Community Teacher Program

The primary purpose of this longitudinal experience is for students to further develop and refine their interprofessional communication and teamwork skills. Working with the Community Teacher offers students an opportunity to combine their interpersonal skills with their program-specific knowledge to develop a working/professional relationship with their Community Teacher and learn from their Community Teacher’s health and life experiences. Community Teachers share with students their experiences as patients in navigating the healthcare system, managing chronic health conditions, and being an active participant in the coordination of their care.

Note: The students do not provide healthcare advice, but rather focus on learning how to work in an interprofessional healthcare team, including understanding which questions to ask so they can work collaboratively in understanding the needs of the patient.

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Student Program Overview

Student Participant Resources:

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Expectations of Student Participants

  • All student participants must view the required orientation to the Community Teacher program, available via the 1Health Database (students will receive an email notification when it is available for their academic year), and self-report that they have viewed the recording in the 1Health Database upon completion.
  • Student teams of 3-4 students will be assigned to one CT volunteer; these teams will remain the same throughout the academic year.
  • Visit with their CT three times throughout the academic year:
    • Visit 1 must be completed by Sunday, October 29, 2023
    • Visit 2 must be completed by Sunday, February 25, 2024
    • Visit 3 must be completed by Sunday, April 7, 2024
  • Each group will be responsible for coordinating with one another and their CT to find the best time and method (in person or virtual) for each CT visit.
    • It is recommended that each team assign a “team leader” who can be responsible for contacting the CT and scheduling the visits.
  • All students in a team must attend the CT visit together (either in person or virtual).
  • Complete a post-visit team assessment immediately after each visit (found in the 1Health Database).
  • Attend a large-group CT debriefing session in the fall (as assigned in the 1Health Database).
  • Complete a required mid-year and end-of-year course evaluation.
  • Through visits with CT, student teams will reflect upon and report on their experiences with their CT in a final paper assignment. The final assignment will include a summary of the CT's strengths, needs, and opportunities to enhance their wellbeing, with special consideration to factors that impact the CT’s health, access to services, or patterns of healthcare utilization. The team will provide recommendations to improve the CT's health and wellbeing, as well as reflect on their overall experience working on a person-centered team. Students share the draft of their final paper assignment with their CT before the team's third visit. Any revisions and feedback from the CT during the third visit should be incorporated into the paper. The final paper will be submitted to the 1Health Curriculum Coordinator ([email protected]) to document course completion. Students will also give a copy of the final paper to their CT, and the CT can choose to share this with any of their healthcare team members, family members, etc.
  • Complete a required self-reflection assignment via the video sharing platform Flip and self-report completion in the 1Health Database.
  • If a CT is unavailable for a scheduled visit, students must attempt to reschedule within an acceptable time frame.
  • If any issues arise, please communicate with the 1Health course coordinator as soon as possible by emailing [email protected]

Course Links

1Health Database - This system tracks your participation in all 1Health interprofessional curricular and co-curricular offerings during your educational career at the University of Minnesota.  You will be asked to use this system to access all of the CT course details including your CT team information, assignment details, debriefing session date/time information, and also to provide valuable course feedback.  A record of all of your completed 1Health interprofessional curricular and co-curricular activities can be found on your homepage in the 1Health Database (upon logging in, go to the blue "My Transcript" tile on your "My 1Health Overview" homepage).

Important Dates: 2023-24 Academic Year

CT Course Snapshot

Item & Description Due Date
Fall CT Orientation assignmentSunday, September 10, 2023
Team Introductions and Goal Setting meetingSunday, September 24, 2023
Teams must at least initiate contact with CT--note that CTs have been told they will be contacted by this date!Sunday, October 1, 2023
Complete Visit #1 & the online team assessment form for Visit #1Sunday, October 29, 2023
CT Debriefing Session--check 1Health Database for your assigned date/time/locationVaries by team; check your assigned date/time/location in the 1Health Database (under "My CT Activities," click the "My Required Fall Debriefing Session Assignment" tab)
Complete required mid-year evaluation in 1Health DatabaseWednesday, November 22, 2023
Spring CT overview assignmentSunday, January 27, 2024
Complete Visit #2 & the online team assessment form for Visit #2Sunday, February 25, 2024
Complete Visit #3 & the online team assessment form for Visit #3Sunday, April 7, 2024
Self-Reflection due (see "Self-Reflection" tab in 1Health Database for details/information)Sunday,  April 14, 2024
Final Assignments due (see “Final” tab in 1Health Database for details/template links)Sunday, April 14, 2024 (email to [email protected])
Complete required End of Course Evaluation in 1Health DatabaseSunday, April 28, 2024
Student completion record updated in 1Health Database by 1Health teamFriday, May 3, 2024

Community Teacher Volunteers

Community Teacher Frequently Asked Questions

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What are the requirements for participating as a Community Teacher?

