Jennifer Mendez, PhD
Associate Professor
Wayne State University - School of Medicine
Jennifer Mendez is an Associate Professor and Director of Community Engagement at Wayne State University. For the past 20 years, she has developed and implemented opportunities for medical students to engage and apply theoretical concepts using innovative modules such as Visual Thinking Strategies into the curriculum. Mendez is the course director of the award winning Interprofessional Team Visits, which includes nine disciplines who assess adults in teams at the homes either in person or virtually.

Presenting at the Nexus Summit:

BackgroundDue to the COVID-19 pandemic, health professional programs revolved quickly to virtually deliver sound pedagogy for students’ learning and clinical practice. Simultaneously, many healthcare institutions shifted from in person care to the practice of telehealth without prior training of providers. To address the need for clinical education in the delivery of interprofessional telehealth patient centered care, the Michigan Area Health Education Center leadership developed an online course for health educators and health professional students from medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and…
Background: The Wayne State University Interprofessional Team Visit (IPTV) program assesses adults age 50+ within the community. Disciplines include medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, dental, and social work students. During the 60-minute virtual visit, each IPTV team gathered information regarding the adult’s daily activities, nutrition, medications, family health, and social supports. Next, each team collaborated to determine current health status, identify areas of risk, and provide support and/or resources. This project focused on…
Wayne State University’s School of Medicine, Art Therapy Program, and the Art Administration program collaborated to explore student ability to better analyze and interpret imagery. Wayne State School of Medicine is unique in that it offers ultrasound training as part of the basic science curriculum. Students learn ultrasonography as a technique to recognize normal human anatomy and to facilitate clinical diagnoses, however, interpretation of the images is a challenge and a competency that is evolving. Within the health field, professionals interpret patient assessments through their own…