My interest in Interprofessional education and collaborative efforts began with my first academic semester at LSU School of Nursing. Even before I had attended any Team UP sessions, I was curious about the operation of Interdisciplinary teams and how they could best be utilized to improve care for various populations. I knew of the importance collaboration and communication had on good patient care and I wanted to explore how it presented in my own community. Through extensive guidance from my mentor, Dr. Michael C. Norman, a Project Director at the LSU Human Development Center, certified speech-language pathologist and special educator, I was afforded the opportunity to explore interprofessionalism across various settings. With my mentor’s assistance, I saw Interdisciplinary care in community organizations focused on ethnic families with members with disabilities as well as the care of children in the school system with medical needs. These experiences furthered my desire to be involved in the development of interdisciplinary methods of providing care in the community and allowed me to see the resources already accessible. The IP Scholars Program was invaluable in developing my growth as a patient advocate, leader, and healthcare professional while in a student role.
Interprofessional Scholars Recipients
2025
School of Nursing Class of 2026
2024
School of Dentistry Class of 2026
Oral Health is an integral component of a person’s overall well-being, as the oral cavity is the window into the general health of a patient. Unfortunately, there is a long-standing history of a lack of communication between dental providers and other health care providers. I most notably noticed this divide as I journeyed through my first year of Team-Up. As I talked with my teammates in our small group sessions, I realized many of them are not familiar with how we are trained or how we contribute to a patient’s overall health. This inspired me to dive deeper into the world of interprofessional work at LSUHSC. I discovered the Interprofessional Scholars Program and have since explored the pillars of education, leadership, and scholarship. I have had the opportunity to work alongside professors, providers, and students across many disciplines and have gained an invaluable wealth of knowledge. We are all critical components of our patients’ care teams and taking the time to educate each other is the first step to a more holistic, patient-centered approach to improve health outcomes.
School of Medicine Class of 2026
During my time as a hospital volunteer to medical school, I became more aware that a delicate, yet strong, network of healthcare professionals is the basis of any hospital. During my time in TEAM UP, I learned the fundamentals of interprofessional teamwork and became inspired to grow in my practice of interprofessional healthcare. During the IP Scholars Program, I was taught by Maria Velez, MD, an incredible mentor and example of a successful interprofessional leader in her clinical practice as a pediatric hematologist/oncologist. In addition to my service on the Team Up Student committee, the IP Scholars Program was a remarkable opportunity for me to grow personally and professionally. My interprofessional education has given the tools I need to become a better leader and future physician-scientist.
School of Dentistry Class of 2025
My prior professional experience in various roles and fields in higher education taught me the importance of interdisciplinary approaches and collaboration. TEAM UP introduced me to interprofessionalism in healthcare and showed me the importance of effective interprofessional education and collaborative practice. Under the mentorship of Dr. Nicholas Mosca, DDS, DrPH, I pursued experiences in each of the four pillars of the Interprofessional Scholars Program. Education: as prior university faculty, I was excited to serve on the TEAM UP Student Committee from 2021-2023 to contribute to interprofessional education at LSUHSC. Leadership: a fellow TEAM UP Student Committee member and I worked together to develop a team from the various schools at LSUHSC to design an educational experience to teach students in all healthcare programs about oral cancer and oral cancer screenings. Scholarship: I was fortunate to participate in a panel at the 2024 ADEA Annual Session with students, faculty, and administrators on interprofessional education at practice at LSUHSC. Practice Outreach: the culmination of my interprofessional experiences was a clerkship at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and the Naval Postgraduate Dental School resulting in a SWOT analysis of the state of interprofessional collaborative practice in the US Navy and at WRNMMC/NPDS. My prior business operations experience taught me the importance of operationalizing change. My Interprofessional Scholars Program experiences gave me the opportunity to observe process improvement methodologies applied to interprofessional education and practice and to implement those concepts myself. The skills and experiences I gained through TEAM UP and the Interprofessional Scholars Program have already had a tremendous impact on the care I provide my patients, and I know they will continue to make me a better healthcare professional, dentist, and naval officer throughout my career.Interprofessional Scholars Recipients
School of Nursing Class of 2024
After my first year in clinical rotations and my first internship in hospital management it became evident to me that health systems were failing patients in many ways due to the lack of interprofessional collaboration. After having this disheartening realization, I found myself in a TEAM UPTM meeting -at the same table with soon to be dentists, medical doctors, dental assistants, physical therapists, and other health professionals and realized that we all saw the flaw and wanted what was best for our patients. Understanding that many of the downfalls in health care come from the lack of communication and not from the lack of care, knowledge, or research helped me find my passion in growing the practice of interprofessional collaboration. The IP Scholars Program paired me with an amazing mentor, Thanh Nguyen, who showed me the importance of interprofessional collaboration in community and primary care to acute and rehabilitative care. Embarking in the IP Scholars Program set my foundation for interprofessional collaboration and gave me many opportunities that have helped me become a better healthcare advocate, leader, student, and future nurse.