What are the requirements for participating as a Community Teacher?

The Community Teachers program is a volunteer program, seeking willing participants who wish to enrich the learning experience of health professions students through the sharing of their first-hand experiences of managing their chronic condition(s) within the healthcare system. All Community Teacher volunteers must meet these minimum requirements:

  1. Be 18 years of age or older;
  2. Have at least one chronic medical condition requiring medication;
  3. Be willing to share with the students their perspective and experience navigating the health care system with regards to their chronic condition;
  4. Be available to meet virtually (via video call) or in person with a team of 3-4 students, three times per program year (September - April)

How long is the program and what is the time commitment?

How long is the program and what is the time commitment?

Community Teachers and students will meet three times throughout the academic year. These visits will occur between October 2023 and April 2024 and each visit will last for approximately 60-75 minutes. Visit 1 must occur by October 29, 2023, visit 2 must occur by February 25, 2024, and visit 3 must occur by April 7, 2024.

Your student team will reach out to you to schedule your meetings and you will have the opportunity to discuss scheduling with your team and determine what works best for everyone!  Community Teachers will be asked in the spring of each year if they want to volunteer again in the upcoming year.

With how many students will I meet?

With how many students will I meet?

Each Community Teacher is assigned to work with one group of students. The Community Teacher and the students make up the CT team. Each CT team will consist of one Community Teacher and 3-4 students from a variety of health professions programs. 

What types of students are in my team?

What types of students are in my team?

For the 2023-24 year, student participants in Duluth will be from the College of Pharmacy, Medical School, and Occupational Therapy (from The College of St. Scholastica).

Student participants from the Twin Cities campus will be from the College of Pharmacy, Dietetics, Medical School, School of Nursing, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy programs. 

How will I meet with students?

How will I meet with students?

Your Community Teacher team will meet three times throughout the academic year and the visits will take place either in person or virtually via video. As a team, you and the students will decide how to conduct each visit, however, your visit preference should lead the conversation. All students on the team are required to attend the visit the same way, either in person or virtually. It is not recommended that some students go in person and some students connect virtually. 

The in person visits can occur wherever you feel most comfortable. In the past volunteers have invited students into their homes, or met with students in a common area in their building, in coffee shops, libraries, or on the University campus. As a team, you and the students will decide on the best location to hold an in person visit. 

We want to make sure that we are taking measures to ensure the safety of our students and Community Teacher volunteers so please share with your students if you will be masking and/or require that they mask during in person visits. 

What does a visit look like? How long are the visits?

What does a visit look like? How long are the visits?

Students will meet with Community Teachers for about 60-75 minutes per visit. During each visit, students practice basic interviewing skills to understand the Community Teacher’s health care history and current needs, using a prepared visit guidelines document to steer the conversation.

Are the students able to give me health advice?

Are the students able to give me health advice?

NO. The students do not provide health care advice but rather focus on learning how to work in a health care team, including understanding which questions to ask so they can work collaboratively in understanding the needs of the patient.

Are the students connected with my primary care provider?

Do they have access to my medical records?

NO. This volunteer experience is coordinated through the University of Minnesota's 1Health Interprofessional Education Curriculum, which teaches students from health professional programs the skills necessary to work with other health professions as they continue in their educational and professional development. The students have no connection to patient volunteers’ primary care providers, nor do the students have access to their medical records. Students will ask the volunteer basic interview questions to learn more about their day-to-day life managing their chronic condition(s) and navigating the healthcare system.

Is there any training I will need to complete to become a Community Teacher?

Is there any training I will need to complete to become a Community Teacher?

All Community Teachers will receive basic information about the program and expectations about the role before meeting with the students. The 1Health curriculum team is available to answer any additional questions you might have; contact us at [email protected].

How do I apply?

How do I apply?

Please complete the online application or, to apply by mail, download and fill out the paper application and send it to us one of two ways:

  1. US Mail:
    • University of Minnesota -1Health Community Teacher Program, MMC 296 Mayo, 8296B Campus Delivery Code, 516 Delaware Street SE Minneapolis, MN 55455
  2. E-mail: [email protected]

Upon receipt of the application, the 1Health Team will review your information and contact you with next steps, usually within two weeks.

I have friends who want to volunteer in the Community Teacher program. How can I get your information to them?

I have friends who want to volunteer in the Community Teacher program. How can I get your information to them?

Current Community Teachers are our greatest recruiters!  We welcome your involvement in helping to recruit new volunteers!  Encourage your friends to apply using one of our two application methods; CT volunteer online application or download a paper application and submit via email or mail.  Additionally, please share the appropriate flyer with anyone who might be interested!

Questions about the CT program? Contact the 1Health Team by email at [email protected]

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