The clinic also serves as a mobile classroom, preparing UCF healthcare students in programs including medicine, nursing, physical therapy and speech-language pathology with hands-on experience delivering community-based care.

The clinic is the first interdisciplinary clinical care program offered by UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Academic Health Sciences Center (AHSC). The center unites UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 colleges of Health Professions and Sciences, Medicine and Nursing to create more interprofessional health education, research and patient care efforts.

麻豆精品 S淭his new mobile health clinic is expanding access to healthcare in our community, 麻豆精品 S� says Deborah German, who as vice president for health affairs leads the AHSC and serves as College of Medicine dean. 麻豆精品 S淥ur goal is simple and powerful 麻豆精品 S� when healthcare providers work together, the patient receives better care. 麻豆精品 S�

The clinic is focused on low income, uninsured and underinsured populations in Orange and Osceola counties, helping patients who face transportation, mobility or financial barriers that restrict their access to healthcare.

Services include screenings for blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol and hearing, along with chronic disease monitoring, fall-risk assessments, medication reviews, audiology services and health education.

With two private exam rooms, diagnostic equipment, and point-of-care testing capabilities, the clinic is aiming to reduce preventable conditions and improve long-term health for the Central Florida region.

麻豆精品 S淭he UCF Health Mobile Health Clinic is designed to complement the incredible work being done by community health centers, federally qualified health centers and charitable clinics across Central Florida, 麻豆精品 S� says Caridad Hernandez, chair of medical education at the College of Medicine, who has worked for years to make the mobile clinic a reality. 麻豆精品 S淥ur goal is to fill gaps and meet people where they are, working hand in hand with these organizations to amplify resources and create a seamless continuum of care. 麻豆精品 S�

Training Future Health Leaders

UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Academic Health Sciences Center is made up of healthcare providers, faculty, researchers, staff and students committed to improving healthcare. It is focused on educating the next generation of healthcare leaders and finding better ways to treat disease through innovation, discovery and collaboration.

The mobile clinic serves as a classroom on wheels that provides future UCF physicians, nurses, audiologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists and others with the opportunity to learn in real-world settings, side by side, as part of interprofessional teams.

麻豆精品 S淭hese experiences prepare graduates who are not only clinically skilled but know how to work and communicate better in healthcare teams. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Caridad Hernandez, chair of medical education at the College of Medicine

麻豆精品 S淭hey will see firsthand how life and social circumstances impact health and care, and how collaboration strengthens outcomes, 麻豆精品 S� Hernandez says. 麻豆精品 S淭hese experiences prepare graduates who are not only clinically skilled but know how to work and communicate better in healthcare teams. That training stays with them when they go into clinics and hospitals to care for us all. 麻豆精品 S�

Mimi Alliance 麻豆精品 S�22 is a family nurse practitioner doctoral student at UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Nursing who is providing care on the mobile health unit and conducting doctoral research on hearing screenings for seniors.

麻豆精品 S淯CF 麻豆精品 S檚 mobile health clinic is an incredible and innovative tool that will allow us, as a group of providers, the ability to care for patients by serving them where they are, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淯ltimately, this is going to improve the health of our communities. 麻豆精品 S�

Addressing a Community Need

The mobile clinic serves Florida residents who are uninsured or underinsured with income levels at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level. Nearly 15% of both Orange and Osceola County residents are not insured, regardless of income level. In addition, 27% of Floridians say they do not have a personal physician.

Since March, almost 500 patients have visited the clinic for blood pressure checks, hearing screenings and point-of-care testing for blood sugar levels and cholesterol. It has provided care at Four Roots Farm, Kinneret Council on Aging, Grace Medical Home, the Central Florida Fairgrounds and four Central Florida YMCA locations. UCF has also reached an agreement with Osceola County to provide care at community centers in the future.

Thanks to a grant from the Florida Department of Health, the clinic is working to improve care for the community 麻豆精品 S檚 diabetic patients with limited access to care.

Diabetes is a worldwide epidemic. In Florida, at least 2.17 million adults have been diagnosed with diabetes and an estimated 550,000 more are unaware they have it. The state 麻豆精品 S檚 diabetes rate is higher than the national average and it is getting worse 麻豆精品 S� an additional 6 million adults in Florida have prediabetes.

麻豆精品 S淢any of our neighbors with diabetes have no access to healthcare. That leads to premature death, blindness, loss of limbs and kidney failure, 麻豆精品 S� Hernandez says. 麻豆精品 S淭hrough the FDOH grant, we can help provide these patients with needed care. We screen patients for diabetes, can provide prescriptions at no cost, and offer education on diet changes that will help them manage their disease. 麻豆精品 S�

As one recent patient at Kinneret Council on Aging explains, 麻豆精品 S淯CF helped me know what kind of food and protein I can eat to help my blood sugar not get too high or too low. Thank you so much. You are helping. 麻豆精品 S�

The clinic also started a diabetic foot program after one of the Kinneret patients said she and other diabetics lacked mobility and eyesight to regularly check their feet for ulcers or blisters. Diabetes increases a patient 麻豆精品 S檚 risk for foot ulcers that can lead to amputation. Thanks to the foot program, UCF College of Nursing faculty and students are providing hands-on education and preventive screenings to patients, who also received their own telescoping mirrors to do regular foot checks at home.

