91³ÉÈË

The 91³ÉÈË (91³ÉÈË) is home to five health professions schools: Feik School of Pharmacy (FSOP), Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions (SNHP), the Rosenberg School of Optometry (RSO), 91³ÉÈË School of Osteopathic Medicine (91³ÉÈËSOM) and the 91³ÉÈË School of Rehabilitation Sciences (SRS). Unifying those with a shared desire to be a healing presence in the world, 91³ÉÈË has the privilege of supporting and preparing generations of healthcare professionals.

On Saturday, Nov. 1, student doctors from all five health professions schools gathered at the 91³ÉÈËSOM campus for the inaugural Health Profession Olympics. This first-time event invited students to a day of Olympics-style activities and challenges that allowed them to showcase their sportsmanship.

“The idea for the inaugural 2025 Health Profession Olympics was inspired by our shared mission to foster collaboration and connection across all of 91³ÉÈË’s health professions programs,” explained 91³ÉÈËSOM’s Student Government Association Vice President Zachary Coffel. “At 91³ÉÈËSOM, we recognize that healthcare doesn’t happen in our own personal bubbles—successful patient care relies on teamwork among professionals from diverse disciplines. We wanted to create a fun, engaging and meaningful way to bring that interprofessional spirit to life outside the classroom.”

Students participated in activities including a relay race, small goal soccer, volleyball, water balloon dodgeball and a Super Smash Bros tournament. Although the 91³ÉÈË health professions teams competed for awards, they simultaneously engaged in interprofessional collaboration, building skills that can be applied to patient care. It was a day filled with smiles and laughter as 91³ÉÈË’s aspiring health professionals got to know their 91³ÉÈË health professions peers; whom they may one day work with to serve others in need.

“Healthcare is a team sport!” noted FSOP’s Student Government Association Vice President Jaclyn Moreno. “As mission-centered healthcare providers, 91³ÉÈË students are trained to care for the whole person, and that care extends across every discipline—medicine, nursing, pharmacy, optometry, physical therapy, occupational therapy and athletic training. Collaboration across these fields is essential to delivering comprehensive patient care.”

At the end of the day, it was FSOP that victoriously earned the title of overall winner of the 2025 Health Profession Olympics.

“The best part (of the event) was watching the genuine camaraderie among students and teammates,” noted Coffel. “Watching their teams strategize, laugh and celebrate together was incredibly rewarding.”

Both Moreno and Coffel expressed that they were proud of the outcomes of the inaugural event and look forward to seeing how the event continues in future years.