plan and committed advisory board, supports enhanced efforts in interdisciplinary research, education, and outreach, including research-to practice, and strengthens diversity recruitment. Rigorous graduate academic and research programs enable quality training in (degrees and projected numbers): Industrial Hygiene (PhD-11, MS-12, MPH-18); Occupational and Environmental Medicine (MPH-17); Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing (PhD- 3, MS-0, MPH-13); Occupational Health Services Research and Policy (PhD-10); Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology (PhD-8, MPH-2); and Occupational Injury Prevention Research (PhD-9); while program duration varies, program expectations are: masters' (~2 years); PhD (~ 4 years) In addition, a major CE Program offers novel courses in-person and through distance learning (projected =18,000) to meet the needs of a diverse workforce.
The MCOHS ERC serves the region of Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and South Dakota and is a resource for industry, labor, federal, state, and local government agencies, agriculture, and numerous other partners. Recognized regionally, nationally, and internationally, it provides outstanding academic and research training programs and innovative Continuing Education programs to ensure the Center is positioned to continue to produce leaders who make important contributions to occupational safety and health.
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