Providing comprehensive healthcare services to uninsured farmworkers and families in the community, offering inclusive playdates to children with complex communication and motor needs, and delivering courses to build resilience in healthcare providers are just a few of the exceptional interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) initiatives that have led to a prestigious national recognition for UCF’s Academic Health Sciences Center (AHSC).

The AHSC was honored with the Award for Institutional Excellence and Innovation in Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Health Care by the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP), a national professional organization of universities and employers that focuses on critical issues affecting health professions. The award recognizes an institution that has excelled in IPE and IPCP — principles based on the idea that collaboration will increase the efficiency and effectiveness of delivery systems to promote team-based, family- and patient-centered healthcare.

“When healthcare professionals work together as a team, the patient always gets better care,” says Deborah German, UCF’s vice president for health affairs and dean of the College of Medicine. “Our faculty are committed to creating that kind of experience for all of our students.”

The AHSC comprises the College of Medicine, College of Health Professions and Sciences, College of Nursing and Student Health Services. UCF’s approach is especially impactful in the way it integrates education, research and patient care seamlessly for students and the community, creating a dynamic ecosystem that fosters collaboration, innovation and excellence.

The Comprehensive Medical Care Outreach Team, established in collaboration with the Farmworker Association of Florida in 2016, brings key services to underserved populations, addressing issues such as access barriers, language disparities, and social determinants of health. Teams of UCF students from nursing, medicine, physical therapy and social work provide point of care testing, pharmaceutical supplies, nutrition education, counseling, and referrals for additional care as needed. More than 1,100 students in the last five years have served over 700 patients, providing essential healthcare services while  learning in a live clinical environment.

“The future of healthcare is collaborative, and UCF is ensuring a healthier future by fostering interprofessional learning opportunities that prepare future healthcare professionals across all disciplines for practice,” says Mary Lou Sole, dean of UCF’s College of Nursing. “Through interprofessional collaborative practice, UCF is unleashing potential of students and faculty to improve patient care and solve our world’s greatest healthcare challenges.”

The Keeping Neighbors In Good Health Through Service (KNIGHTS) Clinic provides vital medical services to approximately 150 uninsured patients annually, bringing together medical  and social work faculty and students to collaborate on interdisciplinary teams that serve Orlando and neighboring communities. The clinic, which is a partnership with Grace Medical Home, provides direct healthcare services, health promotion, disease prevention, social support, case management and appropriate referrals to medical and social resources in the community. Through ongoing research and evaluation, the clinic continually refines its practices to deliver evidence-based, exceptional care to its patients.

The Mighty Knights program and Go Baby Go! provide customized mobility solutions that enhance children’s independence and quality of life and bring together speech-language pathology, physical therapy, health sciences, medicine and engineering students.

The Mighty Knights program holds inclusive play experiences for children with complex communication and motor needs and their families, bringing mobility supports, specially trained students, and faculty clinicians into schools, community playgrounds, libraries, parks, zoos and other unique spaces, like UCF’s Rehabilitation Innovation Center. Go Baby Go! also offers invaluable hands-on learning experiences that bridge classroom knowledge with real-world applications. By modifying ride-along toys to meet the needs of children with mobility and cognitive impairment, students gain practical skills, interdisciplinary collaboration experience, and a deeper understanding of the benefit of assistive technology on individuals’ lives.

“We’re incredibly excited to be honored by ASAHP for our innovation in interprofessional education and collaborative healthcare,” College of Health Professions and Sciences Interim Dean Matthew Theriot says. “This recognition is a testament to our dedicated faculty teams who champion this critical work as they train and inspire the next generation of healthcare providers while caring for our community. We’re grateful for ASAHP’s continued leadership in advancing a collaborative approach to healthcare, and we’re deeply appreciative to our philanthropic partners who played a crucial role in sustaining and expanding our programs and providing resources for acquiring materials, conducting research, and organizing impactful outreach events.”

Another key initiative is an Interprofessional Health Promotion Course for students that equips them as future healthcare providers with resilience-building strategies essential for well-being and professional success. Implemented in January 2023, the virtual course has been completed by 872 students from medicine, nursing, social work, physical therapy and speech-language pathology. The goal is to provide the course as a free online program for clinical providers worldwide, particularly those serving military veterans, uninsured and underserved populations. The research results emerging from the course have been presented at multiple national and international conferences by the interdisciplinary faculty team.

Among the newest programs is a Neurologic IPE Day held for the first time in Spring 2024. The event brought together over 50 students from physical therapy, social work, health sciences and speech-language pathology to engage with families affected by acquired neurologic disorders such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and progressive supranuclear palsy. Students operated in teams to conduct health and wellness assessments and provide recommendations for ongoing care, emphasizing a holistic approach to patient well-being.

The award was presented to UCF at an Oct. 8 ceremony at the 2024 ASAHP Annual Conference in Atlanta.

Earlier this year, UCF joined with ASAHP to co-host a regional summit designed to improve collaboration and develop new strategies for ensuring the talent pipeline continues to provide competent and compassionate future healthcare professionals proficient in delivering team-based care.

UCF faculty and staff leading programs include:

College of Medicine
Professor Magdalena Pasarica
Associate Professor Denise Kay
Associate Professor Katherine Daly
Associate Professor Janice Cato Varlack
Instructional Designer Monica Bailey
Assistant Director Melissa Cowan
Project Coordinator Karla Rosario
Research Assistant Denyi Canario Asencio

College of Community Innovation and Education
Professor Bryce Hagedorn

College of Nursing
Lecturer Heather Peralta
Professor Desiree Díaz

College of Health Professions and Sciences
Clinical Associate Professor Jennifer Tucker
Assistant Professor Julie Feuerstein
Clinical Instructor Angela Ziegler
Assistant Professor Asli Cennet Yalim
Associate Professor Lauren Bislick
Associate Instructor Iradly Roche
Assistant Professor Susanny Beltran
Clinical Associate Professor Laurie Neely