Students pursuing careers in public health and health equity can get up to $30,000 to help cover the costs of a master's degree under a new Minnesota scholarship program.

The University of Minnesota's School of Public Health and the Minnesota Department of Health have launched the scholarship program with a $1.5 million grant from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration.

The goal is to help increase the public health workforce and provide scholarship assistance over three years to up to 45 students who have been admitted and are seeking a master's in public health. The master's program admits about 15 students each year.

The COVID-19 pandemic left a severe void in the health care and public health workforce, said Elizabeth Wattenberg, the U's associate dean of public health.

"The whole pandemic was very difficult for people working in public health," Wattenberg said. "It was very stressful, they were under a lot of pressure while also being criticized,"

A wave of retirements and the backlash to pandemic related communication from the federal government have had a severe impact on the workforce, she said. More than 40% of workers reported they were considering leaving their jobs in public health over the next 5 years, according to a Center for Disease Control analysis.

At the same time, in the past few years, gaps in health equity and emergency preparedness were brought to light. For instance, people with lower incomes or limited transportation struggled to access COVID-19 vaccines or treatment.

These gaps weren't new but were undeniable during the pandemic, Wattenberg said. The School of Public Health recently added its first undergraduate degree in public health to help meet the state's need for workers in the field.

Master's students at the U will have access to funding and a three-month applied practicum or internship in governmental public health at the state Health Department. Minnesota is lucky to have one of top health departments in the country with a lot of opportunities for students, Wattenberg said.

"A lot of our students will get student positions, and a lot of our graduates will then go on to get jobs in the Minnesota Department of Health," Wattenberg said. "We have a very close connection which is really wonderful."

Admitted master's students will be contacted in late spring or early summer about the scholarship opportunity for the program beginning in this fall.