Background
Postdoctoral fellows from the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program are among
a growing number of physician–researchers training in community-based participatory
research (CBPR). These fellows are uniquely positioned to observe and evaluate CBPR
training needs and the experience of collaboratively conducting a CBPR project.
Purpose
To describe, from the perspective of physician-researchers, experiences in intragroup
and intergroup collaborations while conducting CBPR.
Methods
During a 2-year fellowship, a group of seven fellows received 6 months of didactic
training and then spent 18 months conducting a mentored CBPR project. The CBPR project
was complemented by a 2-year facilitated leadership seminar, which allowed for reflection
on intragroup (among fellows) and intergroup (fellows/community members) relationships
throughout the CBPR process.
Results
Seven core principles of CBPR were found to apply to not only intergroup but also
intragroup relationships: (1) building trust, (2) finding a shared interest, (3) power-sharing,
(4) fostering co-learning and capacity building among partners, (5) building on existing
strengths, (6) employing an iterative process, and (7) finding a balance between research
and action for the mutual benefit of all partners.
Conclusions
Establishing and maintaining relationships is at the core of CBPR. The development
of intragroup relationships paralleled the development of intergroup relationships
with community members. Applying the core principles of CBPR to the development of
intragroup relationships provided experience that may have enhanced relationships
with community partners. An a priori acknowledgement of the importance of relationships
and the time needed to develop and manage those relationships may add to the CBPR
training experience and assist in successfully executing collaborative projects.
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Article Info
Footnotes
The work described in this manuscript was completed while Drs. Dalal, Skeete, and Yeo were fellows in the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven CT.
Identification
Copyright
© 2009 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
