Barriers and opportunities — both exist for the patient who needs help managing diabetes.
He just moved to Omaha from Arizona and speaks little English.
 |
Students from all colleges participated in the recent Interprofessional Education Day. |
“With health care reform efforts, it is critical for students to focus not only on their chosen discipline but also learn the value of working with other professions to provide optimal patient care,” said Ayman El-Mohandes, M.B.B.Ch., M.D., M.P.H., dean of UNMC’s College of Public Health.
This year’s event, sponsored by the College of Public Health, included hundreds of students and faculty from all UNMC colleges.
Below, some participating faculty members reflect on the event.
“When asked the question, ‘how often have you observed or experienced disparity in health care?” Eighty percent of the students in my group felt they had seen it at least occasionally with most stating they had observed it ‘often.’ When asked to elaborate, most students cited specific examples from hometowns and/or clinics in which patients were either turned away or received inadequate care based on obstacles such as race or ethnicity.” – Charles Krobot, Pharm.D., associate dean for student affairs in the College of Pharmacy.
“Students from many of the colleges eagerly shared experiences related to diversity experiences. The spontaneous discussions created an electric atmosphere.” — Gerald Moore, M.D., senior associate dean in the College of Medicine.
“The students in my group commented on the enhanced understanding of team work in health care when working interprofessionally. They noted the IPE Days at UNMC stress the importance of working with other health care disciplines for the ultimate goal of patient well being.” — Linsey Donner, microbiology coordinator of the clinical laboratory science program in the School of Allied Health Professions.