Staff
Dennis Sharpe, PhD
Co-Director (Planning & Development)
Telephone: (709) 777-6922
Email: dsharpe@mun.ca
Dennis Sharpe is Co-Director of the Centre and a Professor with the Faculty of Education at Memorial with graduate and under-graduate teaching responsibilities in post-secondary studies. He chairs the post-secondary program group within the Faculty and was instrumental in the development of the graduate diploma program in Health Professional Education that is linked to the MEd. Post-Secondary Studies degree. His career in education has encompassed a number of teaching and administrative positions in the UK and Alberta, and more recently in Newfoundland at Memorial where his main responsibility is in the preparation, for certification, of instructors for the Province’s public and private college system. He works with adult learners from a wide variety of occupational backgrounds, including those in the health professions, and teaches primarily in the areas of research methodology, program and instructional design, development and evaluation, and adult learning methods. Recent research projects have included the characteristics and needs of university distance learners, an assessment of the impact of e-learning in the Province’s schools, the development of effective distance (internet-based) delivery approaches, and transitions into post-secondary education and the workforce. Current involvement in interprofessional education and collaborative patient centred practice includes:
- Co-Leader, Collaborating for Education and Practice: An Interprofessional Education Strategy for Newfoundland and Labrador (Health Canada funded project)
- Steering Committee Member, Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC)
- Editorial Board Member (North America book review editor), Journal of Interprofessional Care
Vernon Curran, PhD
Co-Director (Programming & Research)
Telephone: (709) 777-7542
Email: vcurran@mun.ca
Vernon Curran is Co-Director and an Associate Professor of Medical Education with the Faculty of Medicine. He holds a cross-appointment with the Faculty of Education at Memorial University and teaches in the undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Adult Education and Post-Secondary Studies. Areas of research specialization include medical and health professional education, tele-education, continuing professional education and interprofessional education in the health professions. He teaches in the areas of adult learning and development, organization and administration of adult education, adult education methods, and interprofessional education in the health professions. Current work to enable interprofessional education and collaborative patient centred practice includes:
- Co-Leader, Collaborating for Education and Practice: An Interprofessional Education Strategy for Newfoundland and Labrador
- Member, National Expert Committee of the Interprofessional Education for Collaborative Patient-Centred Practice (IECPCP) Initiative, Health Canada
- Member, Board of Directors, International Association for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice
- Member, Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC) Steering Committee
- Educational Consultant, Building a Better Tomorrow Initiative (BBTI) Atlantic Education Working Group
- Member, World Health Organization (WHO) Study Group on Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice
Diana R. Deacon, M.Ad.Ed
Educational Specialist
Telephone: (709) 777-7077
Email: ddeacon@mun.ca
Diana Deacon is an Educational Specialist with broad experience in adult education program administration, development, implementation, and evaluation in the university context. Her primary responsibility is to coordinate and provide support for course and program evaluation throughout the undergraduate medical school program. As part of this responsibility, she sits as a non-voting member on the Program Evaluation Subcommittee of the Undergraduate Medical Education committee and provides educational support for its activities. Diana is also involved in project-based educational outreach, research and evaluation including the annual Mini Medical and Health Sciences School. She has a BSc (Honours)/MSc (Biology), BEd (Secondary), DiplAdTeacherEd/ MAdEd (Adult Education) and is currently a part-time PhD student in the Division of Community Health and Humanities. Her research interests include qualitative and quantitative research and evaluation, program evaluation practice and theory, the role of community-building and interdependence in health professional education and practice, and the role of caregivers and patients in collaborative patient-centered practice.
Kate Flynn, BA (Hons.), MASP
Research Coordinator
Telephone: 777-7302
Email: Kate.Flynn@med.mun.ca
Kate is the Research Associate with the Interprofessional Education for Collaborative Patient-Centred Practice (IECPCP) Project. She is responsible for planning the evaluation of the many project components, participating in meetings of the Evaluation Research Team, overseeing the recruitment of respondents, and organizing and coordinating interview and focus group meetings with students and faculty. Kate is also responsible for developing evaluation instruments, ensuring timely distribution and collection of evaluation instruments, overseeing data collection, entry and analysis, and preparing project evaluation reports. Kate recently completed a Masters degree in Applied Social Psychology at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Her research interests include statistical analysis, program evaluation, and health promotion.
Louise Green
Administrative Support
Telephone: 777-6504
Email: louiseg@mun.ca
Louise Green is the administrative support for the Standardized Patient Program. She offers support to the program in maintaining the Standardized Patient database and the Medical Council of Canada Physician Examiners database, as well as assisting in the everyday activities of the office. She is also the Administrative Assistant for the Medical Council of Canada Examination and the PEBC Examination that are held each year. Louise has been with Memorial University for 20 years and has extensive experience within both academic and administrative departments within the university.
