In this Issue
- Nominate a UCSF Health Team for PIPE Interprofessional Collaboration Award
- Sign up to facilitate the ISPE
- Crystal Zhou, PharmD: Transforming Healthcare
- Register for Teach for UCSF Interprofessional Teaching Certificate
- Spotlight on Interprofessional Collaboration Scholars
- Celebrating our work at PIPE: End-of-Year Report 2024-2025
Celebrate Teamwork! Nominate a UCSF Health Team for the PIPE Interprofessional Collaboration Award
Do you know an incredible interprofessional team at UCSF Health? Nominations are open for the 4th annual PIPE Interprofessional Collaboration Award! This award recognizes teams that foster collaboration across health professions to deliver exceptional clinical care or drive systems improvement.
- Teams must include at least 3 members from 3 different health professions.
- At least half of the team members should work at UCSF Health, BCH-SF, or BCH-Oakland.
Check out more details and preview the nomination form. Don’t wait — submit your nomination by February 23, 2026! The winners will be revealed in April during National Interprofessional Healthcare Month. If you have questions or if you are interested in serving on the award selection committee, please contact Wendy Brown.
Sign up to Facilitate the Interprofessional Standardized Patient Exercise (ISPE)
The ISPE is a collaboration between the schools of Pharmacy, Nursing, Medicine, and Dentistry, the Physical Therapy Program, Chaplains, Social Work, and UCSF and SFSU Nutrition. Participating students are assigned to interprofessional teams of around 3-4 students and interview the Standardized Patient (SP) while other team members observe. After the encounters, the team meets to develop a comprehensive care plan. In a facilitator-led debriefing session, students reflect on lessons learned from the interprofessional experience. The time commitment for facilitators is around three hours for each session, with minimal preparation required. Facilitators are encouraged to sign up for multiple sessions if their schedule allows.
There are three simulation sessions per day (8:30 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 2 p.m.) and all sessions occur during a one-week time frame, April 27-May 1, 2026, in person at the Kanbar Center at the UCSF Parnassus campus. Learn more and sign up for this great opportunity to work with students and faculty from the different health professional schools at UCSF and SFSU.
Crystal Zhou, PharmD: Innovator, Educator, and Interprofessional Champion Transforming Healthcare
Our own Crystal Zhou, PharmD, UC San Francisco associate professor of clinical pharmacy, is an inspiring leader and clinician who continues to champion interprofessional collaboration at UCSF and beyond. In addition to serving as the Co-lead of the PIPE Simulation Subcommittee, she partnered with local barbers to implement the Cut Hypertension Program.
Recently featured in UCSF News, Crystal’s exceptional work and dedication have made a profound impact on our community and the Bay Area. Discover how her passion for education and patient care is shaping the future of healthcare.
Teach for UCSF Certificate Program in Interprofessional Teaching
The Interprofessional Teaching Certificate is designed for faculty who aim to create and maximize interprofessional learning opportunities across various educational settings. The program’s workshops foster discussion, peer support, and community building among those who teach interprofessionally. Learn more and register. Questions about the sessions should be directed to [email protected] or [email protected].
Upcoming Session:
Part 2: Feb 5, 2026, 8:15 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at Mission Bay
Spotlight on Interprofessional Collaboration Scholars
The Interprofessional Collaboration Scholars Program (IPCS) is an opportunity for UCSF health professions students to engage in further interprofessional collaboration activities and scholarship, through small group work, simulation, projects, scholarship, and interprofessional clinical immersion experiences. Our IP Scholars may be able to provide some support to your work or participate in your activities to meet IPCS program requirements. If you are seeking a mentoring or coaching opportunity, please contact [email protected]. Thank you for directing any students who would be interested in joining the IPCS Program to the IPCS CLE website.
Bonnie Xu, Medical Student, Class of 2027
Bonnie Xu has a strong interest in interprofessional collaboration. She believes that teamwork across professions is essential to improve health outcomes and promote access to care. Through IPCS activities, such as supporting interprofessional standardized patient exercises for UCSF learners and participating in multidisciplinary clinics, Bonnie is dedicated to becoming a physician who advocates effectively for patients within and beyond clinical settings.
Tiffany Arman, Dental Student, Class of 2027
Tiffany is a dedicated member of the IPCS Program. She has embraced opportunities to expand her knowledge and contribute to interdisciplinary teamwork through her participation in activities such as serving as a mentor at HealthLink, completing Opioid Overdose Prevention Training, and her rotation in the Pediatric Craniofacial Clinic. Her commitment to community care is evident in her interest in working with the foster care system to improve dental health education. Tiffany’s vision of sharing dental perspectives while engaging in team-based initiatives exemplifies the spirit of interprofessional collaboration.
Julia Wolf, Medical Student, Class of 2027
Julia discovered the value of interprofessional collaboration as a special education instructional aide at the Morgan Autism Center, where she saw firsthand how teamwork among healthcare and education professionals transforms lives. As part of the IPCS program, Julia is committed to expanding her understanding of interdisciplinary teamwork and contributing to UCSF’s collaborative community. Her recent IPCS activities include volunteering at Bearskin Meadow Diabetes Camp, serving as a health coach at Word on the Wards, and participating in a Prenatal and Pediatric Genetics rotation. This year, she looks forward to partnering with her interprofessional colleagues to expand Doctor Buddies, a program she founded to help prepare children with developmental differences for more positive and empowering healthcare experiences.
Celebrating our work at PIPE!
We are excited to share the PIPE End-of-Year Report for 2024-2025. It has been a productive year and we are proud of our accomplishments. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions and feel free to share the report with others.
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