Providing Needed Audiology Care

One of the clinic 麻豆精品 S檚 major health services is hearing health and the prevention of hearing loss.

麻豆精品 S淭his is not just a 麻豆精品 S榥ice to have 麻豆精品 S� screening, 麻豆精品 S� says Bari Hoffman 麻豆精品 S�96 麻豆精品 S�98MA, associate dean for clinical affairs at UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Health Professions and Sciences and a certified speech pathologist who has helped lead the mobile clinic effort. 麻豆精品 S淗earing loss is linked to diabetes, cardiovascular and cardiometabolic conditions, balance, cognition and overall health. When we catch hearing loss early, we can intervene before it affects someone 麻豆精品 S檚 safety, memory, their social connections, or their long-term health trajectory. 麻豆精品 S�

Thanks to a gift from the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation, UCF purchased diagnostic hearing equipment to provide clinical-grade hearing assessments in the community. And though a collaboration with Central Florida Hearing Aid Recycling Programs, the mobile clinic can help connect patients with reprogrammed, refurbished hearing aids at no cost.

麻豆精品 S淭his is such a meaningful addition, 麻豆精品 S� Hoffman says. 麻豆精品 S淚dentifying hearing loss is important, but ensuring people have access to hearing aids is what truly changes lives. 麻豆精品 S�

The mobile unit is also supported by the Community Fund of our teaching hospital 麻豆精品 S� UCF Lake Nona Hospital and our partners HCA Florida Healthcare and The Jules B. Chapman MD and Annie Lou Chapman Private Foundation.

Stephanie Garris is CEO of Orlando 麻豆精品 S檚 Grace Medical Home, which provides high-quality, continuous care to some of Orange County 麻豆精品 S檚 more than 160,000 uninsured residents. Grace patients have received audiology care from the UCF mobile clinic.

麻豆精品 S淭his mobile clinic is an incredible resource for our patients, offering essential services they otherwise wouldn 麻豆精品 S檛 have access to. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S擲tephanie Garris, CEO of Orlando 麻豆精品 S檚 Grace Medical Home

麻豆精品 S淭his mobile clinic is an incredible resource for our patients, offering essential services they otherwise wouldn 麻豆精品 S檛 have access to, 麻豆精品 S� Garris says. 麻豆精品 S淭hrough our partnership with UCF, we are expanding access to care 麻豆精品 S攅specially for the working poor, whose jobs often don 麻豆精品 S檛 include healthcare benefits. 麻豆精品 S�

Expanding Efforts

Mobile clinic leaders are eager to expand services and work with additional community organizations.

Plans also include expanding the mobile clinic into an innovation hub to pilot and evaluate emerging aging-in-place and digital health technologies and integrate new diagnostic and disease prevention tools.

UCF research faculty also want to use the vehicle 麻豆精品 S檚 services to study better ways to advance health accessibility and chronic disease management. Educators from the AHSC 麻豆精品 S檚 three colleges also plan to grow interdisciplinary student training across areas including audiology, nursing, medicine, physical therapy and speech language pathology.

Community organizations wishing to partner with the mobile health clinic can contact anna.cisneros@ucf.edu.

A Toolkit Grounded in Evidence

RenewU provides 10 evidence-based interventions to prevent burnout and promote resilience in stressful and challenging environments. The program was created by faculty across UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Colleges of Health Professions and Sciences, Medicine and Nursing, with support from a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which aims to decrease high burnout rates among healthcare professionals.

麻豆精品 S淏urnout has emerged as a growing epidemic among healthcare providers, 麻豆精品 S� says Magdelena Pasarica, College of Medicine assistant dean for medical education, who helped create the program. 麻豆精品 S淭hey need to manage聽the inherent stress of the profession through healthy behaviors.聽 We wanted to create a virtual, free resource that will work for everyone 麻豆精品 S� whether you 麻豆精品 S檙e in a huge academic medical center or a clinic in rural Arkansas. 麻豆精品 S�

“Promoting health and wellness among healthcare professionals allows us to better care for our patients. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Laurie Neely, UCF associate professor of physical therapy

While the Internet is full of suggestions for improving mental and physical well-being, UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 team found that most of those recommendations were not evidence-based. Existing programs had also not been studied for effectiveness and were not designed to support interdisciplinary healthcare teams.

麻豆精品 S淧romoting health and wellness among healthcare professionals allows us to better care for our patients, 麻豆精品 S� says Laurie Neely, UCF associate professor of physical therapy, who helped create RenewU. 麻豆精品 S淚t is also important that healthcare systems address the problem and promote a workplace that fosters health and wellness among their employees. 麻豆精品 S�

Creating Interventions for Realities of Healthcare

In creating the system, the UCF team incorporated proven practices recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task Force, a scientifically independent group of national experts on disease prevention and evidence-based medicine. The toolkit includes information and guides for individuals, teams and health systems, so hospital leaders can create resiliency support for their entire workforce. Resources are provided in medical and lay terms for clinical and non-clinical workers, and include active, self-directed learning, practice activities, group interaction and reflection opportunities. Licensed healthcare providers can even receive continuing education credits through RenewU training.

