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.
Terin Barrios, Health Education Design Strategist
Grounded in empathy and driven by a fervent passion for discovery, Terin consistently transforms our clients’ most significant challenges into innovative, holistic solutions. An architect and design strategist, he brings over a decade of experience in project planning and design with an emphasis on medical and health science education.
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
How Can Design Support the AACN Essentials?
In 2021, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) released "The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education", suggesting significant changes to nursing education that aligns with changes in our rapidly evolving healthcare system. The Essentials is built on the principles of competency-based education, acknowledging the student as the center of the learning experience and emphasizing recent developments in pedagogy and instructional technology. Learners are prepared to provide quality care; advocate for patients, families, and communities; and promote health equity and social justice.
Contact Us
Chris Purdy
Vice President, Director of Higher Education
(313) 442-8315
chris.purdy [at] smithgroup.com