Anthony Breitbach PhD, ATC, FASAHP, FNAP

Director, Interprofessional Education
Doisy College of Health Sciences, Saint Louis University
3437 Caroline Mall
St. Louis, MO 63104

Background and aspirations for ASAHP

The Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions is a community of academic and the healthcare industry leaders dedicated to the improvement of health for persons, communities and society. ASAHP models interprofessional collaboration through its structure and actions. ASAHP members lead collaboratively from where they are in academic units with multiple stakeholders and professional programs; a faculty member balancing the pursuit of excellence in teaching, service and scholarship; or an industry leader striving to provide high quality, accessible and efficient health care in a constantly evolving system. I have been fortunate to get opportunities for engagement in ASAHP since I moved to a faculty position in the Doisy College of Health Sciences at Saint Louis University in 2007 after working clinically for 22 years as an athletic trainer where I looked to provide high quality and collaborative person-centered care. When I was introduced to Interprofessional Education (IPE) I immediately saw its value for our students and their future work as health professionals. ASAHP has provided me with opportunities to be an IPE scholar and leader. I served as the National Athletic Trainers’ Association liaison to ASAHP and as the Chair of ASAHP’s Interprofessional Committee where I have served the association as it representative on the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC). In that role, we have looked to advance ASAHP’s profile in the interprofessional space in several ways. To highlight best practice across our members, we developed the ASAHP IP Award in 2018 and have recognized outstanding member institutions for their innovative work in IPE. To promote dialogue between academic programs and the healthcare industry, we developed the first ASAHP Summit in 2018 and the first ASAHP Regional Summit in 2019. These laid the foundation for the Regional Summits to move to up to 6 concurrent hubs/year with a total of nearly 2000 participants impacting our members and their industry partners. I proudly participated in the ASAHP Leadership Development Program, the lessons learned and collegial relationships we developed in the LDP have provided continued benefit through my lifetime. I was truly humbled when named as Fellow and Member of the Year of ASAHP in 2018, as well as the Darrell C. Mase Presidential Citation in and the J. Warren Perry Distinguished Author Award in 2021. However, my greatest excitement and optimism for ASAHP it in its ability to emerge as a leader in healthcare system improvement through education, scholarship and advocacy. In my other areas of engagement, through the National Academies of Practice, Interprofessional.Global, the American Interprofessional Collaborative, the Higher Learning Commission and the Journal of Interprofessional Care; I see ASAHP’s potential to emerge as a leader in collaborative health care. Our membership structure (with institutional and industry members), our well-regarded journal, our vibrant annual meeting and our commitment to leadership development, networking and advocacy uniquely positions ASAHP among the mix of associations in the area. If elected, I would work to help ASAHP grow and realize its potential by demonstrating value for members and advancing health for persons and society.

ASAHP Activities

Activity I: Chair, Interprofessional Committee

Activity II: IPEC Core Competencies Revision Working Group

Activity III: Developed ASAHP Regional Summits

Activity IV: Developed ASAHP Institutional Interprofessional Award

Activity V: Developed ASAHP Interprofessional Innovation Grants

Relevant Experience

Experience I: President, Alpha Eta Society

Experience II: President, National Academies of Practice

Experience III: Deputy Chair of Board, Interprofessional.Global

Experience IV: Associate Editor, Journal of Interprofessional Care

Experience V: Associate Editor, Frontiers in Medicine