Supporting Mental and Physical Well-Being

The toolkit is divided into mental and physical wellness sections. Mental health and well-being topics cover stress management, mindfulness, psychological detachment, setting boundaries, behavioral modification and handling stress in challenging situations. Videos from mental health experts guide participants in detaching from work and responding more effectively when experiencing self-doubt or becoming overwhelmed.

麻豆精品 S淲e selected these evidence-based interventions with intention, keeping in mind the fast-paced and often unpredictable nature of healthcare environments, 麻豆精品 S� says Asli Yalim, associate professor in UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 School of Social Work and another RenewU creator. 麻豆精品 S淭he practices in this toolkit go beyond generic five- or ten-minute mental health tips. They offer practical, meaningful strategies tailored specifically for healthcare providers to support healthier decision-making in both work and life. 麻豆精品 S�

The physical health section covers topics such as active rest, like exercising at your desk or taking a walk during breaks, along with healthy eating recipes and how-to videos from a licensed yoga instructor. Participants can watch a video on preparing baked salmon and vegetables, a meal high in Omega-3 fatty acids that support mental health, and learn which foods have the highest amounts of Omega-3s.

Feedback from UCF Students, Residents and Community Clinicians

UCF faculty piloted the program with 761 AHSC learners, including physicians training in College of Medicine-HCA Healthcare residencies. Emergency medicine residents at HCA Florida Osceola Hospital participated in the program 麻豆精品 S檚 yoga curriculum at a local park alongside their attending physician, Tracy MacIntosh of the College of Medicine, to test the program 麻豆精品 S檚 effectiveness in helping teams address burnout. The creators also shared the program with 351 healthcare workers from seven Central Florida clinical organizations. Staff at Orlando 麻豆精品 S檚 Grace Medical Home participated in active rest exercises during lunch and were amazed that all the physical and mental health resources are free.

In developing the program, UCF faculty evaluated the educational rigor of their content using the Kirkpatrick Model, an internationally recognized system for measuring the success of learning and training programs.

RenewU is one reason UCF received the National Award for Institutional Excellence and Innovation in Interprofessional Education from the Association of Schools Advancing Health, and it 麻豆精品 S檚 now integrated into the required curriculum for interprofessional education at the AHSC. As part of this year 麻豆精品 S檚 interprofessional education initiative, students from UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Medicine and the University of Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Pharmacy completed a five-week virtual course on stress management in healthcare. The Yellowdig聽platform played a key role in fostering learning communities across four campuses, enabling peer interaction, reflective dialogue and shared exploration of evidence-based strategies for well-being.

Findings from the resilience toolkit program have been presented at 17 national and four international scientific conferences and published in six peer-reviewed journals. Even with minimal marketing, the toolkit has been used by 2,500 people, including international healthcare workers in Canada, Ireland, Sweden and Germany.

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 麻豆精品 S� 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.

麻豆精品 S淲hen healthcare professionals work together as a team, the patient always gets better care, 麻豆精品 S� says Deborah German, UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 vice president for health affairs and dean of the College of Medicine. 麻豆精品 S淥ur faculty are committed to creating that kind of experience for all of our students. 麻豆精品 S�

The AHSC comprises the College of Medicine, College of Health Professions and Sciences, College of Nursing and Student Health Services. UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 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.

More than 1,100 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 through the Comprehensive Medical Care Outreach Team, providing essential healthcare services while learning in a live clinical environment.

麻豆精品 S淭he 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, 麻豆精品 S� says Mary Lou Sole, dean of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Nursing. 麻豆精品 S淭hrough interprofessional collaborative practice, UCF is unleashing potential of students and faculty to improve patient care and solve our world 麻豆精品 S檚 greatest healthcare challenges. 麻豆精品 S�

The Keeping Neighbors In Good Health Through Service (KNIGHTS) Clinic provides vital medical services to approximately 150 uninsured patients annually, bringing together medical 聽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.聽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 麻豆精品 S檚 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 麻豆精品 S檚 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.

麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檙e incredibly excited to be honored by ASAHP for our innovation in interprofessional education and collaborative healthcare, 麻豆精品 S� College of Health Professions and Sciences Interim Dean Matthew Theriot says. 麻豆精品 S淭his 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 麻豆精品 S檙e grateful for ASAHP 麻豆精品 S檚 continued leadership in advancing a collaborative approach to healthcare, and we 麻豆精品 S檙e 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. 麻豆精品 S�

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 麻豆精品 S檚 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, 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 D铆az

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

University leaders say they hope the branding will help the community and patients understand the breadth of medical services they can get from UCF physicians, nurses, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists and other providers.

