An effective healthcare system thrives on collaboration, with professionals breaking silos to deliver optimal patient care. Reflecting this ethos, senior nursing students at the Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing led the annual health fair, joined this year by pharmacy, nutrition and medical students.

At the event, held on December 6 at Byblos National School, students from all four schools set up educational booths, shared their expertise and provided practical tips on health topics such as the flu, non-communicable diseases, vaccination and balanced nutrition to community visitors.

“This interdisciplinary approach is not new to the school,” said Dr. Rita Doumit, associate professor of nursing. “From their first year, we prepare our students for interprofessional education (IPE) through dedicated courses.” She explained that these efforts foster a culture of teamwork, placing the patient at the heart of care.

“The students get to apply their acquired knowledge through this annual fair, building on previous interdisciplinary initiatives they’ve participated in and community needs assessments conducted beforehand,” Doumit added.

Armed with leaflets, an illustrated chart and wearing makeup resembling small red spots, senior nursing student Yosra Abd Al Khalek aimed to raise awareness about chickenpox and the importance of vaccination.

“We still see people in the community who don’t vaccinate their children or lack the knowledge to differentiate between shingles and chickenpox, leading them to use incorrect home remedies,” she explained.

For third-year medical student Adam El Fouani, offering counseling at the child obesity booth alongside nursing and nutrition students who measured BMI and glucose levels of children brought by their parents, was a rewarding experience. “I enjoyed working with my peers from other schools—the different perspectives they brought,” he said.

Dr. Aline Bou Maroun, clinical assistant professor of pharmacy, who was present at the fair emphasized the importance of pharmacy student participation in such initiatives. She explained that it not only enhances their hands-on experience but also helps them develop effective communication skills to address the varying health literacy levels within the community.

“Our take home message to the community is that you can still make changes to your lifestyle to enhance your life at an early stage before getting the disease or ill,” said Dr. Mahmoud Salam, assistant professor of nursing.

Reflecting on this year’s interdisciplinary edition of the fair, Dr. Bahia Abdallah, assistant professor and nursing program director at the school of nursing, said that in practice, nurses play a crucial role in patient referral, pharmacists focus on pharmacovigilance, nutritionists encourage healthy lifestyles and medical students enhance diagnostics and treatment planning, making their teamwork indispensable for delivering comprehensive care that no single discipline can achieve alone.