MCH Leadership Lab Application
The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Leadership Lab is a competitive fellowship opportunity open to students pursuing the Interdisciplinary Concentration in MCH. MCH Leadership Lab students are matched with a research or practice opportunity and meet monthly for networking events, workshops in leadership skills, and mentorship. To be considered for the MCH Leadership Lab, students must concentrate in MCH.
2024 – 2025 MCH Leadership Lab Guidelines
Please see below for a list of our open 2024 – 2025 projects. Students are also welcome to apply with their own projects.
Delivery Decisions with TeamBirth | Ariadne Labs
Ariadne Labs is a joint center for health systems innovation at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Ariadne Labs offers practicum opportunities in child birth working on Cesarean section. Practicum students work closely with the TeamBirth data collection, run analyses, write reports and interview stakeholders.
Belfort Neonatology Lab | Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Students will have an opportunity to collaborate research with 5 Boston-area NICUs to improve health and developmental outcomes of preterm infants and to help design and pilot-test a comprehensive parent-reported outcome assessment tool for preterm infants.
Birth Beyond Bars
The student will conduct a mixed-methods analysis of primary cohort data from mother and caregiver in-depth interviews on feeding practices and have the opportunity to review and analyze pregnancy and postpartum accommodation statutes and regulations for incarcerated women.
LIFT-UP with BetterBirth | Ariadne Labs
With the Low Birthweight and Preterm Infant Feeding Trial and Supportive Care Package Study (LIFT-UP), the student will create training materials for site partners, test and develop data collection tools, and conduct literature reviews while working to improve the quality of care, minimize complications, and end the preventable deaths of women and newborns through effective implementation of evidence-based, scalable solutions at the frontline of care.
Statewide Breastfeeding Plan | Rhode Island Department of Health
The student will gain experience in subject of state systems, breastfeeding support and strategic planning & policy development by assisting in documenting, organizing and enacting a one-year implementation plan (part of a larger five-year strategic plan) to increase breastfeeding rates and tackle breastfeeding inequities in the state of RI through strategies inclusive of communications, policy change, education etc.
Fertility Doula Training | San Antonio Black Doula Collective
Families First
Families First offers programs in both Greater Boston and Western MA. Working with the team in Western MA, the student will help develop a 3-year strategic growth plan for the Power of Parenting Program. This includes assistance with a landscape analysis, participating in stakeholder interviews, and collaboration with the advisory board.
Beyond Survival with BetterBirth | Ariadne Labs
Beyond Survival aims to understand the experience of intrapartum and post-birth care through interviews with mothers, families, and health professionals to develop a quantitative tool to measure childbirth-related vulnerability and improve post-birth outcomes. The student will gain experience in qualitative analysis and synthesis and conduct literature reviews for manuscripts.
SteelSky Ventures
SteelSky Ventures invests in numerous tech-driven innovations that improve areas where women’s health is directly, indirectly, and disproportionately impacted. The project with SteelSky Ventures focuses on compiling peer-reviewed evidence and identifying potential grant opportunities for companies in their portfolio that address maternal and child health.
Bend Health
Bend Health is an evidence-based pediatric behavioral health platform that offers innovative solutions to improve mental health outcomes for children and adolescents. SteelSky Ventures (above) is one of its investors. The project involves a literature review and gathering relevant research to support the company’s ongoing efforts, which may include identifying funding sources to support Bend Health’s initiatives.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact mchconcentration@hsph.harvard.edu.
