Seton Hall Professor Earns National Grant for Interprofessional Research
for interprofessional health education.
Leslie A. Rippon, Ph.D., ATC, associate professor in the Department of Athletic Training at Seton Hall University’s School of Health and Medical Sciences (SHMS), has been awarded a $26,000 research grant from the Association of Schools Advancing
Health Professions (ASAHP)
Rippon is one of two recipients nationwide selected for ASAHP’s 2026 Interprofessional
Collaboration Research Grants, which total $53,000 this year. The awards support innovative
research with strong potential to advance interprofessional collaboration across the
health professions
Rippon’s project, “Developing Student Readiness for Contemporary Healthcare Environments:
An Interprofessional Cross-Institutional Approach to SDOH,” uses virtual reality simulation
to prepare students to address the social determinants of health that shape patient
outcomes
Rippon said the project builds on several years of her research combining two areas:
using AI to create virtual patients and designing virtual environments that would
be difficult to replicate in the physical world.
The grant will support the development and delivery of immersive programming that
builds on Rippon’s ongoing work with AI-enabled virtual patients, furthering Seton
Hall’s commitment to curricula that keep students professionally prepared for team-based
care
“Through this collaboration, I aim to enhance students’ understanding of the social
determinants of health by providing immersive, experiential learning opportunities
that foster deeper engagement and empathy,” she said
Rippon said the project is designed to push students to look beyond their own frame
of reference. “I hope this project provides students with an opportunity to reflect
on their own perspectives while also exploring experiences that may differ significantly
from their own,” she continued. “By doing so, students can develop a broader understanding
of the factors that shape health outcomes and learn to view patients through a more
informed, empathetic and inclusive lens.”
Rippon will present her research at the 2027 ASAHP Annual Conference. Read the original ASAHP announcement
Learn more about Seton Hall’s accredited, two-year M.S. in Athletic Training program.
