Leadership in Advocacy, Under-resourced Communities and Health Equity (LAUnCH) Track
The Leadership in Advocacy Under-resourced Communities and Health Equity (LAUnCH) Track is designed to train pediatric residents to become leaders in community health, policy and advocacy. Integrated with the core residency program, LAUnCH offers a cohesive learning community focused on improving the health of children from under-resourced circumstances. Residents complete six unique rotations, community-based clinical experiences and an advocacy-focused scholarly project through the REACH Program. Based in Washington, D.C., participants have unmatched access to local and national advocacy organizations and government agencies, enabling them to influence health policy on multiple levels.
LAUnCH residents gain practical skills in public health, health equity and systems-level change. They learn to:
- Partner with communities and organizations to reduce disparities
- Advocate for equitable healthcare policies and environments
- Identify and address social determinants of health
- Improve access to care and promote disease prevention through a longitudinal project
Our Curriculum
During the first year, LAUnCH residents participate in a foundational general pediatric curriculum (see Curriculum Overview) while also focusing on understanding research around the various circumstances and conditions contributing to individual health and their impact on the patients and communities we serve at Children’s National. Socioeconomic status, access to resources and community context play a crucial role in health. By year’s end, each resident identifies a community health topic for their longitudinal REACH project.
Key rotations include:
Outpatient and Acute Care (OAC)
Community Building Blocks
Child and Adolescent Protection Center
Quotes from Residents
Each resident in the LAUnCH Track embodies what I envisioned fellow trackers would be – smart, passionate, and truly dedicated to advocating for children outside the realm of medical wards and clinic.
Children's National LAUnCH Track Resident
LAUnCH Track Resident Accomplishments
LAUnCH residents have received many accolades for their work. Their projects have been grant funded by the AAP Resident CATCH Grant, the HRSA Primary Care Expansion Grant and the Children’s National Child Health Center Board Grant, among others. They have presented their findings nationally and internationally, and they have published in Academic Pediatrics, Pediatric Emergency Care, MedEd PORTAL and many other peer-reviewed sources.