Today, the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) announced that its Interprofessional Collaboration Research Grants, in the total amount of $53,000, have been awarded to two recipients: Dr. Leslie A. Rippon of Seton Hall University for her work in better preparing future healthcare professionals to address the social factors that shape health outcomes and Dr. Andy N. Garman, of Rush University, for his work in equipping future health professionals to address environmental health challenges and promote sustainable healthcare practices.
The grant program, led by ASAHP's Research, Discovery, and Innovation Committee, is designed to provide awards up to $30,000 in support of innovative research projects with the highest potential to produce new knowledge and paradigms towards success in interprofessional collaboration.
“These research projects address timely and important issues facing health professions education,” said ASAHP President Jon Williamson, PhD, FASAHP, Dean of the School of Health Professions at UT Southwestern Medical Center. “We are confident their research will advance and create lasting benefits for educators, students, and the broader healthcare community.”
The grant recipients will be invited to present their work at the 2027 ASAHP Annual Conference.
Here is more information about this year’s recipients:
Developing Student Readiness for Contemporary Healthcare Environments - An Interprofessional Cross Institutional Approach to SDOH.
$26,000 grant awarded to Primary Investigator (PI) Dr. Leslie A. Rippon, PhD, ATC Faculty, School of Health and Medical Sciences Associate Professor for the Department of Athletic Training Seton Hall University
Addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) demands healthcare professionals who can think across disciplines, communicate effectively in teams, and respond to the complex social and structural forces shaping patient outcomes. Traditional health professions education rarely gives students authentic opportunities to practice these skills collaboratively. Dr. Rippon’s project tackles this gap by using virtual reality simulation to prepare students for the realities of modern, team‑based care.
Students from multiple universities and diverse health professions will participate in shared immersive learning experiences featuring AI‑generated virtual patients situated in realistic, SDOH‑informed clinical scenarios. After each simulation, students will work in interprofessional teams to analyze findings, integrate disciplinary perspectives, and create patient‑centered care plans. The study will assess how this experience influences students’ SDOH knowledge, interprofessional attitudes, and clinical confidence.
Beyond individual learning gains, this project advances the science and scalability of interprofessional education (IPE) by embedding it within a cross‑institutional, technology‑enhanced framework. Preparing graduates to collaborate across professional and organizational boundaries in addressing SDOH strengthens the healthcare workforce, supports community health equity, and contributes to improved population health outcomes.
“We are extremely proud of Dr. Rippon’s continued success in developing innovative curricula that advance the competencies needed for healthcare students to be workforce ready," said Dr. Vikram Dayalu, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Interim Dean, School of Health and Medical Sciences and Associate Professor, Seton Hall University. "The support from ASAHP's Grant will enable the development and delivery of immersive programming that builds on the expertise of Dr. Rippon and her team in AI-enabled virtual patients."
Integrating Planetary Health into Allied Health Professions Education
$27,000 grant awarded to Primary Investigator (PI) Dr. Andy Garman, PsyD Professor and and associate chair in the Department of Health Systems Management at Rush University
Preserving a healthy environment is crucial for human health, as it helps prevent problems such as heat-related illness, infectious diseases, and poor nutrition. As environmental challenges grow, health professionals will need new knowledge and skills to respond effectively.
With support from ASAHP, this project aims to better prepare future health professionals to care for patients in a changing environment, while also creating more sustainable approaches to care delivery. The interdisciplinary project team includes experienced educators from clinical nutrition, healthcare management, and occupational therapy, who will develop and test new educational materials for students across allied health fields.
By integrating these topics into health professions education, this initiative will help ensure that graduates are well-prepared to address environmental health challenges, promote sustainable practices, and improve patient care throughout their careers.
“As health professions schools prepare students for the decades ahead, the importance of a healthy environment has never been clearer. At Rush University, we are integrating planetary health into our longstanding commitments to health equity and community resilience,” said Jason Turner, PhD, Dean, College of Health Sciences, Rush University. “This generous support will allow us to expand our work across disciplines and share our learnings with the ASAHP community—accelerating the progress we urgently need.”
About ASAHP
The Association of School Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) is a national professional organization of 130 universities and employers focused on critical issues affecting health professions education. ASAHP’s mission is to advance health professions education and discovery through interprofessional collaboration, leadership, excellence, and innovation. As much as 60% of the U.S. healthcare workforce may be classified as ‘health professions’ which are distinct from medicine, nursing, and dentistry, yet equally vital to the health and wellbeing of our society.
Contact:
Kristen Truong
kristen@asahp.org
Deputy Executive Director
ASAHP