April 4, 2023 — After graduating from medical school and passing qualifying exams, physicians enter residency, where they begin caring for patients in their chosen specialty under the supervision of more senior providers who serve as instructors and role models. For these trainees, part of their continued education and clinical practice includes building an understanding of the communities where they live and work.

At the University of Florida College of Medicine and UF Health, a new opportunity is being introduced for residents and other health care team members to immerse themselves in the Gainesville community and gain a greater understanding of and connection to their patients. The community immersion experience, led by Lakesha M. Butler, Pharm.D., chief diversity officer for UF Health, and Julia Close, M.D., associate dean of graduate medical education at the College of Medicine, was piloted in February and is poised to roll out as an option for new residents during orientation in July.

“When we get outside of our four walls and meet people where they are, there’s a greater level of compassion and empathy that develops and a more extensive understanding of the potential opportunities we can address as health care professionals,” Butler said. “This taps into the importance of improving outcomes for our patients and continuing to build trust in our community.”

The pilot immersion experience was held Feb. 27 with 24 participants, including nurses, residents and some faculty physicians. Vivian Filer, a UF alumna, experienced nurse, health care educator and community historian, led the group on a tour of East Gainesville, including sites such as the Mount Carmel Baptist Church, the Pleasant Street and Sugarhill neighborhoods and the Cotton Club Museum and Cultural Center, where she serves as chairwoman.

Touring these sites and learning about the health challenges some residents face, like a lack of sidewalks to safely exercise on, from the perspective of a longtime community member was engaging and eye-opening for participants, Butler said. Results from a survey taken after the community immersion experience showed the impact it had on the caregivers who attended.

“It’s one thing to read or hear about challenges of the patient population, but to actually see it and have a community member as the guide is such a valuable opportunity,” one participant said, while another suggested that all health care providers should be given the opportunity to join a future guided tour.

Moving forward, Butler and her colleagues hope to expand the community immersion experience to students, administrative leaders and more across UF’s academic health center once per semester.