杏吧视频

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Healthy Partnerships


Headshot of Lan Crofton Lan Crofton

The potential to learn alongside peers and in partnership with the community inspired Lan Crofton to choose 杏吧视频 for a master鈥檚 degree in physician assistant studies.

And the university鈥檚 Collaborative Practice I Program provided just that opportunity. Each year, more than 500 students in medicine, nursing, dental medicine, social work, genetic counseling, psychology, speech-language pathology as well as those becoming physician assistants, work in interprofessional teams to complete projects designed by community partners.

鈥淲hen I think about where I want to be down the line, working with patients and their families, I want to understand where they鈥檙e coming from,鈥� said Crofton, who is scheduled to graduate this coming August.

Community expertise and experiences have become a growing part of the university鈥檚 curriculum for students pursuing advanced degrees in healthcare-related fields.

Illustration of helping hands surrounding an adult and child. Illustration: Brian Stauffer

鈥淟earning how to engage with people and be supportive of people who are different from ourselves is exactly what we need to do when we are healthcare professionals,鈥� said Tyler Reimschisel, MD, founding associate provost in the Office of Interprofessional and Interdisciplinary Education and Research.

Last year, Crofton鈥檚 collaborative practice team created resources for future first-generation college students interested in pursuing healthcare careers. They partnered with Esperanza Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to improving academic achievement among local Hispanic students.

The team organized a diverse panel of healthcare professionals to introduce students to possible paths and help them practice networking skills.

"It鈥檚 really a partnership. It鈥檚 about establishing relationships鈥攊t鈥檚 about learning from the community."

—Tyler Reimschisel, MD, founding associate provost in the Office of Interprofessional and Interdisciplinary Education and Research

In addition, the group built a website with descriptions of different health fields and information about how to gain research experience and even request letters of recommendation.

鈥淚t truly exceeded my expectations,鈥� said Germaine Pe帽a, Esperanza鈥檚 manager of post-secondary initiatives.

Pe帽a also praised the university鈥檚 focus on long-term community-student collaborations.

鈥淲e want the students to find purpose in serving the community since they will serve beyond Cleveland,鈥� she said. 鈥淯ltimately, it鈥檚 a matter of making this world a better place together.鈥�

— Liz Leyden