Community Engagement Initiative

CEI 2025 program objectives include:  

• Serve as a tool for belonging, connection, and engagement of residents and fellows interested in advocacy, mentorship, community building & engagement 
• Further establish a supportive community amongst trainees 
• Facilitate meaningful connections between trainees & faculty  
• Deepen understanding of community engagement, social & structural drivers of health, and networking within healthcare for trainees committed to advocacy 
• Create a culminating, tangible artifact that synthesizes material learned during CEI program 

The CEI program is a nine-month program (September-May) consisting of monthly small group meetings where trainees focus on education and discussion around a variety of topics related to advocacy, mentorship community building, and service-learning. Applications open in July. Please reach out directly to the program manager, Audrey Coolman, for more details. 

Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Missouri Baptist Medical Center, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, & WashU Medicine residents/fellows in good standing who will have completed at least one year of training. The program is open to all residents and fellows. Race, color, national origin, shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics, sex, or other protected characteristics are not considered as part of selection or any other aspect of participation in the program.

Ideal applicants will have:  

• Experiences, attributes, and skills connoting an initial understanding of some of the barriers to care contributing to health disparities 
• Demonstrated enthusiasm for work related to advocacy, mentorship, community building and service-learning within the practice of medicine and commitment to continued growth 
• Commitment to improving the access and quality of medical care to all populations and communities

Residents/fellows selected for the CEI program will receive a grant award of $4,000 that will be considered taxable income as long as they remain active participants in CEI activities by meeting all program requirements and submit their Capstone Project.  

Awardees must also remain in good standing in their training programs. 

• Longitudinal growth of cohesive CEI community for residents and fellows across the WashU Medicine campus  
• Enhancement of belonging of trainees focused on community engagement through:  
  • Demonstrated commitment to advocacy, mentorship, community building, and service-learning across the WashU Medicine campus 
• Increased awareness and application of advocacy, mentorship, community building and engagement of program alumni  
• Increased connection to WashU Medicine campus leaders & St. Louis Community