HEALTH EDUCATION
The future of healthcare delivery is interprofessional, team-based, personalized, accessible and continuing to rapidly evolve. These shifts have opened the door for transformation across the academic health sciences, emphasizing the need for much stronger connections between education, care delivery and research. The ways in which graduates of nursing, medicine, dentistry, public health, pharmacy and other allied health professions programs will care for patients will require new competencies including empathy, agility, entrepreneurship and systems-based thinking.
Our team prioritizes understanding these drivers through active research with our Client Advisory Boards. These engagements enable us to translate the latest thinking from health care into future-focused environments for learning, preparing these future practitioners for the real world. Technology is a key ingredient that is shaping medical and health education environments with virtual and immersive technologies enabling students to learn in entirely new ways. Changing demographics of faculty, students and patients is also challenging us to think about space differently, prioritizing personalized learning styles, advanced technologies, interdisciplinary collaboration, inclusivity and continuing education.
Our portfolio spans a wide range of health education clients including medical schools, nursing schools, dental schools and supports all health professions from master planning to the design of a wide range of spaces for simulation, team-based classrooms, informal learning and community outreach.
PROJECTS
Health and Life Sciences Building, Anne Arundel Community College
AACC brings together top-tier laboratories and collaborative learning environments in this comprehensive home for the health and life sciences, preparing its students for success with sought-after 21st-century skills.
OUR TEAM
LEADERSHIP
Chris Purdy, Director of Higher Education
As Director of SmithGroup’s Higher Education market, Chris has provided leadership for more than 25 health education projects nationally. Recognizing the need for strong connectivity between educational settings and rapidly evolving forms of healthcare delivery, Chris also leads the firm’s thought leadership initiatives on design for interprofessional education and collaborative practice. This work includes several successful collaborations with the National Center for Interprofessional Education and practice (NEXUS).
Tricia Beck, Vice President, Higher Education Studio Leader
Foundational to Tricia’s expertise leading interdisciplinary teams is the impact design strategy has on creating interprofessional learning environments for health education-including a keen eye for dental education. She embraces the critical interconnectivity between academic, research and clinical environments that engage the next generation of care providers. Her passion is partnering with our clients to envision and transform their learning environments to bolster student success.
David Johnson, Vice President, Higher Education Design Strategist
While recognizing the unique character of each campus, David emphasizes the “intersection” of research, teaching and clinical training that characterizes the academic medical center; he is convinced that this blend of activity holds the potential for increased collaboration, the blurring of academic boundaries, and enhanced institutional reputation.
David Lang, Learning Environments Specialist
David’s passion for optimizing health education is evident in his commitment to exploration and innovation with client partners. Simulated physical and virtual platforms synchronized with human interactions are shaping the future of space, along with student success and confidence. This is an exciting time of high tech, high touch and high-fidelity experiences in health education.
Health EDUCATION Team
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Applying Design Thinking to Optimize Clinical Learning Environments
Leaders in higher education and healthcare are collaborating to focus on better preparing students to enter the workforce as part of interdisciplinary teams, resulting in the rapid adoption of an interprofessional practice and education (IPE) model. Every year, hundreds of health professionals, educators, learners, patients and community members, systems leaders, and policy makers converge at the Nexus Summit to work together toward better care, better value and better education.
Contact Us
Chris Purdy
Vice President, Director of Higher Education
(313) 442-8315
chris.purdy [at] smithgroup.com