The Center for Interprofessional Educations is thrilled to welcome Amy Buckenmeyer as our Director of Interprofessional Community Engagement. In this role, Amy will lead the development and execution of strategies to strengthen relationships between the Center and our community collaborators, aligning efforts with our mission and advancing health equity through partnership. This will include leading the Interprofessional Community Health Collaborative (ICHC), and working closely with Karen Farris, our Center's Director of Research, to develop a deliberate research plan for our community-engaged work.
Can you share a personal experience that shaped your interest in collaborative health care / interprofessional practice?
Although the foundation for my interest in interprofessional practice was formed early in my career as a registered nurse working in several different pediatric intensive care units, the importance of interprofessional practice was solidified as the focus of my work shifted from pediatric intensive care to primary care and ultimately to public health. Public health is, in and of itself, an interprofessional practice where various health disciplines converge with the goal of improving health outcomes for people where they live, work, play, and age. Seeing the strengths and synergies of various health professions working together under a common goal of health for all is what really drives my enthusiasm for interprofessional collaboration in the community health sector.
Why is interprofessional education important to you?
I am a firm believer that interprofessional education (IPE) is essential to building effective, sustainable interprofessional health care teams. IPE is important to me because it provides an early foundation for positive interactions among various health professions where each can appreciate the strengths of other disciplines while learning more about their own work within an interprofessional team. What really excites me about interprofessional education is the ability to bring together an interprofessional team to collaborate with communities of interest to improve health outcomes upstream where health begins.
In my former university, I co-created one of my favorite IPE experiential learning activities with the Disney Corporation that involved taking students from nursing, healthcare leadership, health science, and public health to Disneyland to learn about occupational health services for cast members, health, and safety for guests, and environmental health protection in the resort. It was a magical IPE experience at the happiest place on earth!
How would you describe your role within the CIPE team?
As the Director of Interprofessional Community Engagement, my role is to lead the Interprofessional Community Health Collaborative (ICHC) in the development and execution of strategies to foster positive relationships between CIPE and community collaborators, ensuring alignment with CIPE goals while promoting community partnerships to improve health for all. To improve health for all, the ICHC aims to enhance interprofessional student learning through experiential, team-based community-based participatory research, community health needs assessments, and health program planning, implementation, and evaluation to assess and address determinants of health upstream in communities where people live, work, play, worship, and age.
What are you most looking forward to regarding your work with the CIPE?
I am so excited to accompany internal (U of M) and external communities of interest in their desire to improve health for all while sharing my expertise in community-based participatory research, community health needs assessments, and program planning, implementation, and evaluation with interprofessional education teams.
What do you like to do for fun outside of work?
For fun, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends in Southwest Michigan where we like to spend time on the lake, camping, playing pickleball, traveling, and relaxing on our farm.
What is your favorite spot in Ann Arbor?
My favorite spot in Ann Arbor is a tricky question. I love Ann Arbor, probably more than my Hoosier-born and indoctrinated children would like! I grew up a city girl in Dallas, Indianapolis, and Milwaukee before moving to Northwest Indiana then Michigan. I do love city life! That being said, my work for the past 20 years in rural health has made me greatly appreciate the quieter side of life – the beautiful sunrises and sunsets over acres of farmland is truly what rejuvenates me. Before and after my workday in Ann Arbor, I have the pleasure of returning to my family’s other farm just west of Toledo. Although my in-laws are Ohio State fans, I remind them that the family farm was originally in Michigan many, many years ago. #GoBlue
Is there anything else you would like to share?
I am so very excited to get to work in developing internal and external community partners to improve health for all! Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have a passion for improving community health through community engagement… I would welcome the opportunity to get to know you!
Amy and her family visiting Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain.