Pillar presentations
Short talks, big ideas
By Erin Jester and Jill Pease
What can physical and occupational therapists, epidemiologists, psychologists, biostatisticians, communication scientists and health administrators teach each other in 10 minutes or less? Primarily, what they have in common.
At last spring’s PHHP Days — a two-day event celebrating student and faculty achievements — the college’s Office of Research debuted Pillar Talks, brief TED Talk-style presentations spanning the college’s mission areas of education, research, service and clinical care.
Audience members in the packed HPNP Complex auditorium heard from eight faculty members across the college who reflected on major themes in their work.
“We learned how UF PHHP is systematically making an impact on public health and health care,” said Benjamin Churba, a Ph.D. candidate in health services research.
Presenters’ talks also demonstrated the many ways in which the college’s missions are interwoven. For example, the college’s equal access clinics originated out of a desire to expand opportunities in education while also serving the community and providing hands-on clinical experiences. In the classroom, instructors apply research principles to evaluate learning outcomes and gain a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t so they can continuously improve their courses.
“From data and decision making to global health and rehabilitation, our faculty’s passion for their work transcends the stage and has inspired me to look further into all the opportunities the college offers for students,” said Hannah McCartney, a student in the Bachelor of Public Health program. “I thought it was especially exciting to learn how faculty members’ work can be translated into real-world contexts and how they are strongly motivated to make a positive impact on our community and scientific research.”
Charles Ellis, Jr., Ph.D., professor and chair, Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences
“Variable Pathways to Health-Related and Rehab Outcomes”
Health outcomes aren’t just a matter of access, Ellis said, but a product of individuals’ and communities’ beliefs and attitudes toward the health care system. Without accounting for that, patient outcomes can vary wildly, so clinicians must consider populations holistically, and within the context of a constantly changing society. This provides an opportunity — big questions in health care can only be answered through integration, he said.
Mark Bishop, Ph.D., professor and program director, Physical Therapy
“PT Equal Access Clinic: An Origin Story”
A group of imaginative and capable students is responsible for overcoming several barriers to establish the student-run PT Equal Access Clinic, which has been providing free care to area residents who are uninsured or underinsured for 15 years, Bishop said. And the need continues to grow.
Catalina Lopez-Quintero, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor, Epidemiology
“Informing Drug Use Prevention Through Population Neuroscience”
A lifetime of environment and social exposures may increase our risk of developing mental health and cognitive disorders, but our brains are resilient and have the capacity to adapt to different circumstances and environmental threats so that risk factors are mitigated, Lopez-Quintero said.
Ashby Walker, Ph.D., associate professor, Health Services Research, Management and Policy
“Community Impact of Public Health Research in Diabetes: Using Project ECHO to Improve Health Outcomes”
Project ECHO Diabetes, a UF and Stanford-led tele-education program for health care providers who treat people with diabetes, resulted in significant improvements in patient outcomes, including better blood sugar levels and increased medical device usage. The project underscored the importance of public health expertise, Walker said.
Steven Foti, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor, Biostatistics
“The Bridge Between Data and Decisions”
Statistics grant individuals the ability to make informed decisions. In public health, this can look like health care professionals deciding how to allocate resources or patients choosing treatment options. Biostatistics, Foti said, empowers systems. Biostatisticians must collaborate with clinicians and researchers to design effective trials, and continually work to create innovative tools for emerging challenges.
Anna Galloway, O.T.D., OTR/L, clinical assistant professor, Occupational Therapy
“The Ripple Effect of Clinical Experiences on the Classroom”
In the classroom, Galloway noticed the student board members of the Occupational Therapy Equal Access Clinic had gained the ability to prompt a deeper level of clinical understanding in their peers. A departmental study confirmed the student board members had more confidence in making clinical decisions and deeper understanding of the occupational therapy process, becoming models for their non-board member peers and an extension of clinical faculty.
Sarah McKune, Ph.D., associate professor and interim chair, Environmental and Global Health
“Why Global Health Research Matters: Science and Social Justice”
There is no separation between public health and global health, McKune said. International and scientific borders are porous, so advancements anywhere in the world contribute to forward progress everywhere. Researchers can innovate by asking the same questions about health in different places, in populations of people with different genetic bases, health care access, environments, religions and social structures.
Michael Marsiske, Ph.D., professor and interim co-chair, Clinical and Health Psychology
“How My Research and Teaching Enriched Each Other: The PHHP Teaching Collaborative”
Teaching thrives when it is not an individual endeavor, but when it is valued by the whole organization, said Marsiske, who described working with colleagues on the college’s Blended Learning Task Force, which nurtured a collaborative teaching culture and set a standard for interactive instruction that takes advantage of new technology. To find out if the changes he implemented in his courses were working, he put on his researcher hat.