Interprofessional Education and Community Engagement: Eleven Professions Collaborating To Address Diabetes in Our Community

Nova Southeastern University has developed an interprofessional education and practice initiative designed to prepare emerging health care professionals to participate on interprofessional teams while helping community members prevent and manage diabetes. Consistent with best practices, the Interprofessional Diabetes Education and Awareness (IDEA) Initiative partners with 17 corporate, municipal, non-profit, and academic communities designed to promote diabetes prevention and management through community workshops for children and adults most prone to diabetes. Currently in its fifth year, this collaborative interprofessional diabetes education project includes a variety of relevant topics such as disease overview, nutrition, pharmacy and exercise. 60-70 health professions students and 12 faculty from 10 academic programs provide diabetes education workshops in south Florida and has served nearly 2,500 community members.