麻豆精品 S淯CF is taking care of our community 麻豆精品 S檚 health in so many extraordinary ways, 麻豆精品 S� says. Deborah German, vice president for health affairs and dean of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Medicine. 麻豆精品 S淏y bringing these services under the UCF Health brand, we make it easier for our community to understand our services and seek academic patient care. 麻豆精品 S�

The rebranding comes as the latest step in the development of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Academic Health Sciences Center, which unites all of the university 麻豆精品 S檚 clinical programs 麻豆精品 S� the colleges of Health Professions and Sciences, Medicine and Nursing as well as Student Health Services. As part of that effort, UCF will open the new Dr. Phillops Nursing Pavilion in Lake Nona 麻豆精品 S檚 Medical City in 2025 麻豆精品 S� next door to the medical school. Eventually it plans to bring other clinical programs to Lake Nona to foster increased interprofessional education, research and patient care. As Dr. German explains, 麻豆精品 S淲henever healthcare professionals work as a team, patients always get better care. 麻豆精品 S�

The university has almost 140,000 square feet of clinical space, caring for patients in Central Florida as well as children and families who travel from across the country to access UCF services:

• offers a variety of primary and specialty care services to help keep students at their optimum health. The primary Health Center is located on the main campus with satellite clinics on the Rosen College, Health Sciences, and UCF Downtown campuses. Student Health Services also offers a pharmacy and dental care. 麻豆精品 S淪tudent Health Services is thrilled to collaborate with our UCF clinical partners to share not only an exciting new brand but also to maximize the patient benefit of all our combined services, 麻豆精品 S� says Michael Deichen, associate vice president of UCF Student Health Services, who also serves as the chief public health officer for the university as a whole.
• , formerly called UCF Health, has two locations; one in East Orlando just blocks from the main UCF campus and one in Medical City. Physicians provide academic, personalized care to the community in a variety of areas including cardiology, rheumatology, endocrinology, ophthalmology, dermatology, internal and family medicine, and geriatrics. All physicians are UCF College of Medicine faculty.

UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Health Professions and Sciences also provides wellness and rehabilitative patient care services to the community:

• delivers high-quality, patient颅centered care delivered by licensed physical therapists and faculty members with expertise in orthopedics, sports injuries, geriatrics, neurology, pediatrics and women 麻豆精品 S檚 health. The clinic serves patients through three facilities located in Research Park, on the UCF main campus and at UCF Athletics.
• provides cutting-edge diagnostic and treatment services to people of all ages with communication and hearing challenges. It treats patients across the lifespan 麻豆精品 S� from toddlers developing speech and language to adults who have lost speech or language due to disease or trauma. The Communications Disorders Clinic offers speech therapy, audiology, assistive technology and an intensive aphasia treatment program, among other services. 麻豆精品 S淭housands of patients and their families already choose UCF each year for our competent and compassionate providers, 麻豆精品 S� says Matthew Theriot, interim dean of the College of Health Professions and Sciences. 麻豆精品 S淯niting our expertise under the UCF Health name is another step toward making healthcare more accessible to our community and beyond. 麻豆精品 S�

In addition to these services, students and faculty from UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Academic Health Sciences Center provide free care to medically in need residents through service learning clinics. These include the KNIGHTS (Keeping Neighbors In Good Health Through Service) Clinic at Grace Medical Home, the Chapman Compassionate Care Clinic for people experiencing homelessness, and a clinic for Apopka farmworkers through a partnership with the Farmworker Association of Florida.

UCF has launched a new Academic Health Sciences Center , where you can find out how to get care at UCF, including appointment information.

The organization 麻豆精品 S檚 mission is to encourage and recognize women leaders and students to serve the Central Florida community.

In accepting the award on Oct. 12, German said she came to Orlando in 2006 to build a top-tier medical school that would anchor an emerging Medical City just minutes from one of the world 麻豆精品 S檚 most visited airports. The goal was to create what would become a global destination for medical research, patient care and education 麻豆精品 S渇or all of us, 麻豆精品 S� she says.

Under Deborah German’s leadership, the UCF College of Medicine has graduated more than 1,000 physicians.

麻豆精品 S淚 wanted to have a great adventure, a life project, so that when I was 90 years old like my parents 麻豆精品 S� who are now 96 and 93 麻豆精品 S� I could look back and say, 麻豆精品 S楪ood job, 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淚 have so much for which to be grateful. 麻豆精品 S�

Under her leadership, the UCF College of Medicine has graduated more than 1,000 physicians and welcomed its 15th M.D. class this fall. Thanks to community donations, UCF was the first medical school in U.S. history to offer full four-year scholarships to an entire class 麻豆精品 S� the charter class of 2013. Since that time, UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Medicine has created one of the fastest-growing graduate medical education programs in the state 麻豆精品 S� with 550 residents and fellows training in UCF-HCA Healthcare programs from Orlando to Pensacola.

