The SHP development office strives to identify, cultivate, and solicit support from alumni, industry/corporations, foundations, and friends who are interested in joining in our mission of excellence in health professions education, research, and service. The following are a few critical needs that have been identified by the leadership and faculty within the School of Health Professions.
Scholarships and Fellowships
Undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships are vital to our ability to attract and retain the best and brightest students and are a top priority for many of the SHP academic programs. You may direct your gift to an existing scholarship fund or help to establish an endowed scholarship in a critical need area. Programs that are particularly focused on raising funds for scholarships are Occupational Therapy, Health Administration, Masters in Clinical Nutrition, Dietetic Internship, and the Diagnostic and Therapeutic Sciences programs.
Endowed Professorships and Chairs
Recruiting and retaining world-class faculty is always a priority for the School of Health Professions. Endowed professorships and chairs enable us to expose students to internationally renowned teachers and researchers. Programs that are particularly focused on either establishing or completing an endowed professorship or chair are: Physical Therapy (Bergman/Pinkston Professorship), Health Administration (Howard Houser Professorship), Health Informatics, and Nutrition Sciences.
Critical Care Simulation Laboratory
At every level of patient care, hands-on experience is the best teacher. The proposed critical care simulation laboratory will provide a setting for respiratory therapy, surgical physician assistant, and nurse anesthesia students to have access to modern “high touch, high tech” modalities. In this patient-simulated clinical atmosphere, four to six students can receive intense instruction by faculty members. Students receiving didactic information simultaneously with practical experience are able to clarify areas of misunderstanding and ultimately are better prepared to enter the workforce upon graduation.
Equipment Needs
Many of our programs have limited resources available for acquiring and replacing equipment used in the classroom. Some of the programs that have identified this as a critical need include Clinical Laboratory Sciences/Medical Technology, Radiography, Radiation Therapy, and Respiratory Therapy.
These are just a few of the critical needs areas that have been identified. If you would like more information on any of these items, or would like to inquire about other needs of a specific department or program, please contact Katie Davidson Adams, SHP Development Officer, at katiedav@uab.edu