This blog post highlights the work of two funded MCH trainees from the University of Tennessee, Marissa McElrone and Marissa Black. McElrone (left), a funded MCH trainee since January 2016, is a PhD candidate pursing her doctoral degree in Community Nutrition. Black (right) has been a funded MCH Nutrition Leadership, Education and Training Program trainee since January 2018, and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Health Nutrition. This blog post discusses their trainee experiences providing cultural and linguistic competence workshops to Tennessee Title V Personnel.
Interactions that Make a Difference
Interactions that Make a Difference (ITMD) is a daylong cultural and linguistic competency workshopfacilitated by University of Tennessee MCH Nutrition faculty and funded trainees. ITMD workshops target Tennessee Title V Personnel from across the state focusing on enhancing personal cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills. Workshop are designed to accommodate 12-15 participants who have direct interaction with clients and individuals receiving services at health departments.
Marissa McElrone: As a funded trainee I have had numerous opportunities to enhance my own cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills. These experiences have enriched my passion for the subject and have even evolved into a focal point in my own research. Although my own work is incredibly rewarding, facilitating ITMD workshops across the state has allowed me to impact a much larger population. Front line staff have direct contact with various MCH populations on a daily basis. By providing cultural competency training to these individuals, ITMD has the power to improve access to culturally competent health care services for Tennessee’s MCH populations.
Marissa McElrone facilitating the ITMD workshop for Mid Cumberland Regional Office.
Marissa Black: This summer, we traveled to the Mid Cumberland Regional Office to facilitate the ITMD workshop. As this was my first time facilitating an ITMD workshop, I was incredibly nervous! However, as the day went on and our participants began to open up about their experiences, I became more comfortable as well.
As an incoming Public Health Nutrition graduate student, I participated in a similar workshop. The cultural and linguistic competence training I received helped me understand the awareness, knowledge, and skills that are necessary to work in a cross-cultural environment. It was a great experience to use the knowledge I learned as a new student to help train Title V personnel. It was also rewarding to have important conversations about sensitive topics such as racism and stereotypes that people are often too afraid to talk about.
MCH Nutrition Trainee Hub 
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