The college is unique nationally because it includes the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, which provides undergraduate, masters and doctoral programs. Biomedical Sciences is UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 third most popular major. Burnett School faculty researchers focus their discoveries on the diseases that plague humanity 麻豆精品 S� such as cancer, cardiovascular, infectious and neurodegenerative diseases. UCF Health, the College of Medicine physician practice, has two locations 麻豆精品 S� in East Orlando and Lake Nona 麻豆精品 S� and provides primary and specialty care to patients across the community. The college has also begun a clinical trials program to advance translational medical research and recently partnered with NASA to conduct space medicine research that will impact the health of space travelers and those on earth.

UCF Lake Nona Hospital, a College of Medicine partnership with HCA Healthcare, opened in 2021 next door to the medical school and is training UCF medical and nursing students sooner than anticipated. UCF Lake Nona Cancer Center, a new model of cancer research and patient care, opened the same year. Those facilities have helped create UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 new Academic Health Sciences Center in Lake Nona. The center incudes UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Colleges of Health Professions and Sciences, Medicine and Nursing, along with Student Health Services.

Eventually the university hopes to locate many of its clinical training programs in Medical City for increased interdisciplinary medical education, research and patient care. A will break ground next to the medical school in Lake Nona in January 2024.

麻豆精品 S淒on 麻豆精品 S檛 be afraid to pursue your dream, 麻豆精品 S� German told community leaders and other attendees at the awards banquet. 麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 what you were born to do. Don 麻豆精品 S檛 be afraid to make mistakes. They are really lessons and … also guideposts pointing you in a better direction. 麻豆精品 S�

A 2021 study found that 34% of nonelderly Hispanic residents in the United States do not have a physician 麻豆精品 S� compared to 18% of African Americans and 16% of Caucasians. This lack of access to care, along with poverty, language challenges, food insecurity and other societal factors 麻豆精品 S� called the social determinants of health 麻豆精品 S� lead to higher rates of diseases including diabetes, heart disease, HIV/AIDS and cancer for Hispanics.

麻豆精品 S淲here you live 麻豆精品 S� your zip code 麻豆精品 S� is the most important determinant of your health, regardless of race or ethnicity, 麻豆精品 S� says Caridad Hernandez, professor in the College of Medicine. 麻豆精品 S淟et 麻豆精品 S檚 look at ways that we, as educators, researchers and clinicians, can make a difference. 麻豆精品 S�

One solution on the horizon is a new mobile healthcare clinic 麻豆精品 S� a collaboration of the UCF Academic Health Sciences Center (AHSC). 聽The 38-foot van is expected to launch in June 2024, with participation from faculty and students of the AHSC 麻豆精品 S檚 three colleges: Health Professions and Sciences, Medicine and Nursing. It will provide preventative and screening services, with the goal of improving chronic disease management and unnecessary ER visits. By providing care where patients are, Hernandez says the mobile clinic will allow providers to be more engaged in the community and learn first-hand the community 麻豆精品 S檚 needs. The mobile clinic will schedule visits in poverty hot-spots across Central Florida, including Apopka, East Orlando, Kissimmee, Parramore and St. Cloud.

In 2003, medical experts across the nation produced a book titled Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care. Twenty years later, while some progress has been made, Hernandez says that these disparities continue and have worsened due to COVID-19. The coronavirus pandemic showed once again that underserved and minority populations became seriously ill and died from COVID-19 more than their Caucasian counterparts.

According to the U.S. Census, 63.7 million Hispanics now live in the U.S., accounting for 19% of the population. Hispanics make up 27.1% of the population in Florida, 32% of the population in Orange County and 55% in Osceola County. Many of Osceola County 麻豆精品 S檚 Hispanics 麻豆精品 S� 41% 麻豆精品 S� are from Puerto Rico, relocating to the U.S. after Hurricane Maria in 2017. In addition to other social determinants of health, many of these families face displacement issues and trauma from the hurricane, Hernandez says.

As the College of Medicine and the healthcare industry look at addressing healthcare disparities for Hispanics, Hernandez and Deborah German, UCF’s vice president for health affairs and dean, have suggested examining ways to diversify people entering medicine. For example, as technology helps improve care and health monitoring, medical schools might consider admitting more engineers who can help create new, more accessible delivery systems. And increasing the numbers of bilingual medical students 麻豆精品 S� in languages such as Spanish and Portuguese 麻豆精品 S� will create more doctors who can communicate with Hispanic patients in their native language.

Hernandez shares her personal journey through medicine as an illustration.

She arrived in the United States as a Cuban refugee at the age of 3. Her parents were farmers in Cuba and had little advanced education. Her mother worked as a seamstress in America. Her family only spoke Spanish in their home and Hernandez was their interpreter for all of their medical appointments.

麻豆精品 S淚 didn 麻豆精品 S檛 end up here by accident, 麻豆精品 S� she says of her life 麻豆精品 S檚 work.

麻豆精品 S淵ou are my 1K graduates, 麻豆精品 S� Deborah German, vice president of health affairs and founding dean, told the Class of 2023. 麻豆精品 S淚 couldn 麻豆精品 S檛 be prouder of the work you have done. When I came here in 2006 to build this medical school, it was hard to even imagine graduating 100 UCF-trained physicians. And look where we are now. 麻豆精品 S�

In deciding how to recognize the milestone, medical school leaders didn 麻豆精品 S檛 want to analyze lists of graduates to pick one individual as the thousandth, German says, because with few exceptions, everyone in the class had gone through their medical education journey together.

