Quentin Burdick Program: Working in Rural Communities in Hawaii

Background: Because rural health disparities are complex and require solutions that involve a diversity of partners, the Hawaii Quentin Burdick Rural Health Interdisciplinary Program (QB) has provided opportunities for students in health-related fields to live and work in rural communities on the islands of Molokai, Lānai, Kauai, and Hawaii. The QB program is a hands-on, experiential learning program that allows students to gain insights on engaging community members to meet the health needs of the community. Objectives: The purpose of this article is to describe the Hawaii QB Program and share the details of the community health projects of three public health graduate students, related to community-based participatory methods. Methods: Participating in training seminars, site visits, and a summer rural practicum helped students to develop their knowledge and skills for working in rural communities in the future. Conclusions: Specific principles of community-based par - ticipatory approaches, such as assessing community needs, utilizing community assets, and ensuring sustainability, were crucial to the process of community collaboration.