IEHP Offers Telehealth Certificate Program to PACU Ambassadors

Student volunteers are selected as PACU Ambassadors to be placed in the Ambulatory care unit where patients are recovering from anesthesia. Our PACU Ambassadors set up patients and their family members with virtual encounters through the Telehealth department. 

The PACU Ambassador Program is a semester long program that provides pre-medical students and graduate students in health related fields an opportunity to work in the PACU to improve the patient, family and clinician experience through a mentored role facilitating Virtual Rounds. The PACU Ambassadors will play a key role in supporting and facilitating enhanced video communications between patients and families along with physicians, physician extenders and nursing staff. In addition to improving communications with families and physicians, the PACU Ambassador will work in a high acuity healthcare environment learning to further develop communication skills and develop relationships with health care professionals.

The PACU Ambassador program allows for students in the process of applying to medical school to gain necessary clinical experience beforehand.  Through the collaboration between the Institute of Emerging Health Professions and the Telehealth department, students will be able to complete the 12-week Ambassador program and also participate in IEHP’s 5-week online telehealth facilitator certificate program.