Interprofessional Geriatric Case Competition

SLU's 8th Annual Interprofessional Geriatric Case Competition Concludes with Remarkable Success

The Saint Louis University School of Medicine Division of Geriatric Medicine, in collaboration with the Gateway Workforce Enhancement Program, proudly announces the conclusion of the 8th Annual Interprofessional Geriatric Case Competition, held virtually on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. This year's competition, in partnership with the North Star Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) at the University of Minnesota, showcased the talents and innovative approaches of students and faculty from four prestigious universities.

Participants from SLU, Maryville University, A.T. Still University School of Dentistry, and Washington University School of Medicine formed a total of 13 diverse teams. These teams, comprising students from various health professions including medicine, occupational therapy, physical therapy, social work, medical family therapy, medical sciences, nursing and dentistry, worked together to develop comprehensive care plans for older patients with multiple chronic health challenges.

Each team, guided by a volunteer faculty mentor coach, prepared a 20-minute presentation delivered live via Zoom, demonstrating their collaborative and innovative solutions. Panels of interprofessional faculty judges evaluated the presentations.

After a month of preparation, the competition culminated in an interuniversity round where the top three teams from Saint Louis University's semifinal round were:

First Place Winners: Zach Joswiak (SLU Physical Therapy), Yewon Lee (Washington University Occupational Therapy), Maggie Pawlowski (SLU Physical Therapy), Lauren Hasten (SLU Social Work), Christie Jok (SLU Medicine) and Luke Gehringer (SLU Nursing). Their coach was Amy Berkley, Ph.D., M.S.N., RN., assistant professor, Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing, Saint Louis University.

Second Place Winners: Justin Lok (SLU Medical Sciences), Kaylee Berger (SLU Social Work), Madeline Devereux (Maryville University Physical Therapy), Skyler Hurle (SLU Nursing), Molly Jones (SLU Physical Therapy), and Tyler Hood (Washington University Occupational Therapy). Their coach was Jill Fitzgerald, Jill FitzGerald: P.T., D.P.T., GCS, CEEAA, CSCS, associate professor, physical therapy, Saint Louis University.

Third Place Winners: Ankita Chabra (SLU Medicine), Chelsea Peterson (Maryville University Physical Therapy), Claire George (SLU Social Work), Madison Nii (ATSU Dental), Madison Lashmett (Maryville University Physical Therapy), and Alex Burr (ATSU Dental). Their coach was Julie Howe, MBA, R.H.I.A., D.-A.B.M.D.I., associate professor, clinical health sciences, Saint Louis University.

Students from Saint Louis University found the most success during the interuniversity competition. Students from SLU received the highest scores and a cash prize. Additionally, members of the top two teams will receive medallions for their exemplary participation.

This annual event fosters interprofessional collaboration and highlights the importance of comprehensive care in geriatric medicine. The Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gateway Workforce Enhancement Program extend their congratulations to all participants and look forward to continuing this tradition of excellence in geriatric healthcare education.