School of Nursing Class of 2024
Interprofessional collaboration felt second-nature to me in my career before attending nursing school. Therefore, it was a pleasant surprise to learn that TEAM UP and interprofessional education (IPE) were incorporated into our formal curriculum at LSUHSC. I knew that I wanted to have IPE remain at the forefront of my academic career and jumped at the opportunity to become an Interprofessional (IP) Scholar. While navigating the fast-paced CARE program in the School of Nursing, Dr. Allison Augustus-Wallace, my incredible mentor, and I developed creative ways to interweave IPE into my journey. The flexibility of this program allowed the pillars that I chose to pursue – education, research, outreach – to become core to the opportunities that I sought while participating in classroom discussions and clinical rotations. Through these pillars, I had the privilege of presenting with fellow Scholars and mentors about the IP Scholars program at the 2023 Nexus Summit, pursuing basic science research in the Department of Physiology, and observing IP rounds with the Heart of Hospice. While reflecting on the fond memories formed from each experience, it became clear that a Venn Diagram forms through IP collaboration. Each profession has its unique set of standards, values, and skills, where the overlap of each specialty working together produces high quality, patient-centered care. I thank the IP Scholars Program for enhancing my time in nursing school and inspiring me to encourage future colleagues to find similar overlaps in learning for our patients.
2023
School of Medicine Class of 2024
I’ve always found my favorite and most fulfilling work in team settings, so I was intrigued by the concept of interprofessional collaboration in healthcare. After learning more about the effects of collaboration on patient and team outcomes through my TEAM UPTM experience, I wanted to expand my own knowledge in a way that would benefit myself, my future team, and, most importantly, my future patients. I also realized how limited the exposure to other programs was prior to starting third year clerkships, so I decided to pursue the IP Scholar program. In this experience, I found a passion for both interprofessional collaboration and education. The lessons I learned in shared leadership, patient advocacy, health equity, and collaborative communication were then solidified in clerkship rotations and clinical experiences. My experience in the IP Scholar program truly set the tone for how I plan to practice and advocate for interprofessional collaboration as I pursue a greater role in patient care in the field of psychiatry!
School of Medicine Class of 2025
Prior to starting medical school, I had been involved with research and entrepreneurial efforts that required thoughtful teamwork, so I was excited that interprofessional (IPE) collaboration was a focal point of our curriculum. Early on, TEAM UPTM exercises got me thinking about how effective interprofessional communication and patient management plans ultimately lead to improved healthcare outcomes. During the winter and spring of my first year, I got involved with the effort to develop our IP Scholars Program and was part of our institution’s first student team endorsed for the CLARION national case competition. From there, I kept pursuing opportunities that would help me build more skills, challenge me intellectually and emotionally, and provide me with new perspectives. Some mentors saw my natural curiosity and motivation to get involved and encouraged me to fully participate in the IP Scholars Program. I am so glad I did because the faculty and students that I have worked with on various IPSA research, service, and journal editorial projects over the years have become friends who have helped me grow both personally and professionally. The skills I have gained were especially useful while working on IPE teams during 3rd year clerkships, in which I saw firsthand how an IPE framework leads to better communication, patient advocacy, and health equity. My experience in the IP Scholars Program will undoubtedly continue to shape my journey in healthcare.
