MSU Extension Extension Health Research

One advantage of the MSU Model of Health Extension is the range of possibilities for collaboration with professionals who share the same mission. MSU established one of the nation’s first community-based medical schools with multiple campuses in 1969. Researchers can work with MSU Extension professionals to a engage in grant-funded community research by informing needs assessments, disseminating research or clinical findings, developing interventions, and implementing and evaluating health programs delivered to underserved audiences.

MSU Extension educators can contribute to grant writing teams or serve as time-limited, grant-supported research and intervention project staff. Some benefits of partnering with MSU Extension on health research:

• Salary savings and operating dollars are mutually beneficial through this university partnership.
• Community-based research efforts enhance scholarship and benefit engaged universities that seek competitive funding.
• Communities can significantly impact research findings, adding to the generalizability of social research studies, especially those needed in understanding the social determinants of health.

Speed Meetings for University In-Reach

The MSU Model of Health Extension strategies include using an effective approach to create partnerships and to educate researchers and faculty on Extension’s history, infrastructure, and existing health programs. A primary objective of the speed meeting is to show university researchers the breadth and depth of Extension health-related programs. Speed meetings have taken place on the main university campus, and have included up to eight additional remote locations for community-based public health scientists housed at clinical sites and university community campuses.

Speed meetings are typically a two-hour working lunch with up to ten, nine-minute presentations by a variety of Extension educators highlighting program need, target audience, educational objectives, outcomes, and potential future research connections. There is optional additional time with presenters for one-on-one conversations after the presentations to further connections. In the past, if Extension and researchers shared an interest, they would set up future meetings to discuss potential grant proposals.

Eschbach, C., Carter, E., Newkirk, C., Tiret, H., Millet, M., Cronk, L., & Dwyer, J. (2018). Using speed meetings to connect Extension experts with university health researchers. Journal of Extension, 56(4). Article 4IAW3. https://archives.joe.org/joe/2018august/iw3.php