Olga Heath, PhD
Assistant Professor
Telephone: (709)737-8874
Email: oheath@mun.ca
Olga Heath is an Assistant Professor holding a joint appointment with the University Counseling Centre and the Faculty of Medicine, Division of Community Health and Humanities. As part of the IECPCP Project she will be involved in CCHPE research and education initiatives related to her area of expertise. Olga comes to the Centre with over 20 years of experience in clinical and management roles. She worked in mental health with a specialization in eating disorders and is interested in conducting research and teaching in these areas. She will be involved in the Rural Mental Health Interprofessional Training Program, undergraduate teaching of the Collaborative Mental Health Practice Module as well as Interprofessional Collaboration Workshops.
Research plans include:
- Examining prevalence of eating disorders and self injury in MUN student population
- Developing, implementing and evaluating a training program on eating disorders for professionals working outside of large urban centres to develop capacity to identify, intervene for early cases, recognize need for referral and follow-up post specialized treatment
Ann Hollett, M.A.
Research Coordinator
Telephone: (709) 777-8806
Email: annh@mun.ca
Ann Hollett is a Research Coordinator with the Centre working on several research projects including the Physician Orientation Study, the Family Medicine Pediatrics Rotation Study and the Integrated Nursing Access Program in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. She is responsible for the co-ordination of all aspect of the research and analysis of these projects. This includes: liaison with the key stakeholders, co-coordinating the dissemination of various surveys, conducting interviews and focus groups, data analysis and the preparation of research reports and presentations. Ann has worked in a variety of research environments over the years including: Education, Economics, Nursing, Arts, and Public Health. Ann’s research interests include program evaluation, survey design and statistical analysis
Anne Kearney, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor
Telephone: (709) 777-7333
Email: akearney@mun.ca
Anne Kearney has a joint appointment as Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing and the Division of Community Health and Humanities in the Faculty of Medicine. Her primary responsibilities include the development, implementation, and evaluation of interprofessional education among the academic departments of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Social Work as well as in a variety of health related and practice settings. Previous work experience includes public health / community health nursing, HIV prevention, addictions, breast screening, and nursing education. Anne has taught in the undergraduate nursing degree program (community health) for several years, most recently at the Centre for Nursing Studies. Primary research to date is related to breast screening, including the broad social factors influencing women’s practice of breast self examination, and a critical review of the application of evidence to policy. She has served on a number of local, provincial, national and international boards of directors, primarily related to breast cancer and has done international work in Nicaragua and Malawi.
Brenda Kirby, B.Voc.Ed.
Project Manager
Telephone: (709)777-8809
E-mail: bkirby@mun.ca
Brenda Kirby is responsible for coordinating the activities of Memorial’s Interprofessional Education for Collaborative Patient-Centred Practice (IECPCP) Project. Responsibilities include providing administrative support for the planning and implementation of interprofessional education curriculum for health professional students. Brenda has more than twenty years of experience in adult education with various teaching and administrative roles.
Karen Mitchell, B.A.
Academic Program Coordinator
Telephone: (709) 777-8694
E-mail: Karen.Mitchell@med.mun.ca
Karen Mitchell is a trainer with the Standardized Patient Program. She has worked as a Standardized Patient and a Gynecological Teaching Associate for several years at Memorial University. As one of the trainers, Karen facilitates sessions with standardized patients to ensure they are well prepared to accurately portray their assigned roles. Other duties include recruiting standardized patients and coordinating schedules for various sessions. Karen comes to Memorial with extensive experience as a facilitator and large event organizer in the not for profit sector.
Paula Mullins-Richards, RN
Coordinator/Trainer
Telephone: 777-6563
E-mail: paula.richards@med.mun.ca
Paula is responsible for managing the Standardized Patient (SP) Program which includes a group of approximately 150 SPs, 2 SP Trainers and administrative staff. SPs are recruited from the general population and are trained to portray clinical cases to suppo rt the education and evaluation of students from various health care professions such as – medicine, nursing, nurse practitioner, pharmacy, and social work. Paula is a Registered Nurse within the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, and prior to establishing her career at MUN, has spent the past 11 years as a specialist within the resuscitation field of cardiovascular care. With her extensive experience, she has become a well respected leader, collaborator, educator and mentor both provincially and nationally. Paula has also authored / co-authored many pre-hospital care training programs, faculty training materials and educational policies that are currently being used nationally.
Elizabeth Ohle, MS
Academic Program Coordinator
Telephone: (709) 777-8581
Email: eohle@mun.ca
Liz Ohle is a trainer with the Standardized Patient Program. She has extensive experience as a standardized patient at Memorial University, and previously at The Ohio University School of Osteopathic Medicine and the Ohio State University School of Medicine. She is a member of the Genital-Urinary Special Interest Resource Group of the Association of Standardized Patient Educators and actively promotes cross cultural awareness in health care delivery.
Sheila Silver
Intermediate Secretary
Telephone: (709) 777-6912
Email: ssilver@mun.ca
Sheila Silver is Intermediate Secretary for the Centre and is responsible for providing administrative support to the Co-Directors of the Centre. She has more than 30 years administrative support experience with Memorial University including the Department of Human Resources, the School of Social Work and the Faculty of Medicine Dean’s Office.
