On June 13, 2024, the Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing hosted the inaugural Susan & Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences (COHS) Scholars Day. This event celebrated the outstanding achievements of students, clinicians and faculty from a variety of disciplines within the COHS and UCI Medical Center.
Over 150 participants gathered to share their scholarly work, network and prepare for future presentations at local, national and international venues. This interprofessional event featured more than 90 poster presentations, covering topics ranging from innovative methods to lower blood pressure through slow breathing techniques to the impact of secondhand vaping.
Originating from a Doctor of Nursing Practice course two years ago, Scholars Day has now evolved into a comprehensive interprofessional event. This growth is attributed to the collaborative efforts of the planning committee, the Interprofessional Education & Practice Collaborative and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs.
Participants praised the event for providing valuable exposure to cross-disciplinary activities and networking opportunities, emphasizing its role in preparing them to disseminate their work in various settings.
Deans from across the COHS were in attendance to support the students, representing the Program in Public Health, School of Medicine, Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, and School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences.
The planning committee aims to expand this event annually, fostering even greater interprofessional collaboration and scholarly excellence. Special thanks to committee members Angela Jun, Tiffany Nielsen, Stephanie Au, Michelle Fortier, Michael Bueno, Nana Entsuah-Boateng, Cheryl Wisseh, Alisa Wray, Jacqueline Barruga and Brianna Aldrich for their significant contributions.