麻豆精品 S淵ou received your white coats together 麻豆精品 Sou entered your clerkships together where you delivered your first baby, participated in your first surgery, counseled your first psychiatric patient, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淭ogether you cared for others during a worldwide pandemic 麻豆精品 Sur community is healthier today because of the work you did together.

麻豆精品 S淵our entire class 麻豆精品 S� each and every one of you 麻豆精品 S� are the thousandth graduate in my heart. 麻豆精品 S�

After the last of the 123 new Physician Knights received their diploma, German asked for a round of applause and then 麻豆精品 S� unbeknownst to the students 麻豆精品 S� black and gold streamers fell from the ceiling.

After that celebration, the ceremony included the military promotion of , the 39th UCF military officer to become a Physician Knight.

The new physicians will go onto residency training at top hospitals around the city, state and nation in specialties that include pediatrics, internal, family and emergency medicine, OB-GYN, surgery and anesthesiology. A record 12 graduates matched into psychiatry, saying they want to help address the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 mental health challenges.

Asked why they had chosen the and the graduates 麻豆精品 S� answers were remarkably similar: the people. They talked about the medical school 麻豆精品 S檚 collaborative, supportive, engaging 麻豆精品 S渧ibe, 麻豆精品 S� how faculty and staff were committed to helping students achieve their dreams. They talked about the unique opportunity to build a young medical school and a growing Medical City at Lake Nona.

Amy Morrison did her undergraduate work at Cornell and after graduating from UCF, she will enter a general surgery residency at Orlando Health.

麻豆精品 S淚 felt like I fit in from the first time I walked in the building, 麻豆精品 S� she says of UCF. 麻豆精品 S淚 met my best friend during my admissions interview. And I was inspired to be part of growing a Medical City. 麻豆精品 S�

Sarah Baker entered medical school at age 41, after having three children and working in public health in Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 Lee County. With her M.D., she is returning home to Southwest Florida to do her residency in internal medicine at NCH Healthcare System. As part of commencement, she gave her children certificates of appreciation for their love and support during her journey. 麻豆精品 S淭his diploma belongs to them and my husband as much as it does to me, 麻豆精品 S� she says. Baker says the medical school 麻豆精品 S檚 culture supported her as a student with more life experience than most. 麻豆精品 S淚 never felt nontraditional at UCF, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淓veryone in this class is my family. 麻豆精品 S�

Yanisa Del Toro is medical director of , the College of Medicine 麻豆精品 S檚 clinical practice, and as a UCF faculty member, she leads internal medicine clerkship training at the clinic and also is an advisor and mentor to students. She served as grand marshal for commencement and helped hood each of the doctoral candidates before they received their diplomas. As she did, many of the graduates stopped and hugged her. 麻豆精品 S淭hat 麻豆精品 S檚 because so many have passed through my hands, 麻豆精品 S� she says.

麻豆精品 S淭he Helene Fuld Health Trust Simulation, Technology, Innovation and Modeling (STIM) Center聽at UCF exemplifies our mission to support the education of nursing students, 麻豆精品 S� says Robert Campbell, vice president of Trust & Fiduciary Services at HSBC, who oversees the trust. 麻豆精品 S淪imulation is a critical component to nursing education and will continue to be in the future, and we 麻豆精品 S檙e proud to make this investment to strengthen nursing skills and improve the welfare of our communities. 麻豆精品 S�

罢丑别听聽will sit on the 50-acre property already home to the UCF College of Medicine and the UCF Lake Nona Medical Center.

The STIM Center will be a centerpiece in the new facility, occupying over 12,000 assignable square feet. The two main components of the STIM Center will be a Virtual Hospital and Clinical Skills Exam Suite. The Virtual Hospital will be heavily used by students across multiple clinical courses and programs and will include student queuing, prebriefing and debriefing spaces, flexible simulation rooms, and specialty virtual reality rooms. The Clinical Skills Exam Suite is made up of several individual rooms outfitted with exam tables, patient diagnostic tools and audio-visual recording systems.

The STIM Center at UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Nursing is accredited by the Society of Simulation in Health Care for its educational excellence. The STIM Center is also one of nine simulation programs worldwide 麻豆精品 S� and only one in Florida 麻豆精品 S� to earn the new Healthcare Simulation Standards Endorsement from the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning. The international endorsement recognizes the UCF STIM Center for the high quality of simulation experience, the expertise of our faculty and staff, and our commitment to give opportunities for all to earn success across all simulation.

This recognition is also for our commitment to innovation in the field, as it regularly incorporates new technologies, such as augmented, virtual and mixed reality, into simulation learning experiences.聽 The new facility will triple the existing research and clinical lab space and will enable the College of Nursing to leverage its internationally recognized expertise in healthcare simulation and achieve its vision of serving the global community as a leader in innovative nursing education.

