I-TEAM Award Recipients
Introduction
UIC faculty and staff have been pivotal in the successful development of collaboration-ready professionals that will both lead and participate in teams across the healthcare delivery system. The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs is very excited to recognize faculty and staff that are championing interprofessional collaboration across the seven heath science colleges with the annual I-TEAM award.
This award recognizes faculty and staff who have demonstrated excellence in interprofessional practice and education through teaching innovation. The nominations were evaluated on developing IPE learning experiences that center on social determinants of health and build skills in collaborative practice, interprofessional communication, teams and teamwork, values/ethics for interprofessional practice and interprofessional roles and responsibilities.
It is with great pleasure to announce that the selection committee has selected ICU Simulation Education Experience to receive the 2025 I-TEAM award! The program was selected for it’s focus on advancing interprofessional communication and patient centered care with leaners from the baccalaureate nursing program and doctoral-level occupational therapy program at UI Health.
2025 I-TEAM Awardee: ICU Simulation Education Experience
The ICU Simulation Education Experience has been offered successfully since 2009. It is designed to strengthen interprofessional communication, teamwork, and role clarity within high-acuity clinical environments—ultimately contributing to improved patient care and safety.
Learners in this experience include baccalaureate nursing students and doctoral-level occupational therapy students, who work collaboratively in immersive simulation scenarios focused on caring for critically ill patients with communication and mobility deficits—common challenges encountered in ICU settings. Each scenario incorporates a pre-brief, interprofessional role assignments, a simulated patient care experience, and a guided interprofessional debrief.
Congratulations to the award recipients of the ICU Simulation Education Experience team which includes:
- Caitlin Smith, OTD, Clinical Assistant Professor, College of Applied Health Sciences
- Dalmina Arias, OTD, Clinical Assistant Professor, College of Applied Health Sciences
- Kathy Preissner, OTD, Clinical Professor, College of Applied Health Sciences
- Kathryn Vanderzwan, DNP, Clinical Associate Professor, College of Nursing
- Katie Stephens, DNP, Clinical Assistant Professor, College of Nursing
UIC 2024 Faculty Awards Ceremony
2024 I-TEAM Award Recipients
Scholars and Leaders in Interprofessional Geriatrics
The Scholars and Leaders in Interprofessional Geriatrics is an innovative interprofessional course that has been successfully offered since 2016 through an HRSA Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) Grant tilted ENGAGE-IL. The course prioritizes strategies to advance health equity for older adults by addressing social determinants of health, bias, and racism, applied ethics, and interprofessional teamwork. Leaners include students from the College of Applied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, Jane Addams College of Social Work, and School of Public Health.
Congratulations to the award recipients of the Scholars and Leaders in Interprofessional Geriatrics team which includes:
- Memoona Hasnain, MD, MHPE, PhD
- Valerie Gruss, PhD, APRN, CNP-BC, FAAN
- Michael Koronkowski, PharmD, BCGP
- Elizabeth Peterson, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
2023 I-TEAM Award Recipients
Collaborative Empowerment through IPE: Nutrition and Oral Health Initiative
The Collaborative Empowerment through IPE: Nutrition and Oral Health Initiative is an innovative interprofessional program that includes dentistry and nutritional students. Over the course of several in-person sessions, students worked together on clinical projects that focused on the importance of collaboration to provide oral health-related nutrition which included working on treatment plans that prioritized the patient’s culture and preferences.
The award recipients of the Collaborative Empowerment through IPE: Nutrition and Oral Health Initiative team includes:
- Sobia Bilal, BDS, MSc, PhD
- Amy McNeil
- Khatija Noorullah, MPH
- Shayna Oshita, PhD RD LDN CDCES
2022 I-TEAM Award Recipients
Peoria IPE Immersion Day Program
The committee identified multiple strengths of the Peoria IPE Immersion Day Program in choosing to give this award. Among those strengths were the continuous improvement based on ongoing assessment that has been seen in the program over time, the ability of your team to adapt the learning experience to a virtual platform and the inclusion of learners from multiple institutions which enriches the experience for all.
The award recipients of the Peoria IPE Immersion Day Program team include:
- Kathleen J.H. Sparbel, PhD, FNP-BC
- Angela O’Bryant, MSN, RN
- Kevin O. Rynn, PharmD, FCCP, DABAT
- Janet Liechty, PhD, MSW, LCSW
- Megan Magnuson, MPA
- Amanda Newell, PhD, RDN, LDN
- Sara McPherson, PhD, RN, CNE
- Valerie Bricka
- Claire DeConte
- Krista Jones, DNP, MSN, RN, PHNA-BC, ELAN Fellow
- Sue Bishop, DMD
- Marianne Pop
2021 I-TEAM Award Recipients
Interprofessional (IP) Approaches to Health Disparities Program at the University of Illinois Chicago campus
The IP Approaches to Health Disparities program emphasized the importance of community based participatory research framework, a clear connection to UIC’s mission and values, and the long-term commitment of the program faculty to program evaluation and continuous improvement.
The award recipients of the IAHD team include:
- Memoona Hasnain, MD, MHPE, PhD
- Valerie Gruss, PhD, APN, CPN-BC, FAAN
- Michael J. Koronkowski, PharmD, BCGP
- Sonia Oyola, MD, ABOIM
- Susan M. Walsh, DNP, APRN, CRNP-PC, FAAN
- Patrick Smith, DMD, MPH
- Devangna Kapadia, MS, MPH
- Jennie Jarrett, PharmD, BCPS, MMedEd, FCCP
- Amanda Perry, MD
- Nimmi Rajagopal, MD
- Patrick Tranmer, MD, MPH
- Steven Andes PhD, CPA
- Kanwal Haque, MPH
- Monica Davis
- IAHD’s community partners include: Housing Opportunities & Maintenance for the Elderly (H.O.M.E.), Project VIDA, Lincoln Park Community Shelter (LPCS), Syrian Community Network (SCN), Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC), and Connections for Abused Women and their Children (CAWC)
For more information on the IAHD course, please visit the IAHD website.
Rural Health Professions Program at the University of Illinois Chicago - Rockford health sciences campus
The Rural Health Professions (RHP) program demonstrated a clear grounding in the needs of rural populations, the growth of the program over time, and the potential to be used as a model applied to other populations.
The award recipients of the RHP team include:
- Michael Glasser, PhD
- Hana Hinkle, PhD, MPH
- Heidi Olson, PharmD
- Kara Fess, MD
- Kelly Rosenberger, DNP, APRN, CNM, WHNP-BC, FAANP
- Martin MacDowell, DPH
For more information, please visit the RHP website.