Tougaloo College is the home of the Jackson Heart Study Undergraduate Training Center (JHSUTC) where minority high school students, college students and health professionals are trained in Public Health and Epidemiology. 

Tougaloo College is a historically African American four-year liberal arts college with an outstanding reputation for preparing students to study medicine, dentistry, other biomedical careers and law.  The faculty members are dedicated teachers who provide rigorous training to the students many of whom come from economically and academically disadvantaged backgrounds.  Tougaloo College is committed to public health, particularly as it relates to minority and underserved populations.  In addition to providing training in public health, the investigators at the JHSUTC develop independent research programs and collaborate with other JHS investigators in preparing scientific publications.

The Specific Goals of the JHS UTC are to:

• Create a pool of well trained high school students who, upon entering college, can successfully complete undergraduate, and graduate or professional degrees in health professions and public health;
  

• Introduce a program of college courses to prepare the students to pursue advanced studies towards public health and epidemiology;
  
  

• Involve the students in hands-on experiences to create interest in public health careers; and
  
  

• Provide basic epidemiology backgrounds for health care professionals.  In order to accomplish the above goals, the JHSUTC has developed the following programs:
  
  

  • SLAM (Science, Language Arts and Mathematics) Workshops for High School students
    
    
  • The Jackson Heart Study Scholars Program for Tougaloo College Students
    
    
  • Six-day Epidemiology Course I and II for health care and other professionals
    
    
  • Jackson Heart Study Undergraduate Training Center Staff