From Doha to Colombia: Shaping the Future of Interprofessional Collaboration at ATBH XI and XII
17 December 2024
18:00 AST / 15:00 UTC / 10:00 COT/ET
Presenters:
Sawsan Al-Mukdad, Qatar University
Dr. Alla El-Awaisi, Qatar University
Dr. José Rodrigues Freire Filho, Brazilian Ministry of Health, PAHO/WHO
Dr. Piedad Cecilia Serpa Pérez, University of Santander, Colombia
Moderator:
Dr. Andrea Pfeifle (AIHC)
Co-sponsored by the Regional Network for Interprofessional Education in the Americas (REIP) and the Arab Network for Interprofessional Collaboration (ANIC)
Description:
The 11th All Together Better Health (ATBH) conference in Doha marked a major milestone for interprofessional collaboration in the Middle East. Bringing together 600 participants from 33 countries, including health professionals, academics, and students, the event provided a unique platform to exchange insights and build partnerships under the theme “Cultivating a Collaborative Culture: Sharing Pearls of Wisdom.” Despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, ATBH XI highlighted visionary leadership and collaborative approaches in health education and practice. A team of 130 student volunteers significantly contributed to its success, along with key achievements such as the launch of the Winterthur–Doha Declaration by Interprofessional.Global and the establishment of the Arab Network for Interprofessional Collaboration.
Looking ahead, the 12th ATBH conference in November 2025 in Colombia will carry forward this momentum with the theme: “Enabling and Transforming Resource Capabilities, Systems, and Health Care Models.” The event will explore Health Human Resource Capacities, Healthcare Models, and Health Systems, focusing on the evolving needs of global healthcare. Supported by the Network for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice in Health in Latin America and the Caribbean (REIP), ATBH XII will welcome participants from diverse fields to share ideas, build alliances, and contribute to transformative health practices worldwide. Proposals for presentations, workshops, and projects aligned with these core themes are encouraged to foster impactful global dialogue.
Sawsan Al-Mukdad is an Interprofessional Education (IPE) Clinical Specialist at Qatar University. Previously, she served as a Research Specialist at Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar, where she conducted epidemiological research on infectious diseases. Her scientific research has been published in leading high-impact journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, Nature Medicine, Lancet HIV, and Lancet Regional Health. Sawsan holds a master’s degree with distinction from Qatar University. During her academic journey, she secured prestigious scholarships and awards. She also led the IPE Student Association for three years, organizing impactful student-led events and initiatives.
Dr. Alla El-Awaisi is a prominent academic and pharmacy professional with extensive experience in education, clinical practice, and leadership. She holds a Master of Pharmacy from Strathclyde University, an MSc in Prescribing Science, and a PhD in Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice from Robert Gordon University in the UK. Dr. Alla’s career began with nine years as a clinical pharmacist in Scotland before she transitioned to academia. From 2014 to 2022, she served as Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at the College of Pharmacy, Qatar University. A pioneering leader, she founded the Interprofessional Education Committee in 2014, championing IPE integration in health programs and leading the IPE passport program’s development. Her influence includes roles such as the leader of the Arab Network for Interprofessional Collaboration and board member of Interprofessional.Global. Currently, she is the Director of Clinical Operations and Engagement and Head of the Interprofessional Education Program, dedicated to advancing health profession education and collaborative practice.
Dr. José Rodrigues is a technical consultant for the Brazilian Ministry of Health and the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) in the area of health professions education and public health planning and management. He holds a master’s degree, a doctorate, and a post doctorate in public health. He is a professor in the postgraduate program in public health at the University of São Paulo. José’s career began in 2005 as a pharmacist in the public health service. From 2017 to 2019, he served as an international consultant in Human Resources for Health on interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP) at the PAHO/WHO regional office in Washington/USA, where he was responsible for monitoring the implementation of this approach in Latin American and Caribbean countries. In 2018, he supported the creation of the Regional Network for Interprofessional Education in the Americas (REIP) and later in initiatives to formulate national plans for Interprofessional Education and research and IPECP faculty development. His influence includes roles as a representative of the Latin American and Caribbean IPECP Network, a member of Interprofessional.Global, and a representative of the The 11th International Conference on Interprofessional Practice and Education that will take place in Colombia in 2025.
Dr. Piedad Cecilia Serpa Pérez is Colombian, a doctor with a Master’s degree in Health Services Management, Quality of Care and Patient Safety, Coordinator and teacher of the Department of Clinical Management and Patient Safety and of the Interprofessional Education (IPE) and Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (ICP) program in Healthcare Patient, Clinical and Community Management of the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences and the School of Medicine of the University of Santander. Professor with important leadership and activism in the implementation of the IPE – ICP strategy in Latin America, member of the Regional Network for Interprofessional Education (REIP) and the Global Confederation of Interprofessional Education (IPGlobal), as well as co-founder of the Academic Network for the Interprofessional Health Education of the Americas (UNIREDEIP), a network where universities from countries such as Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and Chile, among others, share the interest of advancing the IPE – ICP strategy in the Region. She is the promoter of different initiatives to strengthen training and research capacities for Professors, students and collaborators in the area of health and other areas of knowledge. In his country Colombia, together with other academics, he recently joined the national interprofessional education network whose purpose is to support the design of public policy on human resources in health in IPE – ICP component to improve access and coverage. Universal Health in the different territories and regions of the country.
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