麻豆精品 S淲e are extremely grateful to the Helene Fuld Health Trust for their continued support, 麻豆精品 S� says UCF College of Nursing Dean Mary Lou Sole. 麻豆精品 S淲ith this generous new gift, UCF will build upon our strong leadership in simulation education, innovation and research and continue to grow a Knight nurse workforce to provide skilled, compassionate care in Central Florida and beyond. 麻豆精品 S�

About the Helene Fuld Health Trust

The Helene Fuld Health Trust is the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 largest charitable trust devoted exclusively to nursing education, and has been a supporter of the College of Nursing for nearly two decades. Over this time, Fuld Trust has donated $1.2 million to support an endowment for second-degree nursing students 麻豆精品 S� these are students who change careers and return to school to join the frontline as nurses. To date, this endowment has supported over 50 UCF students with scholarships. UCF is grateful to the Helene Fuld Health Trust for their support of future Knight nurses.

Helene Fuld Health Trust joins , , Parrish Medical Center, the and the VNA Foundation in supporting the new building.

About the New UCF College of Nursing Building

The new College of Nursing building is a much-needed investment for the region and the state, both of which are facing a critical healthcare worker shortage.

UCF currently graduates more newly licensed RNs annually than any other institution in the State University System, with approximately 260 Knight nurses entering the workforce each year. Almost all of them 麻豆精品 S� 85% of the 14,000 nursing alumni 麻豆精品 S� live and work in Florida.

Last year, the College of Nursing added 100 students beyond its usual enrollment to help keep pace with the state 麻豆精品 S檚 demand for new nurses. UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Nursing is working to increase capacity to educate more BSN-prepared graduates eligible for RN licensure annually and to growing our graduate nursing programs, with a focus on educating more faculty to teach in programs across our community. The new building is needed for the additional enrollment growth, and when complete, the 90,000-square-foot building will be large enough for the college to increase admits by at least 50% to make a much bigger impact in helping to alleviate the state 麻豆精品 S檚 nursing shortage.

UCF continues to seek philanthropic investments in the new building, as we near our goal of raising $70 million needed to break ground on the College of Nursing for the future. The new facility is slated to open at Lake Nona in 2025-26. The building will join the College of Medicine, UCF Lake Nona Hospital and UCF Lake Nona Cancer Center in an Academic Health Sciences Center that brings together students and faculty from many different disciplines.

麻豆精品 S淗ugh and Jeannette McKean made a deep impact in Central Florida, and their legacy will continue with this gift to build the College of Nursing for the future, 麻豆精品 S� says Mary Lou Sole, dean of the UCF College of Nursing. 麻豆精品 S淲e are thankful to the Genius Foundation for their continued support, which will provide more educational opportunities to future Knight nurses whose clinical excellence and compassion will positively impact many lives in our community. 麻豆精品 S�

Both the region and state are facing a critical nursing shortage. According to the Florida Hospital Association, an additional 2,300 registered nurses (RNs) are needed to enter the workforce each year to address Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 projected shortage of 37,400 RNs by 2035.

UCF is already the largest educator of newly licensed registered nurses in the State University System of Florida. With double the classroom space and three times the simulation and lab space, the new 90,000-square-foot nursing building will facilitate increased enrollment across degree programs to graduate an additional 150 new nurses annually 麻豆精品 S� as well as more nursing faculty who are needed to educate future generations.

Growing the number of UCF nursing graduates will have a direct impact throughout the state and especially in Central Florida. Of the more than 14,000 Knight nurse alumni, more than 85% live and work in Florida and nearly 60% remain in Central Florida, according to a recent alumni survey.

麻豆精品 S淏oth the Elizabeth Morse Genius Foundation and our UCF Knight nurse graduates have a shared commitment to improving lives in Central Florida and making it a better place to live for everyone, 麻豆精品 S� Sole says.

In addition, with an optimal location at UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Academic Health Sciences Campus, already home to the UCF College of Medicine and the UCF Lake Nona Medical Center, the new building will foster greater collaboration in research and innovation.

A longstanding supporter of UCF, the 麻豆精品 S� established by Jeannette Genius McKean in honor of her mother 麻豆精品 S� seeks to promote the welfare of humannkind through scientific discoveries, educational support and more. The foundation is a founding donor of the College of Medicine and has supported an endowed chair in the College of Nursing, nursing scholarships and interdisciplinary healthcare research.

麻豆精品 S淭he McKeans were dedicated to improving the quality of life in Central Florida, and increasing access to quality education and healthcare in our community are critical to supporting that, 麻豆精品 S� says Randy Rush, the foundation 麻豆精品 S檚 president, on behalf of the current trustees of the Genius Foundation.

The Genius Foundation joins Dr. Phillips Charities, which donated $10 million last fall, in supporting UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 $30 million fundraising campaign to support the creation of the new College of Nursing building, which is anticipated to open during the 2025-2026 academic year.

The Blended Learning Interactive Simulation Suite, or BLISS, uses 270-degree, floor-to-ceiling touchscreen walls that display curated video and audio, providing an immersive view of any event, location or experience 麻豆精品 S� either real or created. The technology was funded by a philanthropic gift from the Paul B. Hunter and Constance D. Hunter Charitable Foundation.

