I am a third-generation educator, a public health advocate, a university administrator and a cancer survivor. You may be asking, “What do these four things have in common — and why should I care?”

Having worked in higher education for almost 30 years — 18 as a university administrator affiliated with health professions programs — I have a deep appreciate for people, services and organizations that shape the healthcare industry. Preparing the next generation of talented healthcare workers requires professional development and alignment between educators and local healthcare systems and providers.

The interface between higher education and healthcare systems are critical, mutually beneficial alliances designed to tackle workforce shortages and innovative care delivery through shared expertise, clinical training sites and research. College students enrolled in health profession programs are required to participate in pre-professional experiences, learning directly from practitioners and clinicians in hospitals and clinics, including those right here in Butler County.

Health professions students endure long, rigorous training hours and other sacrifices, all for the opportunity to serve others. Additionally, they often witness significant suffering and manage high levels of stress, anxiety and moral dilemmas during their training. However, many are motivated by personal, family health experiences or a desire to improve outcomes for others facing health inequities. Above all, our students must adapt quickly, learn to handle high-stakes situations and do so with compassion.

Restoring or enhancing patient well-being is often a collaborative journey. No one practitioner can learn enough to untangle the full complexity of the human body, let alone the complexity of a human life. Interprofessional collaboration helps to eliminate gaps or redundancies in care, prevent diagnostic errors and reduce overbilling. By working together, healthcare professionals achieve better outcomes and care for patients.

I have been a strong advocate for the adoption of interprofessional education, known as IPE, among students. It fosters collaborative teamwork, enhances communication skills and deepens their awareness of distinct professional roles. Additionally, it improves attitudes toward shared care, increases confidence in managing complex cases and promotes mutual respect.

IPE is about improving health, creating support systems and trying different models of practice including health professionals, health workers, students, residents, patients, families and communities.

I have experienced the power and positive results of interprofessional practice and care. In 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. As soon as I alerted my primary care physician that something was not quite right, she immediately ordered the necessary tests. When the preliminary results were in, she quickly transferred my care to the appropriate specialist. The team of healthcare providers affiliated with the cancer center that provided my care were in constant communication with one another and with me. They too were navigating the newness and the emerging complexities that COVID would have on their daily practices and routines.

A diagnosis just months earlier would have changed everything. I would have seen my oncologist’s face. I would have met the social worker in person. My family and friends would have been by my side throughout the journey. Instead, it was my healthcare team who supported me and provided acute care after my surgery, who took blood, examined me, coordinated the appropriate cocktail of drugs needed, and who provided both physical and emotional care for me every three weeks during my five-hour chemotherapy infusion sessions. It was my healthcare team who stood by my side and cheered as I rang the bell three times after completing my treatment. Finally, it was my healthcare team who continued to care for me when I celebrated five years of remission last September.

It was a team effort. And, now, here I am: a cancer survivor.

When I returned to my home state of Pennsylvania in 2022 to become the dean of Slippery Rock University’s newly formed College of Health Professions, I took many responsibilities. Among them, I advocate for and secure resources for our academic programs, I lead others toward forward-thinking approaches to educating our students and I help establish and strengthen collaborations with our industry partners that provide mutual benefit to both students and the current healthcare workforce. All of this is motivating by the spirit of collaboration. It’s part of who I am. My mother was a first-grade teacher and my grandmother was a piano teacher whose life was cut short by ovarian cancer.

I often reflect on their experiences through my own journey. I’m empowered by my memories of them but also by the gentle hands on my shoulders of family members, teachers, mentors, clergy, friends, and yes, healthcare providers. They inspired me to be a health educator, a leader in higher education and an advocate for quality health information and services for all.

That’s why you should care. We are connected as a community. Everyone will rely on healthcare at some point. Care depends on collaboration. Interdependence is not weakness. It is the source of strength, better outcomes and a reason for gratitude and hope.

Dr. Christine Karshin, a native of Western Pennsylvania, is a graduate of Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and Penn State University where she earned her Ph.D. in Biobehavioral Health. Prior to accepting the role of Dean at Slippery Rock University in 2022, she served as a faculty member, School Director, and Associate Dean within the College of Health and Human Services at Eastern Michigan University from 2001 to 2022.

Dr. Christine Karshin