UT Health San Antonio hosted its first New Student Interprofessional Orientation on August 30 which brought together over 80 students from its six schools (School of Medicine, School of Dentistry, School of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Public Health and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences) for an event including dinner, networking, and games.

“The Interprofessional Orientation will be the first time that students from the six schools get to sit and meet each other during their first few weeks of class, we would like them to be introduced to each other early on in their academic careers so that they can form lifelong bonds throughout their time at UT Health San Antonio,” said Charlotte Anthony, marketing specialist and co-organizer of the event.

Traditionally, each school host its own orientation which is first led by the Office of Student Life. This portion of the New Student Orientation includes guest speakers from the Bursar’s Office, Registrar’s Office, Student Health Center and Student Counseling Center. After the guest speakers, new students then break into program specific orientations.

The orientation is being supported by a grant from the Student Services Fee Committee and is being organized by Charlotte Anthony from the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, LeKeisha Johnson from the Office of Student Life, Dr. Lark Ford, interim Interprofessional Education director, and Dr. Rebecca Moote from the School of Pharmacy.

During the event, students watched this video from Dr. Ford where she explained that “the provision of healthcare is shifting, it is moving from a single practitioner providing patient care to a more collaborative team effort.”

“The UT Health San Antonio appreciates that larger shift in healthcare that is why this university embraces interprofessional education,” Dr. Ford said. “Many of our students have indicated that this university is a wonderful platform for interprofessional education.”

After the video, the students played a game of pictionary where they learned about various professions and also heard from Medicine: Dr. Temple Ratcliffe; Dentistry: Dr. Moshtagh Farohki; Physical Therapy: Dr. Alexis Ortiz; Nursing: Dr. Lark A. Ford; Pharmacist: Dr. Rebecca Moote and Biomedical Sciences: Dr. Keith Krolick.

Inter-professional Orientation – UT Health San Antonio from UT Health San Antonio on Vimeo.

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This article was written by Charlotte Anthony, marketing specialist at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at UT Health San Antonio.