Acquired to better prepare students for the frontline roles they 麻豆精品 S檒l encounter as healthcare practitioners, the technology serves as a unique and hands-on learning tool.

麻豆精品 S淚t allows us to create environments that have a higher level of realism, 麻豆精品 S� says Bari Hoffman, associate dean of clinical affairs for the College of Health Professions and Sciences. 麻豆精品 S淲e want students to be used to the sights, sounds, stressors and energy associated with hospitals, clinics and other locations where they will be providing treatment. 麻豆精品 S�

BLISS is unique in that the user is fully immersed in the room with no headsets or tethers. Plans are in place to add smells and a floor that can vibrate and rumble, bringing another dimension to the experience.

The suite joins a host of other digital health technology tools already housed in the Rehabilitation Innovation Center, including a hologram machine, a maker space with a 3D printer used to adjust toys and household items for patients with rehabilitative needs, and a 麻豆精品 S淪mart Home 麻豆精品 S� room designed to train clinicians, patients and caregivers how to adapt a home for safety and better navigation.

BLISS can be used to demonstrate a medical procedure, recreate an emergency or incident, or display anatomical models in greater detail. Students can be transported virtually to any environment in the world, enabling them to respond to treatment scenarios or practice skills in a more realistic environment. Faculty can lecture, demonstrate techniques and then engage students in applying their knowledge through exercises and skills stations.

For example, students studying to become speech language pathologists can examine anatomical models using touchscreen technology to rotate, zoom in and view inside the jaw, neck and throat. Skills stations for pre-med students in health sciences can take place in a mock hospital room where they can learn to navigate and gain information through patient charts and medical equipment. And students studying athletic training can practice first aid skills in a crowded football stadium with the roar of the crowd and the presence of anxious teammates, coaches and fans looking on.

“We can give students access to locations and experiences that might not be possible in person due to cost or geography considerations. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Bari Hoffman, associate dean of clinical affairs for the College of Health Professions and Sciences

麻豆精品 S淲e can give students access to locations and experiences that might not be possible in person due to cost or geography considerations, 麻豆精品 S� says Hoffman. 麻豆精品 S淲e can provide the backdrop for any clinical or non-clinical setting. It can be a patient 麻豆精品 S檚 home, the inside of an ambulance or a medical clinic 麻豆精品 S� and it could also be a roadside traffic crash, a crowded airport terminal or an entertainment venue. The backdrop, combined with the use of our manikins and other high tech, hands-on equipment in the center, is what makes this truly unique. 麻豆精品 S�

Faculty are developing new scenes and scenarios for students, as well as tailoring existing healthcare lessons developed by hospitals and universities in the United Kingdom who are using the same system there.

Associate Professor Jennifer Tucker teaches a coursework on neurological physical therapy in which students study the evaluation and treatment of patients with movement problems due to disease or injury of the nervous system. This semester, her students will examine patient cases involving stroke, conduct a comprehensive assessment and develop short and long-term recovery treatment protocols. Their classroom will be in BLISS, giving them an up-close look at the course content.

麻豆精品 S淭he space just lends itself to a higher level of student engagement, 麻豆精品 S� says Tucker, who has already taken students in for any early look and a basic skills exercise. 麻豆精品 S淚t felt very real, very quickly for them and I could see how the environment required them to actively think on their feet and react and respond to what 麻豆精品 S檚 happening around them. 麻豆精品 S�

Research on the use of simulation in healthcare education聽supports that the more 麻豆精品 S渞eal 麻豆精品 S澛爐he simulation, the more engaged students become, and the聽better learning outcomes they have. Having hands on and immersive experiences helps close the gap between the classroom and the real-world experience that students will encounter as health care practitioners.

In addition to serving as a learning lab and classroom for students, BLISS will also be a therapy tool for patients served by the college 麻豆精品 S檚 community clinics, including the Communication Disorders Clinic. Clinicians there assist patients who have communication and hearing challenges and they 麻豆精品 S檒l incorporate the tech in therapy sessions.

For example, a patient struggling with stuttering could undergo therapy at a simulated movie theater ticket counter, or a patient being treated at the Aphasia House might practice interacting with the cashier immersed in a grocery store setting.

The space can be transformed into a dentist 麻豆精品 S檚 office, barber 麻豆精品 S檚 shop or noisy shopping center to help children with autism adjust and manage heightened sensory reactions. Children with mobility impairments in the Go Baby Go! program can test drive their specially retrofitted cars against the backdrop of a simulated racetrack.

The new space is also expected to be a site for the clinic 麻豆精品 S檚 summer programs for children with reading challenges. Youth in the camp will be able to see their storybooks come to life and interact with the words and the characters.

麻豆精品 S淭he possibilities are endless, 麻豆精品 S� says Hoffman who is working across UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Academic Health Sciences Center to help make the technology accessible for faculty and students across all health-related disciplines to practice team-based care. 麻豆精品 S淭he only limitation is your imagination. 麻豆精品 S