UK Celebrates 30 Years of Voluntary Faculty Program and Annual Conference

LEXINGTON, Ky. — This year holds a special significance for the University of Kentucky (UK) that is marking three decades of a unique endeavour aimed at bolstering community-based education across the healthcare sector. Initiated in 1994, the UK Voluntary Faculty Program was conceived as a collaboration between various UK health careers colleges and the Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) program.

The UK Voluntary Faculty Program: Cultivating a Dynamic Learning Environment

This program has been pivotal in supporting the Voluntary Faculty across Kentucky over the years. Health care professionals, actively practicing across various communities, partner with the UK to provide students with invaluable community-centric experiences and initiatives.

“If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a network of practising health care professionals to empower the next generation of care providers,” remarked James Ballard, Ed.D., director of the UK Centre for Interprofessional and Community Health Education (CICHE). The UK CICHE supervises the Voluntary Faculty Program and has been instrumental in driving it forward.

Celebrating the Past and Preparing for the Future

On Saturday, March 23, UK hosted its 30th annual Voluntary Faculty Conference at the Campbell House Inn with an apt theme, “Celebrating the Past and Preparing for the Future.” The conference is an annual initiative aimed at honouring, fostering collaboration and offering much-needed support to the health professionals providing community-engaged clinical education through partnerships with UK faculty, professional staff, and regional AHEC colleagues and partners.

One of the highlights of the conference was the keynote address titled “Intentionally Refining Learning Encounters to Foster Trainee Expertise Development,” presented by Bill Cutrer, M.D., the associate dean for Undergraduate Medical Education and the director of the Office of Undergraduate Medical Education at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

Varied Sessions across Health Programs

The conference offered specific sessions for professionals representing the colleges of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Public Health, along with Dietetics, Physical Therapy, and Physician Assistant programs. These sessions explored various educational topics ranging from community-engaged dentistry practices to the changing landscape of Kentucky’s opioid epidemic.

The conference concluded with a presentation titled “Public and Private Partnerships Impacting Health Workforce: The Response by Kentucky Higher Education,” delivered by Leslie M. Sizemore, Ph.D., the assistant vice president of workforce and economic initiatives at the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education.

Ballard praised the voluntary faculty members for their incredible contributions towards the growth and development of the students. He further expressed his hope that the conference will provide the much-needed support and show the educators how much they are valued and appreciated.

Looking Ahead

As the University of Kentucky celebrates 30 years of its Voluntary Faculty Program, it continues its commitment to fostering dynamic learning environments. The program aims to equip students with real-world insights and experiences, preparing them to make significant contributions to the health and wellbeing of society.