What is it like to experience a community partnership from the student side? In this episode, Amanda Burbage speaks with William Zak, a graduate of Maury High School's Medical and Health Specialties Program about the experiences, relationships, and opportunities that influenced his educational journey. Through one student's story, listeners gain insight into how community partnerships can shape professional identity, career aspirations, and personal growth.

What does it take for a community partnership to last nearly forty years? In this episode, Amanda Burbage speaks with Travis Mansell, director of Maury High School's Medical and Health Specialties Program, about the history, purpose, and sustainability of a unique partnership between Maury High School and Eastern Virginia Medical School in the Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Together they explore how authentic learning experiences, community investment, and shared commitment have shaped generations of students interested in health professions.

n this episode, Michael Moore (doctoral student in

health professions education) speaks with Dr.

Stephanie Gilkey, EdD, Program Director of the

University of Michigan-Flint PA Program, about what

strong community partnerships look like in health

professions education. Together they explore the

health landscape of local Genesee County, why safety-

net care matters far beyond Michigan, what students

can learn and contribute in community-based settings,

and why any potential medical clinic collaboration

should begin with listening.

This episode explores how childcare systems built for a

9-to-5 world collide with 10/12-hour hospital shifts and what

that means for nurses, techs, and other healthcare workers

with young children. I describe common problems families

face and then highlight potential solutions shaped through

community partnerships. The goal is to reframe childcare as

essential workforce infrastructure and invite hospital leaders

and community partners to co-design more equitable,

sustainable options.

Resources

• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9582322/
• https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/education/childcare-innovation-through-public-private-partnerships

In the ICU after a severe brain injury, families are

surrounded by medical experts and urgent

decisions. Yet many describe feeling profoundly

alone.

In this episode, Outside Care: The Power of Peer

Mentors After Brain Injury, we follow two families

separated by four years. One facing a traumatic

brain injury in 2019, and another in 2023.

Through interwoven stories, this episode

explores the quiet but powerful role of peer

mentors in brain injury recovery. These mentors

often operate “outside” traditional healthcare

systems, unpaid, informal, and unembedded in

formal care pathways, yet families describe their

support as indispensable. They offer hope

grounded in realism, practical navigation through

rehabilitation, and something clinicians cannot

fully provide: lived experience.

This is a story about fear, connection, and the

healing that happens when someone says, “I’ve

been where you are.” It’s also an invitation to

rethink who belongs inside the circle of care.

Expressed permission has been obtained from

David Stanley and Mandy Worley to share their

personal stories as part of this episode, and their

experiences are presented with their full

knowledge and authorization.

Resources

• https://biausa.org
• https://www.biav.net

Childhood poverty has long-term consequences on the human mind and body, limiting individual potential. This episode looks at the scientific evidence of poverty's effect on the human body and how community partnerships can help reduce poverty in the context of the Caribbean islands.

Credits:

• Podington Bear (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/)

In this episode, Padma Gadepally explores how New Knowledge Adventures (NKA) and its dedicated community partners are empowering seniors in Idaho through lifelong learning and meaningful connections. By highlighting one example of successful community partnerships in senior care, this episode also invites listeners—especially those in Health Professions Education or community outreach—to consider how similar models of connection and collaboration can be applied across diverse populations and settings.

Credits:

• https://cetrain.isu.edu/nkatv/;
• https://states.aarp.org/idaho/2024-new-knowledge-adventures-registration-opens-february-20;
• https://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/community-calendar-search/event/new-knowledge-adventures-spring-classes;
• https://www.youtube.com/@newknowledgeadventuresofid1523
• Poddington Bear (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/)

Thao Vu explores how Medical Laboratory Scientists (MLS) can step beyond the lab to connect with the public. Through a conversation, we discuss about MLS professionals’ potential to engage through education, outreach, and community partnerships.

Credits:

• This episode features AI-generated voices using
  Elevenlabs.io
• Podington Bear (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/)

Acknowledgements:

• Special thanks to the faculty and fellow classmates in the MPHE program at Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at ODU and our wonderful listeners!