School of Medicine Class of 2025
I started my interprofessional journey during my first year Team Up course, and through this program, I was able to learn valuable skills to bring into my future practice. The pillars of education, scholarship/research, leadership, and practice outreach were all things I wanted to learn more about and excel in during my medical journey. Wanting to hone these skills, I was attracted to the Interprofessional Scholars program, and I am so grateful for this opportunity. Through this program, I was able to fulfill meaningful projects and take part in experiences I believe will make me a better doctor and person. I met many valuable, understanding mentors through this group, and I felt better prepared to navigate my clinical experiences after participating in this program. The Interprofessional Scholars program has been a highlight of my medical school career, and I cannot wait to bring these values into my future medical practice.
School of Medicine Class of 2025
In medical school, I was introduced to the value of interprofessional collaboration (IPC) through TEAM UP, gaining insight into multidisciplinary healthcare delivery. My early education involved hands-on community projects and evolved into practical experiences in hospital settings, particularly during my surgery rotation. Here, the importance of teamwork in enhancing patient care was vividly demonstrated. Any lapse in teamwork underscored the risks to patient safety and the need for consistent collaboration. Pursuing the Interprofessional Scholars Program, under Dr. Gunaldo's guidance, furthered my commitment to IPC. I co-directed a pre-health IPC program, strengthening leadership skills and understanding of healthcare team dynamics. Mentorship by Dr. Shelley Cohen Konrad at the University of New England reinforced my drive to integrate IPC with patient care.
School of Dentistry Class of 2024
Interprofessional collaboration that leads to effective healthcare teams and the seamless integration of medical and dental services has always held significant value for me. During my dental education, I actively pursued opportunities focused on enhancing teamwork through both educational and field experiences. Participating in the IP Scholars Program allowed me to tailor a comprehensive learning plan aimed at advocating for the inclusion of dentistry within interprofessional leadership teams. Balancing the demands of my dental school curriculum, clinical responsibilities, and diverse interprofessional traineeships provided me with a newfound perspective on collaborative practice and the associated challenges. This experience has equipped me to address obstacles in interprofessional settings effectively. Looking ahead, I am eager to apply the insights gained as an IP Scholar to enhance patient-centered care. My aspiration is for this knowledge to translate to improved outcomes and an elevated standard of care for my future patients.2022
School of Medicine Class of 2023
My involvement began when I got involved with the Student Team Up™ committee during my first and second years of medical school. This was an amazing opportunity to impact the curriculum about future healthcare providers interacting with each other to provide the best patient care possible. Being involved in those committees and other projects through IPECP furthered my interest and passion to foster strong connections within the hospital setting. This program was a way to channel that enthusiasm while getting to see the intricacies of higher education. It was amazing to see the theory we talked about in the classroom come to life in the clinical setting. Seeing the rounds that included different professions of healthcare put into perspective the individual goals different providers had for the patient. The lenses these providers viewed patient care allowed them to highlight problems and solutions that I would have never thought about. It really is all about teamwork to give the patient the best care possible.
School of Medicine Class of 2023
I served as an Interprofessional Student Alliance board member and a New Orleans Women and Children's Shelter Coordinator and had reached out to Dr. Gunaldo about assisting with Team Up™ presentation grading. Dr. Gunaldo suggested that I pursue the designation. This experience allowed me to pursue with intention interprofessional growth and emphasized the importance of interprofessional education. I have received such great support throughout the entire process which I feel has allowed me to flourish. This experience has not only made my medical school experience more well-rounded but will also have a strong, positive impact on my future career as a psychiatrist.2021
School of Medicine
Class of 2022
I began my time in the IP Scholars program serving on the Team Up™ Committee, where I revised and improved the interprofessional curriculum. I plan to carry my love for education and collaborative practice into my future career as an academic surgeon. I also used the experience to reflect on best team practices and roles of other healthcare providers. The healthcare team's goal is to help the patient. But helping the patient means something different to me, as a surgeon, than it does to the occupational therapist or to the dentist or to other members of the patient care team. Being mindful of how we frame our individual goals, present pertinent information, and communicate with the other members of the team will help the patient care team deliver the best care possible.