Uniting Minds and Borders: Highlights from USF Health's Interprofessional Day

The University of South Florida (USF) was abuzz with intellectual energy on November 12, 2025, as over 1,200 aspiring and current healthcare professionals gathered at the Marshall Student Center for the 8th Interprofessional Education (IPE) Day. Coordinated in partnership with the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), this year’s IPE Day not only crossed academic disciplines but also international borders—a compelling effort to foster global harmony in addressing health care challenges.

The Confluence of Knowledge

A vibrant keynote address by Dr. Haru Okuda underscored the spirit of interprofessionalism. Emphasizing the global nature of modern healthcare, Dr. Okuda invited participants to embrace curiosity and shared purpose to transcend geographical and disciplinary constraints in solving global issues. According to University of South Florida, brought to life a vision of dynamic collaboration and knowledge sharing, essential in today’s interconnected world.

Engaging Across Borders

This edition of USF’s IPE Day marked a significant milestone as it partnered with UNAM for the first time. Ana Carolina Sepúlveda Vildósola, MD, dean of medicine at UNAM, highlighted the significance of international partnerships, pointing to how mutual respect and dialogue are crucial in tackling health issues that are too multifaceted for isolated perspectives.

A Challenge Rooted in Reality

Participants embodied this cross-border collaboration through a critical interprofessional research competition sponsored by Tampa General Hospital. Teams from USF’s diverse health programs tackled pressing global health topics—from substance use disorder to diabetes—through innovative research proposals presented in the dynamic PechaKucha format. The competition honed participants’ abilities to develop comprehensive, multi-viewpoint strategies—skills that are imperative in today’s health industry.

A Spotlight on Winning Ideas

The championship round spotlighted a team that addressed diabetes and food insecurity with an initiative aimed at evaluating nutrition access and promoting healthy lifestyles among food-insecure individuals with Type 2 diabetes in Tampa. This project was particularly praised for its potential impact on improving community health outcomes.

The Power of Collaboration

For participants like Summer Anne De Jesus, a nursing student, the event highlighted the importance of uniting diverse expertise to tackle healthcare problems effectively. “This experience truly opened my eyes to research and the importance of multiple viewpoints,” she expressed passionately. Her sentiments echoed throughout the conference halls as participants reflected on newfound appreciations for diverse collaboration.

Through this annual celebration, USF Health continues to blaze trails in cultivating the leaders of tomorrow by harnessing the innovative power of interprofessional education. The knowledge and synergy fostered at this event shape healthcare’s future—one connection at a time.