Lonnie Mixon/AdventHealth University
Lonnie Mixon/AdventHealth University
Lonnie Mixon/AdventHealth University
Lonnie Mixon/AdventHealth University
Lonnie Mixon/AdventHealth University
Current and future healthcare professionals will be exposed to learning and practicing resilience, compassion, and whole-person care, thanks to an earnest gathering in Orlando, Fla., recently.
This spring, AdventHealth University hosted the Consortium of Hospital- Affiliated Colleges and Universities Spring Conference, bringing together 65 people from more than 29 institutions. This year’s theme was “Motivated by Mission: Reimagining Curricula to Shape Healers, Not Just Practitioners.”
“The Consortium gathered educators, clinicians, and leaders who share a common goal of preparing a workforce that is not only competent and highly skilled, but also empathetic and responsive to the needs of our communities,” said C. Josef Ghosn, Ed.D., FACHE, president and CEO of AdventHealth University. “I left the conference both inspired and grateful.”
The Consortium of Hospital-Affiliated Colleges and Universities (CHACU) was founded in 1998 to advance and support health sciences education in the U.S. That support has grown into government advocacy and standard setting. As the healthcare landscape continues to rapidly evolve, hospital-affiliated schools often occupy a unique space. These schools sit at the intersections of education, clinical practice, research, and workforce development. CHACU’s mission is to collectively leverage those areas by sharing innovations and lessons learned to strengthen healthcare education and ultimately healthcare.
Conference sessions included “Mentorship and Reflective Practice in Developing Health Care Leaders” and “Embedding Health Literacy into Healthcare Education.” Presenters included AdventHealth University faculty, AdventHealth clinical leaders, and CHACU leaders.
“As our communities grow and their medical needs become more complex, we must adapt our training to meet these changes,” said Abel Biri, CEO of AdventHealth Orlando and one of the conference presenters. “Preparing future healthcare professionals requires more than technical skill. It demands compassion, purpose, and heart. I am grateful for the role AdventHealth University and our CHACU partners play in shaping healthcare by developing clinicians committed to a whole-person model of care.”
Attendees were able to make meaningful connections with another as well during a networking reception on the first evening, and a dinner reception at the Orlando Science Center on the second evening.
AdventHealth University leaders shared they appreciated serving as host for the conference. “This was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the talent, scholarship, and innovation of our faculty, staff, healthcare colleagues, and the central Florida community,” said Karen Benn Marshall, Ed.D., M.S., provost and chief academic officer of AdventHealth University.
AdventHealth University will be hosting an additional conference later this year, also aimed at educational leaders. Scheduled for December 3-5, 2026, attendees will learn about “Vocation and Whole Person Education in a Transactional Age” at the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education Regional Conference, administered by the Council of Independent Colleges and supported by the Lilly Endowment Inc.
Visit AHU.edu/Netvue-Regional-Conference to register or learn more.
AdventHealth University | July 2026
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